If you are craving a warm, gooey, and utterly irresistible treat to share with loved ones, this Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe will steal your heart and fill your home with the most wonderful aroma. Soft biscuit dough bites are coated in a perfect cinnamon-sugar blend, drenched in a luscious brown sugar butter sauce, and slow-cooked to golden perfection. Topped with a dreamy cinnamon glaze, this monkey bread is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for breakfast, brunch, or dessert any day of the week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting started is simple because this recipe relies on pantry staples that combine to create layers of sweet, buttery, and spicy flavors. Each ingredient plays a key role in delivering that melt-in-your-mouth, sticky sweetness and comforting texture.
- Refrigerated biscuits: The base for your monkey bread, providing soft, fluffy dough that puffs up beautifully in the slow cooker.
- Granulated sugar: Used to coat the biscuit pieces evenly, giving a subtle sweetness and crunch.
- Ground cinnamon: Infuses warm, fragrant spice that defines the classic cinnamon monkey bread flavor.
- Brown sugar: Adds rich, molasses-like sweetness to the buttery sauce, deepening the taste.
- Unsalted butter: Melts into the brown sugar to create a luscious, caramel-like coating.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance and enhance all the sweet flavors perfectly.
- Powdered sugar: The star of the cinnamon glaze for a smooth, sweet topping.
- Milk: Blends the powdered sugar into a drizzle-able glaze texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle, aromatic hint that rounds out the glaze’s flavor.
How to Make Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Crockpot
Start by spritzing the pot of your 4-quart slow cooker or CrockPot with nonstick cooking spray. This crucial step helps ensure your monkey bread won’t stick and will come out in perfect chunks for serving.
Step 2: Cut the Biscuits
Take your can of refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. These bite-sized pieces will be tossed in cinnamon sugar, so uniform pieces help with even cooking and maximum deliciousness.
Step 3: Coat the Biscuit Pieces in Cinnamon Sugar
Place the biscuit quarters in a large ziplock bag along with the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Seal the bag leaving a little air inside and shake it well to thoroughly coat each piece with the sugary spice mix. This coating creates that iconic monkey bread crust.
Step 4: Layer in the Crockpot
Add the coated biscuit pieces to your prepared slow cooker. If you have any leftover cinnamon sugar, sprinkle a small handful over the top for extra flavor and texture.
Step 5: Make the Brown Sugar Butter Sauce
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, and a large pinch of salt. Heat in 30-second increments until the butter is melted and the sugar has mostly dissolved into a thick, syrupy sauce.
Step 6: Pour the Sauce Over the Biscuit Pieces
Drizzle this decadent brown sugar butter mixture evenly over all the biscuit pieces in the Crockpot, ensuring every morsel gets coated in that beautiful caramel goodness.
Step 7: Cook Low and Slow
Cover the slow cooker and cook the monkey bread on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when the edges turn a beautiful golden brown and the center reaches about 190°F (88°C). The slow cooking allows the dough to rise and soak up all those fantastic flavors.
Step 8: Whisk Up the Cinnamon Glaze
While the monkey bread finishes cooking, mix together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. This glaze is the final touch that makes this dessert extra special.
Step 9: Drizzle and Serve
Once your Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe is done, drizzle on the glaze, inviting everyone to dig into warm, sticky, cinnamon-scented happiness.
How to Serve Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
Garnishes
Sprinkle some chopped toasted pecans or walnuts over the top after glazing for a delightful crunch. Fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or a handful of blueberries can add a lovely fresh contrast to the sweetness.
Side Dishes
This monkey bread pairs wonderfully with a side of crispy bacon or sausage for a savory-sweet breakfast experience. You can also serve it alongside a bowl of vanilla yogurt or cream cheese for dipping.
Creative Ways to Present
Instead of serving it right from the Crockpot, try transferring the monkey bread to a decorative bundt pan for a show-stopping presentation. Cut pieces and stack them on a serving platter for a playful pull-apart effect, perfect for parties or brunch gatherings.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
After the monkey bread cools, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. The cinnamon glaze keeps it moist and tasty, but it’s best enjoyed fresh.
Freezing
You can freeze any extra monkey bread by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and placing it in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
To warm leftovers, microwave individual servings for 20 to 30 seconds. You can also reheat slices in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through and slightly crisp on the edges.
FAQs
Can I use homemade biscuit dough instead of canned?
Absolutely! Homemade biscuit dough works beautifully in this recipe and gives you full control over ingredients and flavors. Just cut them into quarters and follow the same steps.
What size slow cooker is best for this recipe?
A 4-quart slow cooker is ideal to allow enough room for the dough to expand and cook evenly without overcrowding.
Can I make this recipe without a slow cooker?
While the Crockpot method is wonderfully hands-off, you can bake it in a bundt pan at 350°F for about 35-40 minutes. Just adjust the liquid and cooking times accordingly.
How do I know when the monkey bread is cooked through?
Look for golden brown edges and use a food thermometer to check that the center has reached about 190°F (88°C) to ensure it’s fully baked and gooey inside.
Can I add nuts or dried fruit to the recipe?
Definitely! Add chopped nuts or dried fruit to the cinnamon sugar bag before tossing with the biscuit pieces for extra texture and flavor twists.
Final Thoughts
This Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe is a total game-changer for cozy gatherings and lazy brunches alike. From the mouthwatering aroma to the warm, sticky bites of cinnamon bliss, it’s a recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again. So grab your Crockpot, get ready to impress everyone around your table, and enjoy each sweet, buttery pull-apart piece!
Print
Crockpot Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Crockpot Monkey Bread recipe offers a warm, gooey, and delicious treat made effortlessly in your slow cooker. Tender biscuit pieces are coated in cinnamon sugar, baked in a sweet brown sugar butter sauce, and finished with a creamy vanilla glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, this easy recipe yields soft, pull-apart bread full of cinnamon and sugary goodness.
Ingredients
Biscuit Coating
- 1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Brown Sugar Mixture
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large pinch salt
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Crockpot: Spray the pot of a 4-quart slow cooker or CrockPot with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside to ensure the monkey bread does not stick during cooking.
- Cut Biscuits: Cut the refrigerated biscuits into quarters to create small pieces that will form the monkey bread’s pull-apart texture.
- Coat Biscuits: Place the biscuit pieces into a large ziplock bag along with granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Close the bag leaving some air inside and shake vigorously until all biscuit pieces are fully coated with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then transfer the coated biscuits into the prepared Crockpot. Sprinkle any leftover cinnamon sugar over the biscuits to enhance flavor.
- Make Brown Sugar Mixture: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the butter is fully melted and the sugar is mostly dissolved, forming a smooth, sweet sauce.
- Pour Over Biscuits: Evenly pour the warm brown sugar and butter mixture over the cinnamon sugar coated biscuit pieces in the Crockpot, ensuring good coverage for caramelization.
- Cook: Cover the Crockpot and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. The monkey bread is done when the edges begin to brown and the internal temperature reaches about 190°F (88°C), indicating the dough is fully cooked through.
- Make Glaze: While the monkey bread cooks, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl to create a smooth vanilla glaze.
- Glaze and Serve: Once cooked, drizzle the vanilla glaze generously over the top of the monkey bread for added sweetness and moisture before serving warm.
Notes
- Use a 4-quart slow cooker for best results; adjust cooking time slightly if your crockpot is larger or smaller.
- For extra gooeyness, serve the monkey bread warm right out of the Crockpot.
- Ensure not to overcook to avoid drying out the biscuit pieces.
- The internal temperature of 190°F (88°C) ensures the dough is fully baked inside.
- This recipe can be doubled but may require a larger slow cooker and longer cooking time.
- Butter can be melted on the stovetop as an alternative to the microwave.
