This easy Monkey Bread (w/ butterscotch pudding) uses frozen rolls to make the best cinnamon pull-apart bubble bread! Drenched in a gooey, ultra-smooth sauce, this perfected version of your favorite breakfast treat can be made overnight or on the day-of with just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time. Perfect for any busy day, but especially great for Christmas morning!
Monkey bread has never been better. Soft pillowy segments of dough (we use frozen rolls to make it EASY) swimming in a luxuriously smooth sauce... it doesn't get anymore delicious!
The sauce on this overnight breakfast treat is a combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, and butterscotch pudding that's best served warm while the sauce is still gooey. Trust me...it's sooo good!
My favorite thing about this Rhodes Rolls Monkey Bread recipe is that it takes 10 minutes to throw together, which makes it the perfect make-ahead breakfast for a special occasion! So much easier than the cinnamon rolls I used to make for Christmas morning. I mean, cinnamon rolls are amazing, but this is just SO much easier.
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What is monkey bread?
The key element to monkey bread is that it is yeast rolls or biscuit dough that is baked together in a cinnamon sugar mixture and then can be pulled apart. According to Wikipedia Monkey Bread is also known as "Christmas morning delights, monkey puzzle bread, monkey brains, sticky bread, Hungarian coffee cake, golden dumpling coffee cake, pinch-me cake, pluck-it cake, plucking cake, bubble loaf and funky bread." We wouldn't argue with it being served as one of our Thanksgiving Recipes either- any excuse for another time to eat it!
Looking to round out your special breakfast menu? Try this prep ahead egg casserole with bacon and green chilis. And bake your bacon in the oven for a hands-off way to get it done in a hurry and without the splatter. Find these and more of our family favorites on our Breakfast recipes page.
This isn't the only Rhodes roll recipe we love. Try these buttery dinner rolls (with Rhodes Rolls) the next time you want a fresh baked dinner roll. So easy and super delicious!
Why this recipe made the cut!
- It's easy! Only 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time.
- Use frozen rolls! There is no need to make your own dough or cut rolls. Rhodes rolls bake up perfectly without the extra work
- It's a no-cook, ultra-smooth sauce. Traditional monkey bread recipes either have a gritty sauce or there is an extra step of cooking the sauce. This method provides a simple solution for a perfect monkey bread with minimal work.
- Make it the day before and just bake it fresh before serving!
- It's absolutely perfect for Christmas, holidays, company, or busy weekends.
This recipe is fabulous!!! Everyone loved it!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Jetta
Ingredients for monkey bread with Rhodes rolls
- Rhodes frozen rolls: For this recipe we use 24 of the unbaked frozen balls of dough that are 38 grams each. See the picture above for the bags of rhodes rolls we use.
- Butterscotch pudding: One key to a perfect sauce is to use the 3.5 ounce Cook & Serve box of butterscotch pudding mix. Do NOT use instant pudding. It will not dissolve, which will make the sauce crusty instead of smooth.
- Heavy cream: Traditionally monkey bread uses melted butter. The problem with butter is that the sauce ends up being gritty. Our secret ingredient, heavy cream, ensures that the sauce is very smooth without any of the grit.
- Sugar: Provides a deep caramel flavor to the cinnamon sugar mixture. Light or dark brown sugar can be used.
- Cinnamon: Provides the classic flavor associated with this type of pull-apart bread.
- Nuts: Pecan or walnuts are optional. I am partial to walnuts, but you choose whichever you prefer.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make monkey bread
This Rhodes Rolls Monkey Bread (w/ butterscotch pudding) is such an easy recipe. It's homemade monkey bread with a couple of time saving shortcuts.
The first step is to prepare the bundt cake pan (affiliate). Generously spray with a non-stick baking spray that contains flour.
Once the pan is prepared, combine the heavy cream, ¾ cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and butterscotch pudding mix (affiliate) in a small bowl and whisk for 30 seconds.
After the pan is prepared and the sauce is mixed, sprinkle the nuts, if using, evenly around the bottom of the sprayed bundt pan. Then place 11 of the Rhodes dinner rolls touching in a single layer around the bottom of the pan. Scoop a little bit of sauce onto the top of the rolls
Then place six frozen yeast rolls around the inside edge and 7 around the outside edge of the pan.
Finish by spreading the remaining brown sugar mixture across the tops of the rolls.
Place a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray over the top of the bundt pan. Then allow the rolls to rise overnight using one of these options:
- Overnight: Once assembled, allow the rolls to sit on the counter (or other warm place) at room temperature for 3 hours. Then place in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours.
- 24 Hours: Once assembled, place rolls in the fridge right away and allow the rolls to rise in the refrigerator for 20-24 hours. Proceed as step 6 instructs.
- Same Day: If you want to make this the day of instead of overnight, you need a really early start. Once assembled, allow rolls to rise in a warm place at room temperature for 5-6 hours (our kitchen was about 78 degrees when we tested this). Then bake as instructed. Since this is best served warm, I highly recommend the overnight method to avoid getting up at the crack of dawn.
The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator. The rolls should be nice and fluffy before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you want to ensure that the sauce doesn't drip onto the oven, place a baking sheet underneath the bundt pan.
Once the oven is at temperature allow the monkey bread to bake for 27-30 minutes. Test for doneness by gently pulling apart 2 of the rolls from each other. The middle should be cooked through.
Allow the easy Rhodes Monkey Bread (w/ butterscotch pudding) to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then invert onto a serving dish or large plate. The timing is very important! If it is dumped out too soon the sauce won't stick to the bread, and if it is left in the pan too long it will get stuck.
Once the pan is removed, drizzle caramel sauce that is remaining in the bundt pan over the top. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before enjoying that gooey monkey bread. It is best served within an hour of baking.
How to serve Rhodes rolls monkey bread
Serve Rhodes Monkey Bread warm for the best texture. It can be pulled apart or it can be sliced into individual pieces. The perfect breakfast treat!
FAQs
No, start with frozen rolls. They will thaw during the overnight thawing process.
To get the fluffy texture you see in the pictures, you need to allow the rolls to rise. There are a few different rising options listed in the recipe card.
This easy Rhodes Monkey Bread (w/ butterscotch pudding) recipe can be made in a bundt cake pan, tube pan, or 2 loaf pans. For the loaf pans divide the ingredients equally between the pans. Also, the baking time might be different. Start checking at 25 minutes.
The best way to tell that monkey bread is done is to use a butter knife and gently pull two of the bubbles apart from each other. Check to see that it looks cooked through. There shouldn't be any wet doughy sections. The sauce might be wet, but the dough should be cooked through.
Monkey bread is best stored in an airtight container overnight at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 days.
For a single piece of monkey bread a few seconds in the microwave will do. I do not recommend reheating the monkey bread as a whole.
Tips and tricks
- Don't leave the frozen bread dough out at room temperature for too long or it will rise too much. Dough balls that rise too long aren't quite as fluffy and tender.
- It will probably rise over the edge of the pan during the baking process. It might even be a little uneven. Don't worry. This is the bottom and once it is flipped over the monkey bread looks even and beautiful!
- It's done when the frozen roll dough is golden brown and is cooked through.
Recipe
Monkey Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 10 inch Bundt cake pan (10-15 cup capacity) *If the pan is too small the monkey bread will overflow.
Ingredients
- baking spray
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 box cook & serve butterscotch pudding 3.5 ounce
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped optional
- 24 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls 38 gram size
Instructions
- Spray 10-inch bundt cake pan with non-stick baking spray containing flour. Combine cream, brown sugar, pudding mix, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds.½ cup heavy cream, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 box cook & serve butterscotch pudding, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking spray
- If using, sprinkle nuts evenly around bottom of the bundt pan. Place 11 frozen rolls touching in a single layer on bottom of pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sauce mixture onto the top of each of the rolls.½ cup walnuts, chopped, 24 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls
- Then add 6 more dough balls to the inside edge of the pan and 7 to the outside edge. Top with the remaining sauce.
- Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
- Allow to sit on the counter, or other warm place, for three hours. Just long enough to allow the rolls to start thawing. Then place in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours or until the rolls have almost doubled in size. (For other options see the notes below.)
- The next morning, remove monkey bread from refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350°. Pro tip: Place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips from the bundt pan.
- Bake the monkey bread for 27-30 minutes, or until baked through. *SEE NOTE BELOW. It is done when the rolls are golden brown and when gently pulled apart rolls are cooked through and no doughiness remains. They may rise pretty high - this is normal. If the rolls are getting too golden before it is finished cooking through, you can tent it loosely with foil near the end of the baking time.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan then invert onto a serving platter. Scrape any excess sauce from the bottom of the pan onto the baked bread. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
- Don't leave the frozen bread dough out at room temperature for too long or it will rise too much. Dough balls that rise too long aren't quite as fluffy and tender.
- It will probably rise over the edge of the pan during the baking process. It might even be a little uneven. Don't worry. This is the bottom and once it is flipped over the monkey bread looks even and beautiful!
- It's done when the frozen roll dough is golden brown and is cooked through.
- Overnight: Once assembled, allow the rolls to sit on the counter (or other warm place) at room temperature for 3 hours. Then place in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours.
- 24 Hours: Once assembled, place rolls in the fridge right away and allow the rolls to rise in the refrigerator for 20-24 hours. Proceed as step 6 instructs.
- Same Day: If you want to make this the day of instead of overnight, you need a really early start. Once assembled, allow rolls to rise in a warm place at room temperature for 5-6 hours (our kitchen was about 78 degrees when we tested this). Then bake as instructed. Since this is best served warm, I highly recommend the overnight method to avoid getting up at the crack of dawn.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
christine says
I did note that you wrote to check for doneness when pulling out of the oven.
My daughter took them out after 28 minutes in a pre-heated 350 oven.
The inside portion of the whole circle was entirely under-cooked, like raw doughiness. (we ate the outsides which were tasty but not too coated with the sugar mixture, but oh well)
The strange thing about it is that I can't imagine keeping in for 2 more minutes would have made all the difference....they were that underdone.
Just wanted you to know our experience.
Danielle says
So sorry to hear that! We try to make it clear in the recipe card that this recipe is not done until you can pull the rolls apart and there isn't any doughiness left. The tricky part of baking is that every oven and situation is a little different. I will work on the wording right now to be sure that users know that the recommended baking time is only an approximation. The only sure fire way to know it is done is to gently pull the rolls apart in a couple places and make sure that where they meet the first layer of rolls there isn't any raw dough. If you make this again, we would love to know how it turns out! And thank you for letting us know your experience. It helps us make sure that everyone else has success. Happy New Year!
Monty says
I prepped 2 batches. Can I bake them at the same time?
Danielle says
This really depends on the size of your oven. It really should have a cookie sheet underneath just in case of spillage, but if you have a large oven then maybe. The heat in an oven is uneven which is why baking is usually done in the center of the oven. Most ovens cannot have two cookie sheets on the same rack, but if you have two racks, you might be able to try that switching them halfway through. However, with these rolls being a yeast product, moving the pan could cause them to deflate. In summary, you could try it but it will be a risk. I would love to hear back which way you choose to go and how they bake up! Reach out if you have anymore questions!
Kari says
Hi! What did I miss? I used the 1/2 C cream and it didn’t seem like nearly enough to even wet all of the brown suger and pudding!
Danielle says
Kari,
I a so sorry that I missed this. I stepped away to make dinner. The 1/2 cup cream really is enough. Did you whisk it really well for 30 seconds? It loosens as you mix it. Also, did you use the cook and serve pudding? This doesn't work with instant pudding. Fear not though! Even if for some reason it doesn't turn out perfectly, the flavor will be delicious! If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Sheila says
Can you freeze this after baking?
Misty says
Hi Sheila! We do not typically freeze it after baking because the bread dough will dry out. It's truly best when served warm and fresh! You can also reheat it gently in the microwave for a few days if you have leftovers. Hope this helps!
Jetta says
This recipe is fabulous!!! Everyone loved it!!
Danielle says
Yay! Thank you so much for leaving a comment to let us know! That really makes our day!
Lindsey says
I usually make another version of monkey bread, but would like to make this for Christmas morning, could I put it together on the morning of 12/23 and then bake morning of 12/25? Or is that too long? Thank you!
Danielle says
Unfortunately, I think that is too long for the frozen dough balls to be in the refrigerator. We just published a new recipe that is very much like this one but with biscuits instead. I think that recipe would hold prepped in the fridge for that long. If you choose to try that one be sure to wrap the pan really well with plastic wrap to keep everything from drying out. Please let us know if you give it a go!
Liz says
This is EXACLTY how I make my monkey bread! It’s also great with Rhodes cinnamon rolls cut in quarters and follow the rest of your recipe EXACLTY as you have it! They are wonderful- I have two Bundt pans on my counter now waiting to go into the oven for church! Thanks for posting.
Danielle says
Thanks for sharing! Funny that you should mention the biscuits. Last week we took pictures of monkey bread made with biscuits and a very similar mixture. Look for that later this year. I hope everyone loved the monkey bread!
Deborah says
Monkey bread had been a Christmas morning tradition in our home for many years. Funny, I’ve never had a recipe that I’ve saved and am always searching for one a couple of days before Christmas. I came across this recipe and decided to try it because the addition of heavy cream was different than I’d used before. Well, everyone raved! My son even asked what I did differently and said they were so good! Thank you, thank you, thank you! BTW- I’ve saved this recipe so I don’t have to search next year. 😉
Danielle says
Wow! Thanks you so very much for taking the time to let us know! It truly makes our day! Happy Eating!
Liz says
Can I use an angel food cake pan instead of a Bundt pan?
Danielle says
Since I haven't tried that before I can't promise how it will turn out, but it seems like it should work. Just be sure that the pan holds at least 10 cups. If you give it a try we would love to hear how it turns out.
2cairnterriers says
so i was tempted to try this recipe b/c it uses heavy cream vs butter. i don't like it; i'll go back to my stand-by. true that the "caramel" is creamy & not gritty… it's also easier to just dump the cream, pudding mix, & brown sugar, whisk up & pour over rolls, where using butter requires the hassle of melting it. but i think i'm just too used to the gritty "caramel" and like the buttery taste... the cream doesn't agree with me. additionally, i used only 13 frozen rolls total, so that out of the 36 in one bag, i can bake another pan. it turned out to be plenty.