You won't be able to resist a plate of warm, sticky, sweet cinnamon roll monkey bread. It's easy to make since two tubes of refrigerated cinnamon rolls are the base for the deliciously doughy treat.
Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
Updated on Feb. 20, 2025
If you’re a fan of ooey-gooey morning sweets, you’re going to love this cinnamon roll monkey bread. Normally, biscuits are used to make monkey bread, but this recipe replaces them with store-bought cinnamon roll dough. You’ll cut up the cinnamon rolls into bite-sized pieces and toss them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar before baking them in a tube pan. The result is a sweet pull-apart bread with a caramelized outside and a fluffy, cinnamon-y, doughy inside. Monkey bread using cinnamon rolls is perfect for holiday mornings but is also simple enough to whip up for brunch without even planning ahead.
Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
- Butter: No need to let your butter come to room temperature since you’ll melt the butter for this monkey bread with cinnamon rolls.
- Brown sugar: This type of sugar gives monkey bread its iconic sticky-sweet texture. Use light brown sugar if possible, but dark brown sugar will work as well.
- Sugar and ground cinnamon: Cinnamon mixed with sugar is a magical flavor combination.
- Cinnamon rolls: This recipe calls for two cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the monkey bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the melted butter in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Dip the pieces of cinnamon roll into the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Stack the sugared pieces in a greased 10-inch fluted tube pan.
Step 2: Bake the monkey bread
Bake the monkey bread until the edges are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. When it’s out of the oven, allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then, invert the monkey bread by turning it over onto a serving platter.
Place the icing packages in a small bowl of hot water for five minutes. Drizzle the icing over the warm monkey bread. Serve immediately.
Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Variations
- Add nuts, fruit or chocolate: Cinnamon roll monkey bread is only enhanced with fillings! My favorite nuts to add are pecans or walnuts, but it’s also great with raisins or chocolate chips.
- Try different flavors: There are so many different ways to change up the flavors when you make monkey bread. Try a citrus-cardamom monkey bread by adding citrus zest and ground cardamom to the brown sugar mixture, or simply add a splash of vanilla. Pumpkin spice seasoning will give each bite a seasonal nod. Anything with butter can be made better by using brown butter instead, so try browning the butter to make extra-decadent monkey bread with cinnamon rolls.
- Use a different glaze: Instead of using the glaze that comes with the tube of cinnamon rolls, try topping your monkey bread with caramel sauce, a chocolate ganache or a pumpkin-flavored cream cheese glaze.
How to Store Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
The best place to store this cinnamon roll monkey bread is in your stomach! Truly though, this recipe is best eaten immediately when it is super fresh and soft. You can store any leftovers you do have at room temperature in an airtight container or in resealable bags.
How long does cinnamon roll monkey bread last?
Cinnamon roll monkey bread is definitely best on the day it’s made, but it will still be tasty, just not as saucy, after a couple of days.
Can you freeze cinnamon roll monkey bread?
We don’t recommend freezing cooked monkey bread. Thawing it will affect the pillowy texture, which is maybe the best part. However, you can assemble the monkey bread and freeze the raw dough, then pull it from the freezer the night before you want to bake it.
Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Tips
How do you know when monkey bread with cinnamon rolls is done baking?
Cinnamon roll monkey bread is done when the top is golden brown and a thermometer reads 200°.
What can you serve with cinnamon roll monkey bread?
Cinnamon roll monkey bread is delicious enough to be served on its own, but it really shines on a brunch spread. Serve it with brunch favorites like a quiche or frittata, roasted or fried breakfast potatoes, bacon and fresh-squeezed orange juice if you really want to go the extra mile.
Easy Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Yield
12 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cans (17-1/2 ounces each) large refrigerated cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, quartered
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Place butter in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, stir together brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Dip each piece of cinnamon roll into butter, then roll in sugar cinnamon mixture. Stack pieces in a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan.
- Bake until edges are golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert onto serving platter. Place icing packages in a small bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Drizzle icing over warm monkey bread. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
1 serving: 396 calories, 15g fat (7g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 606mg sodium, 63g carbohydrate (37g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
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Regular monkey bread is delicious on its own—but when you use cinnamon rolls instead of biscuits, the beloved brunch dish is even more comforting. Serve cinnamon roll monkey bread at your next brunch-time get-together, and see if your guests notice the difference. —Megan Taylor, Greenfield, Wisconsin
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