Apple monkey bread combines store-bought biscuit dough with a homemade apple topping for the ultimate fall dessert. Plus, it’s semi-homemade so it only takes a few minutes to prep then a few more to bake!
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After weeks of testing, we finally perfected this apple monkey bread recipe! It combines the perfect amount of fresh apple with cinnamon sugar and of course a layer of caramel sauce to top it all off.
I don’t personally love hot apples but even I love this apple monkey bread because the flavors are more cozy fall than over the top apple. It’s the perfect recipe to bring to your next fall party to share – just put it out and watch how quickly all of the pieces are gobbled up by kids and adults alike.
Unlike our viral apple pie cups that use cinnamon rolls, this apple monkey bread uses store-bought biscuit dough as a base and upgrades it with a homemade apple sauce full of hot apple chunks and fall spices.
We did test this out with cinnamon rolls (since our cinnamon roll monkey bread is so good) but we thought the flavor of the biscuits with a homemade cinnamon sugar tasted better than the canned ones! And everyone who tried this agreed – we tested out different variations with the entire family (there are like 30 of us) and this version was the clear winner!
Why you’ll love this monkey bread
- It’s pretty – it’s not just pretty in pictures, this apple monkey bread really looks impressive, even though it’s actually super easy to make! Perfect for a centerpiece at your next fall party!
- Semi-homemade – this one starts with store-bought biscuit dough, so it’s as easy can be!
- Great for a crowd – each little piece of biscuit can be pulled off and enjoyed, so this one can feed a ton of people!
Ingredients in Apple monkey bread
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
- Fresh apples – if you want the apple flavor without actual chunks of apple, you can leave out the fresh apples and just add more apple pie filling. Not as good in my opinion, but I know not everyone likes chunks! Also, I like to use apples that hold their shape like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith – you could even do a combination if you want!
- Canned biscuits – I just use the classic Pillsbury Grands biscuits and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Any other flaky canned biscuit probably works just as well.
Additional Tools
You’ll also need either a quart or gallon sized zipper top plastic bag to toss the monkey bread pieces in. You could technically use a bowl but it’s much easier (and much cleaner) to use the bag.
How to make apple monkey bread
This apple cinnamon monkey bread is about as easy as it gets – all you’re going to do is toss the biscuits with the cinnamon sugar and apple mixture then bake! Finish it off with a little apple topping and you’re golden – golden delicious that is!
I’ve included a basic outline of how to make this monkey bread with apples below but make sure to check out the full details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
1 – Make the monkey bread
- Cut the biscuits into 16 pieces each and toss in melted butter.
- Add each piece into a zipper top bag with cinnamon, sugar, and apple pie filling to coat. Then place into a large bowl.
- Add fresh apple chunks to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the entire thing into a greased bundt pan and set aside while you make the glaze.
Tip!
Make sure your biscuit pieces are well cut and separated when you toss them from the butter into the cinnamon sugar mixture. You don’t want them to clump together or you’ll end up with pockets of dough that aren’t coated well.
2 – Add A caramel apple glaze
- Combine the brown sugar, apple cider, and butter together on the stovetop and heat over medium heat. Boil for three minutes until thickened.
- Immediately pour the glaze over top of the monkey bread pieces in the bundt pan.
3 – Bake and finish the cinnamon apple monkey bread
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Let cool for 10 minutes then place a plate on top of the bundt pan and carefully flip the cake pan over, letting the monkey bread come out onto the plate.
- Mix powdered sugar and apple cider together to make a glaze while the monkey bread cools for a few minutes.
- Immediately add the glaze to the top of the monkey bread then serve warm.
Tip!
Use a raised plate for your monkey bread so that when you flip it out of the pan, the caramel apple glaze stays on the plate where it should be! If you use a normal flat plate, the glaze may just all run off.
How to Store Monkey Bread
Store any leftovers of your apple monkey bread by either wrapping them in plastic wrap and refrigerating (if there’s a lot left) or placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stores well for up to five days.
Reheat on a baking sheet in the oven for the best results! I typically like to put it in a cold oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and let the monkey bread heat up with the oven.
Recipe FAQs
How do I know when the monkey bread is done?
The monkey bread is done when it looks golden brown on the outside. If you’re still not sure when, you can check it with a cooking thermometer – it should be 180 degrees when it’s baked through.
What are the best apples to use for apple monkey bread?
I recommend using apples that keep their shape when they’re baked like honeycrisp and Granny Smith but honestly any apple will work.
Helpful Tips
Be gentle when mixing the biscuit dough and apples together. If you mix it too hard, you risk breaking the dough or apples and losing the monkey bread pieces.
Make sure to spray the bundt pan really well with a non-stick cooking spray, even if you’re using a non-stick pan. You want it to just fall out of the pan, not stick.
Dip and coat the biscuit pieces in small pieces to keep them from sticking together. You can place them all together in the bowl afterwards but coat them in small bunches.
Press the plate down firmly while flipping the bundt cake pan over so the monkey bread transfers nicely, otherwise it may break as it drops onto the pan.
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Apple Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Monkey Bread
- 2 cans refrigerated biscuits 16 total
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp apple pie filling
- 2 apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1″ pieces
Caramel Apple Glaze
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup butter
Apple Cider Drizzle
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 TBS apple cider
Instructions
Apple Monkey Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray bundt cake pan well with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut all 16 biscuits into quarters.2 cans refrigerated biscuits
- Melt ¼ cup butter in the microwave in a large bowl.1/4 cup butter
- Mix 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie filling in a quart sized ziplock bag.1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp apple pie filling
- Add all cut biscuit pieces into the melted butter and toss until each piece is completely coated. Drop each piece of butter coated biscuit into the plastic bag and shake around until well coated. Then place in a large bowl. Do in small batches to avoid dough sticking together.
- Toss apples in the remaining cinnamon sugar mixtures (from the bag) and add to the dough pieces. Gently mix together the dough pieces and apples then pour the entire bowl into the prepared bundt cake pan.2 apples
Caramel Apple Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, mix brown sugar, apple cider, and butter together then heat over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes to thicken the mixture.1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup apple cider, 1/4 cup butter
- Remove apple caramel sauce and immediately pour over top of the biscuit dough.
- Bake monkey bread in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until nicely browned and fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Place the plate you want to serve the monkey bread on over the bottom of the Bundt pan and while pressing the plate down tightly, flip the Bundt pan over. If you sprayed the pan well enough, the Bundt pan should come right out.
Apple Cider Drizzle
- Combine the apple cider and powdered sugar together until well combined.
- Let the monkey bread cool for about five minutes then drizzle the apple cider drizzle all over the top. Serve warm.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 TBS apple cider
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info
More Apple Recipes
Love apples as much as we do? Try these other apple recipes next!
- Caramel apple bark – everything you love about caramel apples in easy to eat bark!
- Caramel apple dump cake – another super easy apple cake that you just dump together and bake!
- Disney caramel apples – these copycat Disneyland caramel apples are a must-try for the fall!
- Cream cheese apple dip – a caramel apple dip that combines cream cheese, toffee, and caramel of course!
- Caramel apple cupcakes – apple cupcakes topped with caramel apple frosting and even more caramel on top!
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