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    Home » Bread » Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Recipe

    Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Recipe

    Published: May 23, 2019 · Modified: Jun 9, 2021 by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Monkey Bread with cream cheese hiding inside! Stuffing the dough with gooey-ness makes a delicious treat. Prepare to WOW your guests!

    Center of a loaf of monkey bread exposed to find cream cheese

    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.

    circles of dough with chunks of cream cheese on top each

    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.

    dough wrapped up around a cube of cream cheese

    Place 10 cheese-stuffed pieces of dough, cheese-side-up, into bottom of the prepared pan.

    Bottom of a bundt pan lined with cream cheese filled pieces of dough

    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.

    ingredients in a bundt pan ready for baking

    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!

    Fingers holding piece of bread with cream cheese oozing out

    FAQ About Monkey Bread

    What is 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.

    How to store monkey bread?

    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!

    How to freeze monkey bread?

    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.

    How to reheat monkey bread?

    Place the monkey bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until the centers are warm.

    monkey bread sitting on a platter

    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

    Monkey Bread with cream cheese hiding inside! Stuffing the dough with gooey-ness makes a delicious treat. Prepare to WOW your guests!
    5 from 9 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 557kcal
    Author: Megan Porta

    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.

    Video

    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!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 840mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leslie

      February 13, 2014 at 3:14 pm

      Can't wait to try this tomorrow for a get together with friends who requested my usual monkey bread. This is sure to be a pleasant surprise! Thank you for the recipe. And you're absolutely right cream cheese does make everything better!!! 😉

      Reply
    2. Angie

      January 03, 2014 at 5:06 pm

      I made this recipe this morning. My little one has been sick with a viral infection for two days and doesn't want to eat. He ate two of these!!! They are delicious.

      Reply
    3. Sarah

      December 29, 2013 at 11:46 pm

      I made this tonight and it had a lot of melted butter remaining after the 40 min bake time. 🙁 I cook and bake a lot. It seemed like a lot of butter when I put in it seemed like too much. Will make another batch with less cinn/sugar and butter.

      Reply
    4. Teresa

      December 24, 2013 at 3:22 pm

      Okay, these are SINFUL!! I absolutely love them…..I've made them several times and making them again for after Christmas dinner! YUMMY!!

      Reply
    5. leslie

      November 28, 2013 at 3:50 am

      I bought the ingredients for this recipe but I'm thinking adding some chocolate chips to the cream cheese… kinda like a rugelach!

      Reply
    6. Carol

      November 01, 2013 at 9:34 pm

      Hi Megan. Thanks for that but we don't have frozen dough either! I think I will try making it using a buttermilk scone dough that I will make from scratch. Hopefully it will work 🙂 Carol

      Reply
    7. Megan Porta

      November 01, 2013 at 12:59 pm

      Hi Carol! Buttermilk biscuits is refrigerated pre-cooked dough that comes in cans. If you do not have access to that, perhaps you could use thawed frozen dough? I hope this helps!
      Megan

      Reply
    8. Carol

      November 01, 2013 at 9:47 am

      Hi – this looks delicious but I am in New Zealand and I have no idea what a 'can of buttermilk biscuits' is. I think in the US a biscuit is what we call a scone? I can make those easily but we don;t get them in cans so want to make sure it is the same thing? Carol

      Reply
    9. Megan Porta

      September 21, 2013 at 1:06 pm

      Hi Brooke! This recipe makes approximately 12 servings!
      Megan

      Reply
    10. Brooke

      September 21, 2013 at 3:05 am

      How many servings does this recipe make?

      Reply
    11. régine

      September 06, 2013 at 10:45 am

      je veux essayer dès aujourd'hui ! absolument ! j'ai déjà presque envie de manger la photo .Merci pour la recette .

      Reply
    12. Taylor

      September 06, 2013 at 1:07 am

      I make this every time we have a food day at school and people beg me to make it every time we plan another food day, it's just so simple and perfect. awesome recipe! (it's so much better if you drizzle some frosting on it though!!)

      Reply
    13. Linda Jo

      August 31, 2013 at 6:25 pm

      I wonder, could I use "Grands" buiscuts

      Reply
    14. JANIS

      July 16, 2013 at 8:30 pm

      UNIQUE WAY TO GIVE A RECIEPE! LOOKS SO EASY, I WILL TRY IT ON PAY DAY! SUCH A GOOD COMBINATION OF PASTRY,CINNAMON,SUGAR, AND CREAM CHEESE! I DON'T HAVE A BUNDT PAN, BUT SURE PUTTING IT IN A CIRCLE WILL WORK TOO!

      Reply
    15. Amanda

      July 15, 2013 at 12:57 am

      I just put this together about 10 minutes ago.. I am super excited to see how it turns out. I make monkey bread the regular way all the time and just love it can't wait to try it with cream Chz… My boyfriend is on the way to try it too… We will let you know what we think

      Reply
    16. Megan Porta

      July 09, 2013 at 1:37 am

      Hi Sherrie, I haven't tried doubling the recipe, but could you just prepare it in two separate pans? So glad you like the recipe!!
      Megan

      Reply
    17. Sherrie

      July 08, 2013 at 11:15 pm

      Have made your recipe many times, and l.o.v.e. it! Just wondering how I should adjust the time if I doubled the recipe? I think I'll just wing it, but… Maybe someone has tried this, already?

      Reply
    18. tylergmommy

      June 29, 2013 at 5:23 pm

      My husband loves these, he had no idea they take all of 5 minus to our together. I make them exactly as the recipe is, and they come out perfect every time. I make sure my cream cheese is cold and cut it into the 20 pieces before I start.

      Reply
    19. Addie

      June 18, 2013 at 2:36 am

      Hi Megan, this looks so yummy! But sadly, in Australia, we are without Pillsbury or any ready made biscuits. So reading this recipe and seeing the photos was sheer torture! Would you have any suggestions on alternatives or recipes for similar dough? Thanks.

      Reply
    20. Laura

      June 16, 2013 at 9:14 am

      Thank you for this recipe. It has become my go-to for a special breakfast. Making it again tomorrow for Father's Day.

      Reply
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