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This Apple Monkey Bread is the ultimate cozy fall treat! Soft, gooey pull-apart pieces of cinnamon roll dough baked with caramelized chunks of apple, brown sugar, and buttery pecans. Every bite tastes like warm apple pie meets fluffy bread, with that perfect mix of crunchy and gooey sweetness. Serve it straight from the oven with a drizzle of icing, and trust me… it won’t last long!
For more apple recipes, make my apple fritter cake and apple cider donuts!
This Apple Monkey Bread is the definition of cozy baking. Sweet, sticky, and packed with all the best fall flavors.
Each bite is loaded with pecans and tender diced apples tossed in cinnamon sugar mixed with soft, gooey cinnamon roll dough. As it bakes in the oven, a buttery brown sugar caramel forms to create the most delicious spiced sauce.
The smell alone will have everyone hovering around the oven, waiting for that first warm slice. It’s like apple pie and a cinnamon roll had a baby – soft in the center, golden and caramelized on the edges, and perfectly spiced.
A drizzle of icing on top adds just the right touch of sweetness to finish it off. Best part? It’s SUPER EASY to make!! Monkey Bread is basically a pull-apart bread = the perfect finger food. Make this recipe now!!
Table of contents
Apple Monkey Bread Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Honeycrisp or Granny Smith Apples add juicy sweetness, texture, and a burst of cozy flavor in every bite. Honeycrisp apples give you that crisp, candy-like sweetness, while Granny Smiths bring a tart flavor that balances all the brown sugar and cinnamon. Fuji apples also work here too! Use leftovers for my apple cobbler recipe!
- Pillsbury Grand’s Cinnamon Rolls – these pre-made rolls are the perfect shortcut! They’re soft, fluffy, and packed with cinnamon flavor. They bake up golden and tender, soaking in all the buttery brown sugar goodness while holding their shape. You can also use biscuit dough/canned biscuits here, but the cinnamon rolls will give you superior flavor!
- Pecans add a buttery crunch that cuts through the sweetness and gives the monkey bread a nice crunch! This is totally optional but highly recommended!
- Apple Cider Packets are my secret weapon for concentrated apple flavor! The cider mix adds a tangy, spiced apple notes without adding extra liquid to the recipe. It takes the apple flavor to the next level.
- Brown Sugar gives this monkey bread recipe its signature sticky caramel sauce.. should I call this a caramel apple monkey bread instead?? As it bakes, it mixes with the juices of the fresh apples and melds into a glossy, gooey coating that clings to each bite.
- Cinnamon enhances the flavor of the apples and brown sugar, adding that familiar warmth and coziness that makes the whole kitchen smell like fall. It’s the backbone of every great monkey bread.
- Butter ties everything together. Melt it and pour it on top of the monkey bread. It blends with the brown sugar to form the caramel sauce and coats the dough balls and cinnamon apples for a rich, buttery flavor.
How To Make Apple Monkey Bread
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop apples into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 inch) and pecans and place them into a medium bowl. Toss with brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and a pinch of salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
Step 2: Remove the cinnamon rolls from the can and cut each roll into quarters and add to a large bowl. Use 4 of the apple cider packets and toss the dough in the dry apple cider mixture. Drain as much of the juices from the apples as possible and pour leftover juices into a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: Spray a 15 cup bundt pan (or tube cake pan) liberally nonstick baking spray (you can also brush with butter and coat with flour). Add a layer of the dough balls, then sprinkle in some of the apple mixture, then repeat until all of the dough is used up.
Step 4: Combined the reserved apple juices, melted butter, cinnamon, and 1 packets of apple cider. Whisk together.
Step 5: Drizzle the melted butter mixture into the bundt pan so that it’s evenly distributed. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until puffed and deep golden brown. Be sure not to pull it out too early! Underbaked monkey bread will fall apart when inverted and the middle will be doughy. You’re looking for a deep amber color and bubbling caramel around the edges. Let it sit in the bundt pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a serving plate. (pro tip) for extra gooey texture – spoon any caramel that’s left in the pan back over the top right after flipping.
Step 6: Spoon the leftover icing into a bowl and microwave for about 10-15 seconds, until pourable, and drizzle on top of the monkey bread.
Pro Baking Tips
- Cut the apples into small pieces: Dice the apples into smaller chunks, even cubes so they soften and caramelize evenly. Big apple chunks can stay firm in the center and prevent the monkey bread from sticking together properly.
- Use a well-greased bundt pan: Spray it really well (get into all the nooks and crannies). Monkey bread is notorious for sticking if even one section of the pan is dry. If you have it, a nonstick bundt pan is your best friend here.
- Toss the dough pieces in the sugar mixture evenly: Make sure every piece of dough is coated in the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. This is what gives you that shiny, caramel pull-apart texture. If some pieces aren’t coated, they’ll bake up pale and bland.
- Let it cool (just a bit!) before flipping: Give it about 8-10 minutes before inverting the pan. Flip too soon and the caramel will run off. Wait too long and it might stick to the pan. You want it warm enough to slide out cleanly, but set enough to hold together.
- If the top is browning too fast: Loosely cover it with foil halfway through baking. This protects the top from burning while the inside finishes cooking through.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Honeycrisp and Granny Smith are my go-to picks because they hold their shape and give that perfect balance of sweet and tart. But use the kind of apples that hold up whole baking like Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady. Avoid using softer apples, they’re make the apple monkey bread mushy.
Nope, but they add a ton of cozy fall flavor. If you skip them, toss the apples in a cinnamon sugar mixture instead.
We’ve all been there! Make sure your bundt pan is really well greased. Like, don’t be shy. If it still sticks, run a butter knife gently around the edges and let the pan rest upside down for a few minutes before lifting it off. The heat will help loosen the caramel.
I don’t recommend assembling it ahead of time but you can prep each of the ingredients and store separately in an airtight container. When you’re ready to make, assemble and bake.
Look for a deep golden brown color and bubbling caramel around the edges. If you’re unsure, use a instant read thermometer, the center should hit around 190°F. That means the pieces of dough is fully cooked but still soft and pull-apart tender.
Cover and store any leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, pop a slice in the microwave for 15–20 seconds or warm the whole pan in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Apple Monkey Bread
Equipment
- 15-cup Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 2 Honeycrisp Apples, (cut into chunks, you'll need 2 cups apples after chopped)
- 1/2 cup Pecans, (chopped)
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Monkey Bread
- 3 cans Pillsbury Grand's Cinnamon Rolls
- 4 Apple Cider Packets
Sauce
- Reserved apple juices from above
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter, (melted)
- 1 packet Apple Cider
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop apples into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 inch) and pecans and place them into a medium bowl. Toss with brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and a pinch of salt until evenly distributed. Set aside. 2 Honeycrisp Apples 1/2 cup Pecans 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1 tbsp Cinnamon 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the can and cut each roll into quarters and add to a large bowl. Use 4 of the apple cider packets and toss the dough in the dry apple cider mixture. (save the icing packets) 3 cans Pillsbury Grand's Cinnamon Rolls 4 Apple Cider Packets
- Drain as much of the juices from the apples as possible and pour leftover juices into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Spray a 15 cup bundt pan (or tube cake pan) liberally nonstick baking spray (you can also brush with butter and coat with flour). Add a layer of the dough balls, then sprinkle in some of the apple mixture, then repeat until all of the dough is used up.
- Combined the reserved apple juices, melted butter, cinnamon, and 1 packets of apple cider. Whisk together and drizzle into the bundt pan so that it’s evenly distributed. Reserved apple juices from above 4 tbsp Salted Butter 1 packet Apple Cider 1 tsp Cinnamon
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until puffed and deep golden brown. Be sure not to pull it out too early! Underbaked monkey bread will fall apart when inverted and the middle will be doughy. You’re looking for a deep amber color and bubbling caramel around the edges.
- Let the monkey bread sit in the bundt pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a serving plate. (pro tip) for extra gooey texture – spoon any caramel that’s left in the pan back over the top right after flipping.
- Spoon the leftover icing into a bowl and microwave for about 10-15 seconds, until pourable, and drizzle on top of the monkey bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
