Brown Butter Caramel Cinnamon Monkey Bread

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 12 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes (includes rising and cooling)

Quick Ingredients

• All-purpose flour 3 1/4 cups (406 g)
• Whole milk 1 cup (240 ml), warmed to 110°F/43°C
• Instant yeast 2 1/4 tsp (7 g)
• Granulated sugar 3 tbsp (dough) + 3/4 cup (150 g, coating)
• Fine sea salt 1 tsp (dough) + 1/2 tsp (caramel)
• Unsalted butter 4 tbsp (57 g, dough) + 6 tbsp (85 g, melted for coating) + 1/2 cup (113 g, caramel)
• Eggs 2 large
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp (dough) + 2 tsp (caramel)
• Ground cinnamon 2 1/2 tsp
• Heavy cream 1/2 cup (120 ml)
• Light brown sugar 1 cup (200 g), packed
• Softened butter or nonstick spray for pan; optional 1/2 cup (60 g) toasted chopped pecans; optional flaky sea salt

Do This

• 1. Make dough: Mix warm milk, yeast, 3 tbsp sugar, eggs, 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and 3 1/4 cups flour. Knead until smooth, 6–8 minutes.
• 2. Rise: Cover and let dough double, about 60 minutes.
• 3. Caramel: Brown 1/2 cup butter (4–6 min), whisk in brown sugar, cream, 1/2 tsp salt; simmer 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 tsp vanilla; cool 5–10 minutes.
• 4. Coat: Mix 3/4 cup sugar + 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Melt 6 tbsp butter. Divide dough into 64 balls, dip in butter, roll in cinnamon sugar.
• 5. Assemble: Grease a 12-cup bundt. Spoon in 1/3 caramel. Layer coated dough balls (sprinkle pecans if using), drizzle another 1/3 caramel, repeat, finishing with remaining caramel.
• 6. Proof 20–30 minutes as oven preheats to 350°F/175°C. Bake 35–40 minutes until deep golden and 200–205°F inside.
• 7. Cool 5 minutes, invert onto platter, rest 10 minutes, sprinkle flaky salt (optional), and serve warm.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Brown-butter caramel bakes into every crevice, giving a glossy, salted-toffee finish.
• Ultra-soft, cinnamon-sugar dough balls that pull apart in steamy, tender strands.
• Built for sharing: a dramatic, bundt-shaped centerpiece perfect for brunch.
• Make-ahead friendly with overnight options for easy morning baking.

Grocery List

• Produce: None required (optional: 1 orange for zest)
• Dairy: Whole milk, unsalted butter, heavy cream, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, instant yeast, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, fine sea salt, nonstick spray or extra butter for greasing, optional pecans

Full Ingredients

Enriched Dough

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to 110°F/43°C
• 2 1/4 tsp (7 g) instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 1/4 cups (406 g) all-purpose flour

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted

Brown-Butter Caramel

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Pan & Finish

• Softened butter or nonstick spray (to grease a 12-cup bundt pan)
• Optional: 1/2 cup (60 g) toasted chopped pecans
• Optional: flaky sea salt, for finishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar. Add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and flour. Mix with a dough hook on low until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes. Increase to medium and knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 6–8 minutes (8–10 minutes by hand). If the dough is very sticky after 3 minutes of kneading, add up to 2 tbsp (15 g) additional flour, 1 tbsp at a time. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl but still feel soft.

Step 2: First rise

Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turn to coat, cover tightly, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60 minutes (up to 75 minutes in a cool kitchen).

Step 3: Cook the brown-butter caramel

Near the end of the rise, make the caramel. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup (113 g) butter. Continue cooking, swirling often, until the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty, 4–6 minutes. Whisk in the brown sugar until moistened, then slowly whisk in the cream (it will bubble vigorously). Add 1/2 tsp salt and simmer, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tsp vanilla, and let cool 5–10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Step 4: Prep the coating and pan

Stir the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl. Melt 6 tbsp (85 g) butter in a separate bowl. Generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter or nonstick spray, being sure to coat every ridge. Spoon about one-third of the warm caramel into the bottom of the pan.

Step 5: Shape, dip, and sugar the dough balls

Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 64 equal pieces (about 1-inch pieces). Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Dip each ball into the melted butter, letting excess drip off, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Arrange a snug, even layer of coated balls in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the pecans, if using, and drizzle with another third of the caramel. Repeat with remaining dough balls, pecans, and the last of the caramel.

Step 6: Proof and preheat

Cover the pan loosely and let the assembled monkey bread rise until puffy and nearly reaching the top edge, 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position.

Step 7: Bake, unmold, and serve

Bake until deeply golden and the caramel is bubbling around the edges, 35–40 minutes. For best results, the center should reach 200–205°F (93–96°C) on an instant-read thermometer. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil at the 25-minute mark. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving platter. Let the caramel cascade down, rest 10 minutes, sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired, and serve warm. Pull apart at the table.

Pro Tips

• Brown butter, not burned butter: pull it when the milk solids are chestnut-brown and it smells nutty, not acrid.
• Layering caramel between dough balls creates shiny, sticky ribbons all the way through—don’t pour it all on top.
• For perfect doneness, use a thermometer; 200–205°F in the center prevents gummy dough.
• Invert after 5 minutes. Sooner and it may collapse; later and the caramel may stick to the pan.
• Weighing flour (406 g) keeps the dough soft; too much flour makes the bread dense.

Variations

• Orange-Cardamom: Add 1 tsp ground cardamom to the cinnamon sugar and 1 tbsp orange zest to the dough.
• Pecan Sticky-Bun Style: Use the optional pecans and add 1 tsp molasses to the caramel for deeper flavor.
• Bourbon Salted Caramel: Stir 1–2 tbsp bourbon into the caramel off heat; finish with flaky sea salt.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Room temperature: Keep leftovers covered at room temperature up to 1 day; rewarm at 300°F/150°C for 10–12 minutes, covered with foil. Make-ahead (overnight): After assembling in the bundt pan, cover and refrigerate up to 16 hours. Next day, let sit at room temperature until puffy (45–60 minutes) and bake as directed. Freezer: Freeze baked, cooled monkey bread well-wrapped for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then rewarm at 300°F/150°C, covered, 15–20 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 12 servings: 460 calories; 24 g fat (14 g saturated); 58 g carbohydrates; 32 g sugars; 6 g protein; 240 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.