Paula Deen Apple Monkey Bread

Paula Deen Apple Monkey Bread starts with canned biscuit dough rolled in cinnamon sugar and layered in a Bundt pan. Add chopped Pink Lady apples, pecans, and a maple syrup apple butter glaze. It feeds 10 in about an hour, right on time for holiday brunch or a Saturday morning with family.

The layering is what separates a good monkey bread from a sticky mess. Pour a quarter of the syrup in first, then alternate apple mixture and coated dough in even layers. Skip this and the glaze pools at the bottom while the top bakes dry. Three even layers give every piece that pull-apart caramel coating.

Roll the biscuit pieces into tight balls before coating them so they hold their shape in the pan. Make the syrup right before assembling because it thickens fast. Let the bread sit in the pan for the full 10 minutes after baking, or it falls apart when you flip it.

Paula Deen Apple Monkey Bread

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

560

kcal

A sticky, caramel-coated pull-apart bread made with layers of cinnamon sugar biscuit dough, chopped Pink Lady apples, and pecans in a Bundt pan, drenched in a maple syrup and apple butter glaze.

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped Pink Lady apples (about 2 medium apples)
  

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
  

• ½ cup granulated sugar
  

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  

• 2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits, quartered and rolled into balls
  

• ½ cup unsalted butter
  

• ½ cup Apple Butter
  

• ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  

• ¼ cup maple syrup
  

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°.
• Toss the fruit: In a large bowl, toss together apples and pecans.
• Coat the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Working in batches, toss dough portions in cinnamon sugar mixture, shaking off any excess.
• Make the syrup: In a small saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Stir in Apple Butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring frequently, until sugar is melted and mixture is combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and salt.
• Layer in the pan: Spray a 15-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Pour one-fourth of syrup mixture (about 1⁄3 cup) into prepared pan, and top with 1 cup apple mixture. Arrange 1 layer of dough portions in a single layer in pan; repeat layers twice. Top with remaining syrup mixture.
• Bake and cool: Bake until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers 190°, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving dish.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt pan, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can you use Granny Smith apples instead of Pink Lady?

You can, but the flavor changes. Pink Lady apples are sweet with a little tartness, which balances the brown sugar and maple syrup in the glaze. Granny Smiths are much more tart and will make the bread tangier. Honeycrisp works as a closer swap.

How long does apple monkey bread keep?

Paula says it is best served warm, and she is right. You can cover it tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days. The biscuit dough loses its soft, pull-apart texture as it sits. Reheat slices in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Can you assemble this the night before and bake it in the morning?

You can prep the apples, pecans, and cinnamon sugar the night before. The syrup takes just a few minutes and is better made fresh right before assembly. Do not layer the biscuit dough and syrup ahead of time because the dough absorbs the liquid and gets soggy.

Why did my monkey bread turn out doughy in the middle?

The most common reason is too many dough balls packed in without enough space between layers. The heat cannot reach the center. Use the instant-read thermometer and check that the center hits 190 degrees before you pull it out. If the top browns too fast, tent it with foil and keep baking.

Do you have to use a Bundt pan?

A Bundt pan works best because the hole in the center lets heat reach the middle of the bread from all sides. A 9x13 baking dish will work in a pinch. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time and check the center with a thermometer. The shape will not be as dramatic when you flip it out.