Easy Grands Monkey Bread

This easy Grands monkey bread recipe can be totally customized with your family's favorite chopped nuts and dried fruits! Or just leave it plain -- it's delicious either way...

Easy Grands Monkey Bread

Doesn't this Grands monkey bread just scream special occasion?!? It looks like you slaved for hours making it, but since it starts with Pillsbury Grands biscuits, it's so SUPER EASY to make. We'll be making it again for Christmas morning tomorrow, alongside a big tray of oven baked bacon!

But how does it taste? Well, my almost 13-year-old is the breakfast connoisseur around here... His all-time favorite breakfast is my Hawaiian roll French toast bake recipe. I know this because, not only does he rave about it every time I make it, but he also posts a picture of it to his Instagram feed to brag about it (as he did on Thanksgiving morning).

So when I saw he shared a pic of his plate of monkeybread a few days ago, I knew this easy monkey bread recipe was a winner!

What Is Monkey Bread?

You might be wondering where monkey bread got its name from... I know my kids were all very curious! Monkey bread is a sweet or sometimes savory pull-apart bread that is eaten by pulling off little chunks, much like the way monkeys eat. So the most common theory is that it's derived from the act of picking it apart, which is pretty fitting since I'm always telling my kids they're little monkeys!

Monkey bread is most commonly made in a bundt pan, though you can use a loaf pan, as well. I always make it in this classic cast bundt pan, which has a nonstick finish that makes for easy release and cleanup. Plus the 12-cup capacity is perfect for this monkey bread recipe.

NOTE: you absolutely DO NOT want to use a tube pan that has a removable bottom! The hot sugar syrup can leak out of removable bottom pans, so be sure to use a one-piece pan.

Customizable Recipe For Monkey Bread

This monkey bread with biscuits can be easily customized to your family's tastes. The original monkey bread recipe called for optional chopped walnuts and raisins, but I opted to use chopped pecans and dried cranberries because it seemed to fit the holiday season. I'm dying to try some shredded coconut and macadamia nuts, though!

Of course you can just skip the optional add-ins altogether. The classic buttery cinnamon-sugar flavor is quite tasty all on its own..

PRO TIP: don't let the monkey bread cool all the way in the pan. Turn it over onto a serving plate roughly 10 minutes after you remove it from the oven.

This way it pops out easily and the still warm (but not scalding!) extra sugary syrup drizzles its way down through the bread. Enjoy!