Holiday Monkey Bread
This Holiday Monkey Bread is a delightful treat that's perfect for festive gatherings. It's a sweet and gooey pull-apart bread loaded with cherries, pecans, and raisins, making it a crowd-pleaser for all ages during the holiday season.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (optional, for kneading)
- 10-12 cup bundt or tube pan
- Large bowls for mixing and coating
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling pin (if rolling dough by hand)
- Cooling rack
- Serving plate
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 1.5 cups whole milk warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- For the coating:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter divided
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- For layering:
- 1 cup maraschino cherries halved or quartered
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup currants or raisins
- For vanilla icing:
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 3 Tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Whisk warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fit mixer with dough hook.
- To yeast, add eggs, butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl; about 2 minutes.
- Knead another 2 minutes in the mixer or can be done by hand on a lightly floured surface.
- Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough, turning to coat on all sides. Cover the dough and allow to proof in a warm spot until doubled; 1 - 2 hours.
- Generously spray a 10-12 cup bundt or tube pan.
- Prepare coating by putting 1/2 cup melted butter in one bowl and sugar/cinnamon mixture in another. Depending on how heavily the balls of dough are coated, more sugar/cinnamon mixture may be required.
- Deflate dough and pull together in a ball. Taking small equal amounts, roll into 1 1/4" balls, 40 to 45 in total. Working one at a time, roll balls in butter then sugar/cinnamon mixture and place in the pan. When 1/3 completed, sprinkle half of your prepared layering ingredients evenly. Repeat once more then finish with a final layer of dough balls. Cover the pan and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
- At this point, you can refrigerate it to bake in the morning or continue with the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust the rack to bake in the bottom third.
- From the coating list, melt the remaining butter and whisk in brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over the top of your prepared dough.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then invert on a serving plate.
- For icing: Whisk all ingredients together and drizzle over the warm bread. Chocolate or caramel work well also.
Notes
You can customize this monkey bread by adding your favorite nuts, dried fruits, or even chocolate chips.
Feel free to use different flavored extracts in the icing for variety.
Serve it warm for the best experience! Conclusion:
This Holiday Monkey Bread is a fantastic addition to your festive menu. Its warm, cinnamon-infused sweetness and gooey texture make it a hit with friends and family. Enjoy the joy it brings to your holiday gatherings!
Feel free to use different flavored extracts in the icing for variety.
Serve it warm for the best experience! Conclusion:
This Holiday Monkey Bread is a fantastic addition to your festive menu. Its warm, cinnamon-infused sweetness and gooey texture make it a hit with friends and family. Enjoy the joy it brings to your holiday gatherings!