The answer is monkey bread. I mean, really, in most life situations, monkey bread is the answer. If you’ve never had monkey bread (are there people out there who have never had monkey bread?), it’s basically biscuit dough cut into bite-sized pieces, tossed in cinnamon sugar, topped with caramel-y sauce, and baked. It’s easy and magical and we have it every Christmas or when I need to eat my feelings.
So since it’s fall, I felt like we needed an autumn-inspired monkey bread. Apples. Fall spices. Add a little vanilla to the caramel. It only takes a few minutes more than the traditional version and it’s a fun (and amazing) variation on the original!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Refrigerator biscuits – Just the prepared biscuit dough you find in tubes in the refrigerated section near the butter.
- Green apple
- Granulated sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice – Apple pie spice would also work.
- Butter – Use real butter!
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
- Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick spray and set aside. In a large zip-top bag, you’re going to combine some sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Set that aside.
- Make sure your apple is peeled, cored, and diced or grated.
- Carefully remove the biscuits from the cans. Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, cut the biscuits into fourths. Carefully separate the biscuit pieces and place them in the Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and shake until coated.
- Add the diced or grated apple and shake until the spiced sugar mixture has evenly coated everything. Transfer the mixture to the Bundt pan and set aside.
- Next, place some butter, brown sugar, and honey in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring well after each minute, until the mixture is combined and easy to stir (about 3 minutes). Add the vanilla, stir to combine, and pour the mixture evenly over the biscuit/apple mixture.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before inverting onto a plate to serve.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover monkey bread in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a day or tow for best results.
- This monkey bread is delicious as-is, but you can always take it up a notch with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Chopped pecans or walnuts would be great hear. For depth of flavor, give them a quick toast in a hot, dry skillet and cool. Then add them to the cinnamon sugar bag when you add the apples and follow the recipe as outlined.
Yep. Simply assemble as written, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, set on the counter while your oven preheats. Remove the plastic wrap and bake. Keep in mind it may need a few extra minutes in the oven this way.
You can try dividing between two loaf pans or using a 9×13 pan. Just keep an eye on things, as different pans can change the baking times!
Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 3 7.5- ounce tubes of refrigerator biscuits
- 1 medium green apple peeled, cored, and diced or grated
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie or apple pie spice
- 1 stick 1/2 cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large Ziploc bag, combine the sugar and the pumpkin or apple pie spice. Set aside.
- Carefully remove the biscuits from the cans and, using a sharp knife, cut the biscuits into fourths.
- Carefully separate the biscuit pieces and place them in the Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and shake until coated.
- Add the diced or grated apple and shake until the spiced sugar mixture has evenly coated everything. Transfer the mixture to the Bundt pan and set aside.
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and honey in a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring well after each minute, until the mixture is combined and easy to stir (about 3 minutes). Add the vanilla, stir to combine, and pour the mixture evenly over the biscuit/apple mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before inverting onto a plate to serve.
Notes
- Store leftover monkey bread in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a day or tow for best results.
- This monkey bread is delicious as-is, but you can always take it up a notch with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Questions & Reviews
Ive made this recipe for 40 years before canned biscuits were available. I usually make the yeast dough, letting it rise twice – but, in a pinch this will do.
I loosely followed this recipe (the microwave caramel is a fast winner!) but, I rolled each biscuit roll in melted butter, then rolled on a bowl of cinnamon/pumpkin spice sugar mix and placed the balls in a buttered bundt plan carefully with sugared, diced apple (same cinnamon spice mix as balls) and layered in between two rows and on top. Followed the caramel sauce recipe, but halved it and pored over top. Baked 20-25 minutes and perfection.
With the traditional monkey bread recipe, I find that putting all the sugared biscuit pieces in the bundt pan and then pouring the caramel on top doesn’t always seep through to all the pieces so I put about half the pieces in, pour about half the caramel, then repeat. I’m wondering if this apple version will have the same issue?
You can certainly use that same method here if you’ve found that helpful!
I made this with the refrigerator crescent dough because it’s what I had on hand and it was even more amazing! Thanks for another fun and easy seasonal obsession.
These look delicious! We’ll try them soon. I always use my kitchen scissors to cut the biscuits into fourths. Much easier than a knife!
This is so good! Everyone went back for seconds (some even went back for thirds!) and we were all fighting over the last scraps.
Yes – amazing – now if only i could get the refrigerator biscuits in Australia! Sad!!!
I have never opened canned biscuits that way. I always peel the paper back then give it a good whack on the edge of the counter (whack it on the seam).
This looks AMAZING! I need this to be in my house NOW!
Paige
This is so me! I make my husband or kids open these things 🙂 Definitely worth it for monkey bread though!
I am on the hunt for a recipe for monkey bread that doesn’t involve canned biscuits, any suggestions?
You could always use Rhodes frozen rolls 🙂
Or just make a batch of one of the biscuit doughs you linked to and roll into a big rectangle and use a pizza cutter to cut into small bites. That’s what I’m trying because I have everything else on hand…and I’m too lazy to go to the store. I’ll post results on insta ?
You could probably use any favourite yeast/sweet roll dough (I know Sara and Kate have a couple of great ones.)
Refrigerator biscuits are a little more my speed these days and this looks divine! Now to find an occasion to make it so I don’t eat the entire thing myself…
I make that recipe every Christmas! LOVE it!
Trisha – America’s Test Kitchen has a recipe for monkey bread from scratch. I love that recipe and I’d highly recommend it to you. Canned biscuits or frozen biscuits are not appetizing to me, so I always make homemade monkey bread. It’s so much more appealing than factory-made “dough” in a can. Enjoy your homemade monkey bread! You can make all kinds of variations.
I have been making the ATK monkey bread for several years as well, and it is delicious. It’s worth the extra work, and the texture is much better than that of canned biscuits.
I just make my favorite biscuit recipe, but tend to make sure the dough is on the drier side otherwise they don’t bake through.
Thanks everyone! I’ll try to track down the ATK version. Looks like it is on food.com.
Oh my this looks AMAZING!!
Haha! Growing up, my mom would always tell me and my brother to brace ourselves for the explosion when she opened the can! We would get all quiet in the kitchen and wait for the POP (and scream and jump…I think more out of habit!)