I have some Facebook followers who asked me for my Monkey Bread recipe. What's Monkey Bread? It's a seriously easy treat to bake that my own munchkin monkeys totally love! It's a bit like cinnamon rolls but WAY easier to make! My friend, Sara, introduced me to this addicting dish. I'm not a big baker. The easier something is, the better because otherwise I'll mess it up. =) So, this is a guanteed easy (but delish) version of Monkey Bread.Also, since we're talking about Autism Awareness Month, I know many people with autism are on milk-free diets. I will include some tips on how to adapt this recipe so it's milk-free below the original recipes.
Easy Peasy Monkey Bread
What you need:
18-20 Rhodes Frozen White Dinner Rolls
1 stick of butter
2 cups sugar
2-3 tsp cinnamon
1 medium bag of chopped pecans
Pam Spray
1 Bundt Pan
Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Place frozen rolls on a Pam sprayed cookie sheets or 9x13 pans. Let them thaw until soft enough to cut - about 1 hour at room temp or 30 minutes with the quick thaw method on the back of the Rhodes bag.
2. Melt stick of butter in a microwavable bowl. In another bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Spray your bundt pan with Pam. Then set up an assembly line: thawed rolls, butter, sugar mixture, bundt pan.
3. To assemble, cut the roll in half. Dip each half in butter, coat with the sugar mixture, then place it in the bundt pan. You want to create a full bottom layer, which takes about half the rolls depending on the size of your pan. Don't squish the rolls together, just gently place them together so there are few gaps. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the rolls.
4. Repeat Step 3 to create a top layer. The pan should be about 1/3 to 1/2 full when you are finished. You don't want it to be any fuller than that or the rolls will expand, bake over the top, and fall to the bottom of your over, creating a smoky "explosion" of sorts. Trust me, I know from first hand experience. =)
5. Cover rolls with a clean dish towel and let rise for about 30 minutes.
6. While the rolls rise, make the caramel sauce. Spoon this mixture over the rolls. Recover if the rolls are not finished rising. They should rise to about an inch below the edge of the bundt pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then cover the Monkey Bread with foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. This lets the rolls on the inside to finish cooking without burning the rolls on the top.
8. When you take the Monkey Bread out of the oven, remove the foil and let it sit for five minutes. Then flip the dish onto a large plate. The easiest way to do this is to put the plate on top of the bundt pan with the bottom of the plate facing up towards you. Then holding the plate and bundt pan, flip them over so the plate is sitting on the counter. The Monkey Bread will slide out of the bundt pan and onto the serving plate. Let the bread cool for an additional 10-15 minutes before diving in . . . or you may burn the roof of your mouth. Once again, something I learned from first hand experience. =)
Caramel Sauce Recipe
What you need:
Small saucepan
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
Dash of salt
1 c. boiling water
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c. chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Mix the dry ingredients together in the saucepan. Add the boiling water, then cook, constantly stirring until the mixture turns shiny and is thickened.
2. Remove from the heat, then add butter, vanilla, and chopped pecans.
3. Spoon mixture onto Monkey Bread.
Milk Free Adaptations
Luckily, the Rhodes Frozen White Dinner Rolls are milk free. So that makes the recipe MUCH easier to adapt! Instead of using butter, use your favorite milk-free margarine. I personally prefer Nucoa if you can find it at any of your grocery stores. You can also use the margarine as a substitute in the caramel sauce. Everything else in the recipes are milk-free. Horray!
Enjoy this yummy treat!
