Description

This Incredible Savory Monkey Bread recipe transforms refrigerated buttermilk biscuits into a flavorful, cheesy, and herb-infused pull-apart bread. Perfect for gatherings or as a snack, it features garlic butter-coated biscuit balls rolled in a variety of cheeses, nuts, herbs, and seasonings, baked until golden and irresistible.

Ingredients

Scale

Biscuit Dough

2 cans (16 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8-count each, total 32 biscuits)

Butter and Garlic

½ cup salted butter, melted
3 garlic cloves, very finely minced

Coatings and Seasonings

Fresh chopped parsley (about ½ cup)
Chopped pine nuts (about ½ cup)
Dried cranberries, chopped (about ½ cup)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Poppy seeds (about ½ cup)
Shredded cheddar cheese (about ½ cup)
Grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
Paprika (to taste)

Optional Variations

Taco seasoning blended with shredded cheese and red pepper flakes for Tex Mex flavor
Fresh or dried basil and oregano for Italian flavor

Instructions

Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 9- or 10-inch Bundt pan with butter to ensure the bread browns beautifully and gains extra flavor. Using a dark non-stick Bundt pan works best as it promotes even cooking.
Organize Coatings: Place your chosen herbs, cheeses, and seasonings into small separate bowls, approximately ½ cup of each. This setup makes dipping and rolling biscuit balls easier and keeps flavors distinct.
Mix Garlic Butter: Stir the finely minced garlic cloves into the melted butter thoroughly. This mixture will coat each biscuit ball, infusing them with a rich garlic flavor.
Form Biscuit Balls: Cut each biscuit in half and roll each half into a smooth ball. Complete all the biscuit balls before dipping them in butter to avoid greasy hands that could cause the dough balls to fall apart.
Coat Biscuit Balls: Dip each biscuit ball into the garlic butter mixture, making sure some garlic sticks to the surface. Then, roll each ball in your desired herb, cheese, and seasoning mixture. Arrange the coated biscuit balls in the Bundt pan, alternating coatings to distribute flavors evenly.
Bake the Monkey Bread: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the biscuit dough is fully cooked and the top is golden brown. To prevent excessive browning, cover loosely with aluminum foil after about 25 minutes.
Cool and Release: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes after baking. Use a thin, soft rubber spatula to gently loosen any stuck cheese around the edges. Then invert the bread onto a serving plate, flipping carefully to keep the shape intact.
Advance Preparation Tip: You can assemble the monkey bread up to a day before baking. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove it from the fridge while the oven preheats before baking as directed.
Ingredient Flexibility: Feel free to substitute the buttermilk biscuits with any refrigerated dough, such as flaky roll varieties, provided the total dough weight is around 32 ounces to maintain the right texture and volume.

Notes

Generously greasing the Bundt pan with butter helps create a golden crust and prevents sticking.
Be careful not to handle biscuit dough with greasy hands to prevent balls from falling apart.
Aluminum foil should be tented over the bread near the end of baking to avoid over-browning.
Customize with your favorite cheeses, nuts, and herbs to match any meal theme, such as Tex Mex or Italian flavors.
This bread is best served warm and fresh for maximum pull-apart enjoyment.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: savory monkey bread, garlic bread, pull-apart bread, cheesy bread, biscuit bread, party appetizer, bundt bread