Name: Monkey Bread Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tubes (16.3 oz each) refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuit dough; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (melted); 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream OR milk; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Monkey Bread Muffins are a bite-sized and handheld form of traditional monkey bread! Cinnamon & sugar coated biscuit dough balls get caramelized in the oven with a brown sugar and butter mixture. The monkey bread is then finished off with a simple vanilla glaze over top.

For more fun varieties of monkey bread be sure and try my Tropical Monkey Bread and Apple Butterscotch Monkey Bread.

Close up of the cooked monkey bread muffins

Easy Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe

This delicious recipe is the perfect combination of Classic Monkey Bread and Cinnamon Rolls but in individual servings in muffin form! Perfect choice for a sweet breakfast, great for a sweet treat, or an after school snack.

This is an easy way to make monkey bread because you start with refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough! Simply pop the can open and you’re done. The little balls of dough puff up in the oven, the brown sugar butter mixture gets caramelized in the oven when combined with the cinnamon & sugar coating, and the simple and sweet vanilla glaze over top is the finishing touch.

Simple Ingredients Needed

Dough Balls Ingredients

Jumbo Buttermilk Biscuit Dough : This is a refrigerated can of biscuit dough that comes with 8 large biscuits in the pop tube can. You want the ‘jumbo’ ones for this monkey bread recipe.
Granulated Sugar
Ground Cinnamon

Monkey Bread Coating

Melted Butter
Light Brown Sugar
Vanilla Extract

Simple Glaze Ingredients

Powdered Sugar
Heavy Cream or Milk : The glaze has a richer and thicker texture when using heavy cream, but any milk can be used. The lower fat percentage the milk is, then you will need less of it in the glaze. More fat percentage equals more of it needed to make the correct consistency.
Vanilla Extract

How To Make Mini Monkey Breads In A Muffin Pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 12-cup muffin tin by spraying each muffin tin generously with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Biscuit Dough : Open the two cans of biscuit dough and separate the biscuits (16 total biscuits between the two cans). Cut each biscuit into 6 equal pieces.

In a large mixing bowl mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon until combined. Toss the biscuit pieces in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until all the pieces are well coated.

Monkey Bread Coating : In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, reduce the heat to low and whisk in the light brown sugar and vanilla extract until combined.

Spoon 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar butter mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup.

Place 6 cinnamon-sugar dough pieces into the each muffin cup, pressing them down slightly. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the tops of the biscuits.

Spoon an additional 2 teaspoons of the brown sugar mixture over the top of each muffin cup. Ensure the melted butter mixture is evenly poured over the small biscuit pieces to help bind the pieces together while baking.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and puffed up. The sugar coating should also be bubbling around the edges.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let them cool inside the muffin tin for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove the muffins from the tin and place them on a wire cooling rack.

Make The Glaze : In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk/heavy cream; if it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey muffins with a spoon or a fork. Serve the muffins warm!

How To Store Leftover Mini Monkey Bread Muffins

These muffins are best enjoyed fresh from the oven while still warm, but you can keep any leftover muffins in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy the leftovers warm.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I Make This Recipe In A Bundt Pan?

Yes you can! Use a larger bundt pan, like a 10-cup bundt pan or similar in size, and add the dough balls in two different layers, alternating with the brown sugar and butter mixture in between. So one layer of half of the coated dough balls then a layer of brown sugar mixture, and repeat that process one more time. Watch the bake time because you will obviously need longer than 15 minutes. Most bundt pan monkey bread recipes call for at least 40-45 minutes of bake time.

Do I Need To Use A Muffin or Cupcake Liner?

You can if you prefer! I have never used liners and never had a problem. if using liners, there is no need to spray them with cooking spray. If you spray each muffin cup well with cooking spray, the muffins have no problem coming out.

Cooling rack with the glazed monkey bread muffins on it

Easy Monkey Bread Muffin Recipe Tips

Serve the monkey bread muffins warm! Allow them to cool for a few minutes at room temperature, while you make the glaze, but then serve them fresh & warm for the best taste.
To cut each biscuit into 6 equal pieces you will want to first cut the biscuit in half and then cut each half into 3 pieces. That way, you end up with 6 pieces that are similar in size.
I prefer using salted butter, but unsalted butter works also if that’s what you like to use.
When measuring the brown sugar, pack it into the measuring cup first and then add it into the bowl. Don’t loosely scoop it, like you would flour, but rather pack it in tight when measuring it out.

Cinnamon Monkey Bread Muffins

Easy Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe