Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin monkey bread recipe takes our favorite weekend breakfast treat and dresses it up for fall! 

With homemade pumpkin spice and a delicious cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for weekend mornings as we move into the cozy season. 

Ingredients

The Monkey Bread

• Refrigerated biscuit dough. I recommend Pillsbury Grands Biscuits. In terms of Pillsbury Grands, you’ve got your choice of Buttermilk, Honey Butter, Flaky Layers, Southern Recipe and more. You want to grab the Original style. If you can’t find the Original, get the Flaky Layers but make sure it’s the Original style of Flaky Layers. The point is to not get Buttermilk or anything with added butter flavor. The recipe will not come out right with those kind of biscuits.
• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar
• White sugar
• Homemade pumpkin spice. See the recipe card for details.

The Pumpkin Spice

We’re using dry spices instead of pumpkin puree to impart the perfect pumpkin flavor without affecting the texture of our monkey bread. 

• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• ground cloves

Any leftover pumpkin spice can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. 

The Cream Cheese Frosting

• softened butter
• softened cream cheese
• confectioner’s sugar
• vanilla extract
• milk

How to Make Pumpkin Monkey Bread

This is one of those easy recipes that the whole family can get involved in making, even the littlest hands. 

1. First, have someone cut each biscuit into small pieces. Then, roll the pieces into ball shapes.
2. Have the next person roll the biscuit pieces in the pumpkin spice mixture and place them into a bundt pan.
3. If you have an extra person, have them whisk the brown sugar and butter together on the stove until the sugar melts. Pour it over the biscuits.
4. Now you’re ready to bake!
5. To make the cream cheese frosting, simply whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. 

Storage Instructions

The best way to store leftover monkey bread is to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh on the counter top for 2-3 days. You don’t need to refrigerate leftover monkey bread. 

For longer storage, transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the freezer.

When you want to enjoy your monkey bread again, allow it to thaw at room temperature and warm it gently in the oven or microwave. 

Make Ahead

This is an easy recipe to assemble ahead of time. Arrange the pumpkin spice-coated biscuit pieces in a bundt pan, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.

When you’re ready to bake the monkey bread, melt the butter and brown sugar, pour it over the biscuits and bake. 

What is Monkey bread?

Monkey bread gets its name because of the way it is eaten. You pick off the sweet little balls of dough and it resembles how a monkey looks when he is grooming his friend or mate.

If you’ve ever watched Animal Planet or visited a zoo, you know what I’m talking about. Kind of weird to name a food after this, but also kind of funny.

Variations

There are so many fun twists on the traditional cinnamon sugar pull-apart bread that there could be a new one for every occasion! Here are some ideas:

1. Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread. Take the decadence factor over the top by using refrigerated cinnamon rolls instead of biscuit dough. Drizzle the cream cheese icing that comes with the cinnamon roll dough over the top for more heavenly goodness.
2. Sticky Bun Monkey Bread. Make my classic monkey bread recipe with plump raisins and either pecans or walnuts. We love this version as a holiday breakfast! 
3. Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread. A fun treat for fall! Sprinkle diced apples into the layers of biscuit dough for a sweet treat that tastes like apple pie! Top it with a drizzle of caramel sauce. 
4. Gingerbread Monkey Bread. There’s nothing better on Christmas morning! Add a homemade blend of nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves to the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Click here for my easy recipe.
5. Monkey Bread Muffins. Make a personalized version of monkey bread by using a 12-cup muffin tin.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A BUNDT PAN?

While a bundt pan isn’t necessarily required to make monkey bread, it’s traditional to use one. If you don’t have a bundt pan, try standard loaf pan, round cake pan, shallow baking dish or tube pan.

I have not tested this recipe in anything but a bundt pan, so I cannot guarantee your results. If you’re trying this recipe in another type of pan, I recommend that you half the measurements, just to be sure that all of the biscuits will cook through.

When you make this pumpkin monkey bread recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For more pumpkin recipes, try these:

• Creamy Pumpkin Spice Martini
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Lager Beer

For more sweet treats, try these:

• Cinnamon Scones with Maple Glaze
• Cowboy Coffee Cake
• Best Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Bread