Cinnamon Raisin Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°F, then switch it off once it reaches temperature. This creates a cozy, warm spot for the dough to rise.
- In a large measuring cup, stir together the warmed milk, water, melted butter, granulated sugar, and yeast until the sugar and yeast are mostly dissolved.
- You can make this dough in a stand mixer or by hand, whichever you prefer. Both methods work great.
- If using a stand mixer, add the flour and salt to the mixer bowl and attach an oiled dough hook. The oil on the hook prevents the dough from creeping up and making a mess.
- On the lowest speed, slowly pour in the milk-yeast mixture. When the dough just comes together, increase the speed to medium and let the hook knead it for 6 to 7 minutes until shiny and smooth. The dough should be slightly sticky, but if it is too tacky to form a ball, add 2 tablespoons more flour. It should barely cling to your hands. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and shape it into a smooth ball with a quick knead.
- For hand mixing, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl and scoop out a well in the middle. Add the milk mixture into the well and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is too stiff to mix and gathers into a shaggy ball. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, folding in any loose pieces, until smooth and satiny. Form into a ball.
- Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and put it in the warmed oven. Let it rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- While the dough rests, grease a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, including the center tube, and set it aside.
- Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into an 8 by 8 inch square.
- Use a bench scraper or knife to score the square into 8 rows and 8 columns, creating 64 small squares.
- Cut the dough completely along the scored lines into 64 squares and gently separate them so they don't fuse back together.
- Pour the melted 1/2 cup butter into a small bowl.
- In another larger bowl, whisk together the packed brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Roll each dough square into a ball, dip it in the butter, then coat it generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the coated ball into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Arrange the dough balls in the pan in staggered, overlapping layers like bricks in a wall so the seams are offset. Tuck some plumped raisins and toasted pecans between the layers as you build.
- Cover the pan loosely and set it back in the warm oven or a warm corner of the kitchen. Let the dough rise for 45 to 50 minutes, until it nearly reaches the top of the pan.
- Take the risen pan out of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the bread for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the exterior is crisp.
- Watch it closely so it doesn't overbake; it should look a little dark and caramelized on the outside. Rest the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate and serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
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Let us know how it was!Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Raisin Monkey Bread
The first day of school hits our house like a small hurricane. One lost shoe, a sleepy kid still in his pajamas, and the clock already way ahead of us. That’s exactly why I started making cinnamon raisin monkey bread the night before the first bell.
This pull-apart bread is my secret weapon for chaotic mornings. You assemble it on Sunday night, let it rise slowly in the fridge, and bake it while the coffee brews. By the time the kids shuffle to the table, the kitchen smells like a bakery. Cinnamon raisin monkey bread turns an ordinary Tuesday into a celebration.
Here’s what you’re getting:
- No yeast drama and no proofing stress
- Soft dough balls with a buttery brown sugar coating
- Plump raisins in every bite, never hard or burnt
- A make-ahead breakfast that wins before 7am
Ándale, let’s talk about why this one works.
What Is Monkey Bread?
Monkey bread is the friendliest breakfast on the table. Small dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar, stacked in a Bundt pan, and baked until the outside turns caramelized and crisp while the inside stays soft and tender. You pull it apart with your fingers, piece by piece. That’s the whole point.
This cinnamon raisin monkey bread, with its homemade sweet dough, reminds me of Saturday mornings at my abuela’s house. Warm bread and the promise of family gathered around. She taught me that baking is a love language. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to come from the heart.
This version uses whole milk and real butter for a soft, bakery-style cinnamon bread. You’ll also find toasted pecans and plumped raisins tucked between the layers. Even if you’ve never worked with yeast before, you can absolutely make this.
Ingredients for Cinnamon Raisin Monkey Bread
You’ll start with a simple sweet dough: unsalted butter, whole milk, water, granulated sugar, rapid-rise yeast, all-purpose flour, and fine salt. Nothing fussy. For the coating, you need packed brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Then come the stars: plump raisins and toasted pecan pieces.
Here’s a baker’s secret I learned the hard way. Don’t toss dry raisins into the pan. They turn hard and can burn on the edges. Instead, cover them with boiling water and let them sit for 10 minutes, then drain and pat them dry. This keeps the raisins plump and juicy in every bite. I promise it’s worth the extra 2 minutes.
A few quick notes before you start:
- Whole milk gives the dough the best flavor and texture. Low-fat works in a pinch, but the bread won’t be as soft.
- Rapid-rise yeast cuts your rising time. Active dry yeast also works, just give it a bit longer.
- A 12-cup Bundt pan is your best friend here. Grease it well, including the center tube, so the bread releases cleanly.
How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Monkey Bread
This cinnamon raisin monkey bread recipe is easier than it looks. Four stages, a little patience, and you’re there. Mira, let me walk you through each one.
Stage 1: Make the Dough
Start by warming your milk and water to about 115°F. Stir in the melted butter, granulated sugar, and rapid-rise yeast until mostly dissolved. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, combine the flour and salt, then slowly pour in the wet mixture. Knead for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough looks shiny and smooth. It should be slightly sticky. If it’s too tacky, add a couple of tablespoons of flour.
Making it by hand? Claro que sí. Mix the flour and salt, make a well in the center, pour in the milk mixture, and stir until it forms a shaggy ball. Then knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until satiny. Either way, let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Stage 2: Coat the Dough Balls
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and roll it into a square on a lightly floured surface. Cut it into roughly 1-inch squares, then roll each one into a ball. Dip each ball in the melted butter, then give it a generous coat in the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. This cinnamon sugar coating is where the magic happens.
As it bakes, that coating melts into a sticky brown sugar butter sauce that seeps through every crack and crevice. Now that’s how it should be. The key is to dip every side so no spot gets left bare.
Stage 3: Layer and Rise
Grease your 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly. Then arrange the coated dough balls in staggered, overlapping layers like bricks in a wall. Tuck the plumped raisins and toasted pecans between the layers as you go. Don’t press the dough balls down. Leave them loose so the sauce can seep through the whole pan.
Cover the pan loosely and let it rise again for 45 to 50 minutes, until it nearly reaches the top. This second rise is what gives the bread its light, airy pull-apart texture. For me, this is the hardest part. The waiting. But I promise, your kitchen will smell incredible, so consider that your warning.
Stage 4: Bake and Flip
Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the bread for 22 to 25 minutes. The top should be deep golden brown and the exterior crisp. Watch it closely so it doesn’t overbake. It should look a little dark and caramelized on the outside, that’s the brown sugar doing its job. If you want to test for doneness, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Rest the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a plate. Don’t overthink the flip. If you greased the pan well, it will release with a gentle shake. Then comes the best moment: pulling that first golden piece apart while the steam rises and the cinnamon sugar stretches between your fingers.
Tips for Perfect Pull-Apart Monkey Bread
Every home baker hits a snag now and then. Here are the most common mistakes I see with cinnamon raisin monkey bread, and how to fix them.
- ❌ Pressing the dough balls down in the pan: This blocks the sauce from coating the inside of the bread. Leave them loose and layered.
- ❌ Overbaking until the outside is too dark: The center can stay raw while the edges burn. Pull it at 25 minutes and trust those golden brown edges.
- ❌ Skipping the center tube pan: A Bundt or one-piece tube pan lets air circulate so the bread bakes evenly. A loaf pan or 9×13 pan works in a pinch, just adjust the baking time.
- ❌ Not using enough sauce: Make about 50% more brown sugar butter sauce than you think you need. People always go for the sauciest parts.
- ❌ Using dry raisins: Soak them first. Plump raisins stay juicy and never burn on the edges.
Using canned biscuit dough instead of homemade? Por supuesto, you can. That’s a totally valid shortcut and it tastes great. Just bake it within two hours of opening the can, and adjust your bake time since biscuit dough cooks faster than yeast dough.
Variations and Add-Ins
This cinnamon raisin monkey bread is already pretty perfect, así es, but it’s also a canvas. Here’s how I like to switch it up.
- Swap the nuts: Toasted pecans are my go-to, but chopped walnuts work beautifully. Or leave them out entirely for a nut-free version.
- Change the dried fruit: Dried cranberries, chopped dates, or currants stand in nicely for the raisins. Just plump them the same way.
- Add extra spice: A pinch of cardamom in the cinnamon sugar mixture gives it a warm, fragrant lift.
- Make it saucier: Double the brown sugar butter sauce and layer it at the bottom and between the nut layers for a super caramelly, gooey result.
- Drizzle something on top: A simple powdered sugar dusting is my classic finish. If you’re feeling extra, a cream cheese glaze drizzle is lovely, and totally optional.
You can also use Pillsbury cinnamon rolls cut into quarters for an even faster version. Layer them with pecans and raisins, then bake. The little icing packets go on top after baking.
Storage, Reheating, and Make-Ahead Tips
Here’s the best part for busy parents: this cinnamon raisin monkey bread is a dream to make ahead. Assemble all the dough balls in the pan, cover it tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let it come to room temperature and rise for about 45 minutes before baking. That’s it. Fresh breakfast without waking up at dawn.
This overnight method is exactly why cinnamon raisin monkey bread works so well for back to school mornings. You do the fun part the night before, and the oven does the heavy lifting while the kids grope for their shoes.
Leftovers keep well too. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or pop the pan in the fridge for up to 4 days. Warm individual pieces in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and the cinnamon butter softens right back up. You can even freeze the whole bread for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat as needed.
It’s a brunch table centerpiece on weekends and the hero of school-week breakfasts. Serve it warm, pull it apart with your fingers, and watch the kids light up. Your kitchen will smell incredible. That’s the promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you pull that first golden piece apart and the steam escapes, the cinnamon sugar stretching between your fingers, you’ll understand why this is our family tradition. It’s the breakfast that says “we’ve got this” even when the school shoes are missing. If you make this cinnamon raisin monkey bread, come find me on Pinterest! I’m always pinning more breakfast bakes and brunch favorites. Ándale, your kitchen is waiting.
Source: Learn More About This Dish
Can you put this cinnamon raisin monkey bread together ahead of time and take it to a family dinner?
Claro que sí. Bake it fully, let it cool, and keep it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Transport it in the pan, then reheat gently in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes before serving. The pull-apart texture stays soft and the brown sugar coating gets sticky and delicious again.
Can I assemble this and store it in the fridge until morning and bake it then?
Absolutely. Assemble the dough balls in the greased Bundt pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature and rise for about 45 minutes, then bake as directed. This overnight monkey bread method works beautifully with homemade yeast dough.
Why did my brown sugar coating become hard instead of gooey?
That usually happens when the bread overbakes or the butter separates. Don’t overheat the brown sugar butter sauce, and pull the bread from the oven at 25 minutes max. The coating should be caramelized and crisp on the outside, but soft and sticky inside.
I only used about half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. What should I do with the leftover?
No te preocupes. Store the leftover cinnamon sugar mixture in an airtight container and use it for your next batch. You can also sprinkle it over buttered toast, oatmeal, or pancakes. It keeps well at room temperature for a couple of weeks, so nothing goes to waste.
