Monkey Bread with cream cheese hiding inside! Stuffing the dough with gooey-ness makes a delicious treat. Prepare to WOW your guests!
Why This Recipe Works
I’m certain there is not a soul on the planet who doesn’t love monkey bread. People trip over themselves just to get to the plate before everyone else.
A few years ago I had the delicious thought to combine two of my favorite food in the same recipe: cream cheese and monkey bread. That was the day this delicious little recipe was born.
Monkey bread is the perfect recipe for breakfast gatherings or brunches or even dessert. It’s always the first thing to go because of its addicting qualities.
Imagine your guests’ surprised faces when they bite into a chunk of monkey bread only to taste that there is gooey cream cheese surprise waiting in the middle! It’s a little piece of heaven!
How To Make Monkey Bread With Cream Cheese
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine 2/3 cup each of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
Melt 3/4 cup salted butter in the microwave.
Step 2
You’ll start with an 8-oz. package of cream cheese and two 12-ounce tubes refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits. Use a sharp knife to cut the cream cheese into 20 same-size pieces.
Slice 10 discs of biscuit dough from each tube of biscuits.
Set the discs onto a flat surface and set one cube of cream cheese in the center of each piece of dough. Wrap the edges of the dough up and around the cheese so all that is visible is the top side of cream cheese cube.
Place 10 cheese-stuffed pieces of dough, cheese-side-up, into bottom of the prepared pan.
Step 3
Top with half of the sugar cinnamon mixture and half of the melted butter. Top with the remaining dough pieces, cheese-side-down, the remaining sugar and remaining butter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Invert onto a serving platter and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Buy full-fat cream cheese and don’t skimp! Super cheap blocks of cream cheese do not melt as well as ones that cost just a little bit more.
- It is definitely ok to use a different variety of biscuit dough. I love the flavor and flakiness of the flaky buttermilk biscuits, but the monkey bread will still taste great if a different variety is used.
- Light brown sugar can replace dark brown sugar without much flavor altering. The dark brown variety adds a nice rich depth to the sugars.
- To tell if the monkey bread is done, the top pieces should be uniformly golden brown. Gently remove a piece from the center. If the dough is fully cooked, the recipe is done baking!
How To Make Monkey Bread Without a Bundt Pan
The rounded corners of the bundt pan will allow for uniform baking, but if you don’t have a bundt pan a tube pan or angel food cake pan will work. If you don’t have any of these pans, a 9×9 or 9×13 pan will work, too!
Place the dough as evenly as possible in a layer in the pan and start checking for signs that the bread is done when it has been in the oven for 30 minutes.
Here’s another little trick. If you have a spring form pan (typically used to bake cheesecake) or a large round cake pan (9 inches), place an empty can in the center, surround it with the dough and bake!
FAQ About Monkey Bread
Monkey bread is a bunch of balls of dough being baked together with sugars and butter. During baking, the dough balls adhere together making it possible to pull pieces away by using your fingers. The term “monkey bread” comes from being a finger food, the same way monkeys eat their food.
Because there is cream cheese hidden in the centers of the pieces, store this version of monkey bread covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Will it last that long, though? Mine never does!
Once it has baked and cooled completely, monkey bread can be frozen for 3-4 months. Wrap tightly in foil before placing into the freezer. When you are ready to enjoy it, let it thaw completely before reheating.
Place the monkey bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until the centers are warm.
Salted Butter vs Unsalted Butter
Ahh, the great baking debate. Many bakers use unsalted butter in their baked goods in order to avoid over-salting. I, however, believe that there is no such thing as “over-salting.”
I always use salted butter in my baked goods (and for everything else under the sun) because it gives everything I make an extra touch of salty deliciousness. If you go the unsalted route, keep in mind that you may need to add a bit extra salt to the recipe!
Monkey Bread Variations
- Finely chop some pecans or walnuts and place them in the middle layer of the cream cheese and dough balls.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips into the middle and on the top before baking.
- Add sliced apples, pears or berries to the middle layer.
- Drizzle a simple icing over the top, just before serving!
Sweet Breakfast Treats
I love a good savory breakfast, but there is something so special and yummy about a nice sugary breakfast, am I right? Kids especially go bananas over pancakes and cinnamon rolls and any breakfast food that contains sugar.
Here are a few delicious ideas to make any day of the week or for the next time you host breakfast or brunch!
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Crumb Muffins
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
- Apple Coffee Cake
What To Serve For Brunch
- Homemade Bagels require only 5 ingredients and in 20 minutes from start to finish! NO YEAST or rising or waiting required. These easy bagels are soft, flavorful and taste great with savory or sweet toppings.
- Enjoy breakfast the healthy way! Whip up a batch of these healthy breakfast muffins as a perfect on-the-go meal or snack to stay on track throughout the day. Even kids love them!
- Combine eggs, broccoli, tomatoes and a bit of garlic to create a delicious and filling meal and an EASY, healthy eggs and veggies dish to start your day. Change the veggies up if you so desire!
- Save some cash by making your own delicious Vanilla Iced Latte at home! Use your Nespresso machine to get the job done quickly and easily.
- Easy chocolate chip muffins require only a handful of ingredients and they are all probably sitting in your kitchen! Super moist and yummy.
Party Food Recipes
- The classic, crowd-pleasing Fruit Pizza has a cookie dough crust, dreamy cream cheese frosting and a colorful top layer of fruit and a tasty glaze.
- Taco Ranch Pasta Salad – This delicious pasta salad gets totally devoured at gatherings, no matter the season.
- Sausage Cheese Dip is easy to make (let your crockpot do the work for you!), cheesy, flavorful and totally irresistible! Serve as an appetizer at your next party and it won’t last long.
- This is the best 7-Layer Taco Dip you’ll ever meet! It’s the perfect appetizer and party food and it is always the first thing to get devoured.
- Crockpot Meatballs require only a few ingredients with only a few minutes of prep. They are SO EASY to make, totally packed with delicious flavor and great for game-day parties or holidays.
- Spinach Artichoke Dip is a party staple! People always get excited about this dip and its so easy to make! It’s a filling, cheesy snack or appetizer that you can put on pita squares, crackers or chips.
Will you help add value to Pip and Ebby?
If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!
Monkey Bread With Cream Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 24 oz flaky buttermilk biscuits refrigerated
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed
- 3/4 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sugars and cinnamon; set aside.
- Slice 10 discs of dough from each tube of biscuits. Set discs on a flat surface and set one cube of cream cheese in the center of each piece of dough. Wrap edges of dough up and around the cheese so all that is visible is the top side of cream cheese cube. Place 10 dough-wrapped cheese cubes, cheese-side-up, in bottom of prepared pan.
- Top with half of the sugar mixture and half of the butter. Top with the remaining dough-wrapped cheese cubes, cheese-side-down, the remaining sugar and remaining butter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter and serve.
Notes
- Buy full-fat cream cheese and don’t skimp! Super cheap blocks of cream cheese do not melt as well as ones that cost just a little bit more.
- It is definitely ok to use a different variety of biscuit dough. I love the flavor and flakiness of the flaky buttermilk biscuits, but the monkey bread will still taste great if a different variety is used.
- Light brown sugar can replace dark brown sugar without much flavor altering. The dark brown variety adds a nice rich depth to the sugars.
- To tell if the monkey bread is done, the top pieces should be uniformly golden brown. Gently remove a piece from the center. If the dough is fully cooked, the recipe is done baking!
Jenna
Hi, looks great, where do you buy the flakey buttermilk biscuits? Or do u need to make it by scratch?
Stephanie
Maybe I missed something- the pin says pumpkin cream cheese monkey bread. When do you add pumpkin & how much? Can't wait to try-love monkey bread- thanks so much-
Licette
I'm going to be making this for Thanksgiving, but using splenda brown sugar and stevia sugar. Hope it turns out great!
Nancy
To everyone who is missing the pumpkin. Here is a suggestion. There is a soft cream cheese spread out this year flavored pumpkin spice. You might be able to use it instead of the cream cheese blocks. You may have to make some oven time adjustments cause it won't have to melt.
Craft Fairy
OMG. It looks fantastic. I have to make it! My only problem is that it puts inches on my hips just from looking at it.
Kristy
This looks delish!! But did I miss where the pumpln comes into play?
Lanelle
Love, love, love this! I made it with one of my bonus kids and it's really a great recipe to do with kids. I posted and linked back to you from my website http://www.frugalinkitsap.com
Shruti
I made this last night and have a question for those who loved the recipe:
Did the cream cheese stay as is, or did it get all gooey?
Mine stayed the same. And I should have added sugar and some vanilla to the cream cheese as it was such a strong cream cheese taste in the middle of this biscuit that wasn't sweet enough.
Will give it another try but next time I am filling the biscuits with cream cheese icing and using a lot more cinnamon/sugar in the layers.
Lanelle
This was so easy and fun to make also quite fail-proof! We are still unpacking from a move earlier in the year and I could not find my bundt pan so had to use a square 8×8. With the help of one of my "bonus kids" (I'm the neighborhood mom) we made a circle in the square pan and it turned out just fine.
Easy and delicious and a great recipe for kids to help make.
Megan Porta
Hey guys! Just want to let everyone know that no caption on this website labels this recipe as having pumpkin. I am guessing it was mislabeled on Pinterest. Sorry to disappoint! Seeing the desire for pumpkin cream cheese bread, I will have to come up with another recipe! Thanks for reading.
Megan
kathy
Hey guys…referrig to the "missing" pumpkin……..why not try mixing pumpkin in with the cream cheese?? not enough to make mush, but maybe a dollop of pumkin on top of each cheese cube and following the rest of the assembly instructions…or maybe adding some pumpkin with brown sugar and butter and place in bottom (top) of bundt pan?? plmk if any one tries these suggestions…enjoy, kathy
Jeanne
The caption says "Pumpkin" Cream Cheese Monkey Bread – yet there's no pumpkin in the recipe. I read the other comments, and nobody seems to care that there's no pumpkin listed – – – – am I missing something here?
Megan Porta
Hi Candie, People can write anything they want on Pinterest. I hope you enjoy the recipe..
Megan
Candie
Hi, This looks like an amazing recipe but I'm confused, on Pinterest, the pic is labeled "pumpkin cream cheese monkey bread" but I don't see anything about pumpkin here. Am I missing something? Thank you!
Tamara
No pumpkin?! Ahhh maaan! Will still be making this recipe, even though I'm disappointed about there being no pumpkin in the it!!! Lol
Lauri
Oh,my! Be still my beating heart!!! Must try this.
vbeig
I tried this twice, and it never worked. Absolutely would not cook through in the middle. The outside was black, and the inside raw. Tried a lower oven temp the second time, for longer, and that didn't work either.
Krys Runsonlattes
I made this over the weekend to take to a family cook out. There was none left at the end of the day. Thank you for sharing such a fabulous recipe!
Krys R
mary ann smith
LOved this recipe. I have not made the cream cheese monkey bread There will be no leftovers. I am sure of that. Thanks for the recipe. I am going to make this tonight. I am sure it will be amazingly good.Love cream cheese.
Amy B
NO MAPLE SYRUP????????