Make Ahead Monkey Bread

Buttery, cinnamon glazed heaven awaits with Make Ahead Monkey Bread–and all the prep work is done before you go to bed!

Why We Love It

There’s nothing better than waking up in the morning to a decadent treat that is ready to bake and has been secretly working its magic overnight. Make Ahead Monkey Bread is a fun reason to get up in the morning–some might even say motivational. Its cinnamon, buttery glaze, which drapes over flaky, delicious pull-apart bread is absolutely to die for.

My family loves waking up to the smell of this baking and they can’t wait to pull off a piece of gooey, glazed amazingness when it’s done!

Why You’ll Love It

Make Ahead Monkey Bread is ridiculously easy to make. Like super ridiculously easy. This recipe uses frozen rolls, which you place in a bundt pan. You melt some butter and pour it on, then sprinkle cinnamon, sugar and butterscotch pudding on top.

That’s it. Seriously.

Then you go to bed. You wake up in the morning, and then smile at how different it looks because the rolls defrosted and absorbed the magic you sprinkled on top. And after it bakes for 30 minutes, you have a sinfully good treat that tastes amazing when warm, but also devine after it cools off.

Great for an Easter morning, Christmas morning or any morning, Make Ahead Monkey Bread is da bomb.

Make Ahead Monkey Bread Ingredients

• 1 (22-25 oz.) package frozen rolls (Parkerhouse Style)–Bridgford recommended, see {Tried and True} later in post
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 box (3.5 oz.) butterscotch pudding (NOT instant)

How to make Make Ahead Monkey Bread

You’ll want to gather the following equipment:

• bundt pan (one part style, fluted is fun if you have it)
• large, rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, lined with foil
• small spouted pot with lid or microwaveable safe dish
• pastry brush
• small mixing bowl
• mixing spoon
• measuring cup
• measuring spoon

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Before starting, grease your bundt pan well if it’s not super non-stick. It is strongly recommended that you use a one part bundt pan, as pictured above. It doesn’t need to be fluted, but it should only be one piece so none of the gooey magic leaks out!

***REMEMBER, THIS RECIPE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME! MAKE AHEAD MONKEY BREAD IS PREPARED THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU PLAN ON BAKING IT. IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THIS IMPORTANT STEP, IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME!!!***

At night….

Place the entire package of the frozen rolls into your prepared bundt pan. Evenly distribute them throughout the pan as you layer the rolls on top of each other.

Melt the butter and then pour it over the frozen rolls. Use a pastry brush to make sure all the rolls on top were coated with a little bit of butter.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small mixing bowl. Then sprinkle this on top of the rolls.

Sprinkle on the butterscotch pudding. Take time to make sure it is evenly distributed over the rolls on top.

Place the bundt pan on top of a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet, then watch your favorite show on Netflix and go to bed. Yup, that’s right–it’s going to sit out on the counter. It’ll be ok, you have to trust me on this. For added fun, snap a picture if you can because you will see amazing changes in the morning! SPOILER ALERT: There’s a picture right below…

The next morning…

You wake up, go in your kitchen and see…

…THIS!!!

Let’s look at a before and after shot side by side, because this is WHY we make this ahead of time!

Remember, it hasn’t baked yet, but you can clearly see the magic that happened overnight! The rolls defrosted, absorbed the butter and expanded–BIG TIME!

Now preheat your oven to 350 degrees. When it’s ready, place the bundt pan and cookie sheet into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Kitchen Ready Betty Tip: We bake it sitting right on top of the cookie sheet for a mess-free oven!

When Make Ahead Monkey Bread comes out of the oven, it should look like the picture above. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then invert it onto a serving plate.

As a word of caution, you are going to encounter quite a bit of very warm, wonderful syrupy magic when you flip it.

After inverting, let it sit for another few minutes.

Now, let the fun begin! Who will get the first piece in your house?

Make Ahead Monkey Bread Leftovers?

Store in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate. Enjoy within 5 days.

Make Ahead Monkey Bread tastes really good warm, but is also delicious at room temperature. They are two different palate experiences and I suggest you try them both. If you choose to reheat it, cover loosely with foil and place in a 300 degree oven until slightly warm.

No More Monkeying Around: Monkey Bread Origin Story

No one knows for sure, though most agree that Monkey Bread has Hungarian Jewish origins.

Some say Monkey Bread gets its name because it’s so delicious and no one can wait to tear off a piece. When done so hastily, it mimcs what a hungry monkey does when tearing a banana from a bunch!

Monkey Bread is quite popular in the United States and many feel that it gained traction in California back in the golden Hollywood era. The presidential nerd in me has to tell you that Nancy Reagan partially shares the credit for that. Like her husband, Ronald, she was a Hollywood actor in the 1940s and many feel that she got her famous Monkey Bread recipe while living there. Then, after moving into the White House, she served Monkey Bread to several guests on a Christmas morning. It was such a hit (as the story goes) that it led Monkey Bread to become a holiday breakfast sensation!

Tried and True: A Note About the Rolls and the Process

Ok, so I’m going to admit something here: before my aunt shared this recipe with me, I had never heard of Bridgford rolls. I was super psyched to make this, but my local stores didn’t carry that brand. I looked at other frozen bread options and knowing I needed Parkerhouse style, I bought what was available.

But it wasn’t Bridgford.

Not only wasn’t it Bridgford, it was roughly half the ounces of the Bridgford bag (which I didn’t know at the time). I was extra bad because I didn’t let it sit overnight. I figured I’d just let the rolls defrost and then I’d be good to go.

Boy, was I wrong.

I ended up with a very crystallized, pull apart–but possibly break your teeth–mess. The taste was good, but the consistency definitely was not.

So I went on to Bridgford’s site (click here) and I found stores reasonably close to me that sell the brand. I also followed the instructions and let it sit overnight. Eureka! The results were night and day (and yes, I recognize the irony here).

On the left is Bridgford before it sat all night. On the right is a different brand. Do you see how the rolls on the right are bigger and don’t fill the pan as well?

I hope you’re lucky like I was and you find Bridgford. If not, look for another frozen Parkerhouse style roll that is close to 25 ounces. And definitely, absolutely follow the instructions. Because if you do, you will have an amazing, wonderfully, decadent dessert that’s worth all the monkeying around in your kitchen!