Can I substitute store-bought biscuits?
ABSOLUTELY. I love a semi-homemade moment. If that works with your schedule, it is a fantastic choice. The coating and caramel are so delicious that you will have a fantastic caramel walnut monkey bread even with store-bought dough! I recommend using Pilsbury Grand Biscuits.
Why we don’t use a “true” caramel for this recipe
Instead of a traditional caramel made by cooking sugar on its own, this recipe uses a brown sugar–butter mixture. That means:
- No candy thermometer required
- No risk of crystallization
- Much faster and more forgiving
The sauce thickens as it simmers briefly, then finishes cooking in the oven as it bakes into the dough. You still get that rich, sticky texture but without the stress.
Can I let this dough rise overnight?
Yes! You can make this the night before. Follow the recipe through Step 4 of the monkey bread dough instructions. Before the first rise, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours (do not exceed 16 hours).
When you’re ready to continue, remove the dough from the refrigerator, punch it down, and proceed with the recipe by rolling the dough into balls and assembling the monkey bread as directed. This method simply allows the dough to complete its first rise slowly in the refrigerator. Because the temperature is colder, the yeast works more slowly, which extends the rise time without affecting the final result.
Ingredients
Monkey Bread Dough
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk 360 grams, warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons Instant Yeast 7 grams (this should be one standard of Fleischman’s/Red Star)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 70 grams, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups all-purpose flour 625 grams
Coating
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 113 grams, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 250 grams
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Caramel Walnut Sauce
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 113 grams
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar 150 grams
- ¾ cup heavy cream 180 grams
- ⅓ cup honey 105 grams
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 cup walnuts roughly chopped, 113 grams
Instructions
Monkey Bread Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook combine the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently, then cover and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.
- You can make this dough by hand, without a stand mixer, but it will be a bit of a workout! If making dough by hand, follow the instructions but mix by hand with a sturdy spoon or spatula.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, salt, and 1 cup of the flour. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour and continue mixing on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2-3 minutes.
- Continue kneading in the mixer for 7–9 minutes. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for the same amount of time. This often takes longer than you think it should so look for the dough to be soft and slightly tacky, but not overly sticky. If dough is sticky, you can add more flour, just one teaspoon at a time and continue to knead. The dough is ready when it springs back slowly when pressed with a finger. You can also test it by using the window pane test. Grab a small portion of your dough, about the size of a quarter and stretch it into a thin sheet. If you can stretch the dough, hold it up to light to see if light passes through, if the dough tears it is not ready, if the dough does not tear, it is ready!
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, until doubled in size.
Prepare the pan. Lightly grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan and set aside.
Make the caramel
- Since this is not a true “caramel,” it is relatively easy. Add all of the caramel ingredients, including the walnuts, to a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring intermittently to make sure the bottom of the mixture doesn’t burn. Once at a boil, bring the heat down to medium and let the mixture simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes more. It should look slightly thickened, lightly browned, and somewhat thick. Remove from the heat and pour about 1/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the greased Bundt pan and keep the rest of the mixture nearby.
Make the coating.
- In a medium shallow bowl, add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix with a fork to combine an set aside. Add the melted and cooled butter to a medium sepaeate bowl nearby.
- Shape the monkey bread. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release excess air. Tear off small pieces of dough and roll them into balls about 1¼ inches wide, but varying sizes are okay, more fun to eat! You should end up with roughly 40 pieces.Dip each dough ball into the melted butter, then roll generously in the cinnamon sugar. The heavier the coating, the more gooey and cinnamon-roll-like the final result. Arrange the coated balls evenly in the prepared Bundt pan, on top of the first layer of caramel. Halfway through placing the dough balls, sprinkle another 1/3 of the mixture on top of the dough balls. Continue placing the rest of the balls and then add the last of the caramel walnut sauce. Cover loosely and let rest for 30-40 minutes until dough rises again and fills the bundt to about 2 inches uner the rim.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until top if puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes, maximum of 10 before inverting onto a large plate. This is best enjoyed the day of baking!
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