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PdfSoft, buttery pull-apart monkey bread made with sourdough discard, plenty of cinnamon and brown sugar, and a buttery caramelized coating. Commercial yeast provides a reliable rise while the sourdough discard adds flavor and tenderness.
Yield: 1 standard 10–12 cup Bundt pan
Ingredients
Dough
Cinnamon Sugar
Brown Sugar Butter Sauce
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the sourdough discard, warm milk, egg, granulated sugar, yeast, and vanilla.
Add the flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Gradually work in the softened butter.
Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, about 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer or 8–10 minutes by hand. Avoid adding unnecessary flour; the finished monkey bread should be very soft and tender.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover.
Let rise at room temperature until approximately doubled in volume, about 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature.
Make-ahead option: If the dough doubles before you’re ready to assemble the monkey bread, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator. Continue with the recipe when convenient.
Generously butter a 10–12 cup Bundt pan, making sure to coat all the grooves and the center tube.
Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the cinnamon sugar in a shallow bowl.
Melt the 85 g butter in a separate bowl.
Turn the risen dough onto a work surface and gently press out excess gas.
Divide the dough into approximately 30–36 small pieces. They do not need to be perfectly identical.
Roll each piece loosely into a ball.
Dip each piece in melted butter, then toss thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Arrange the coated dough pieces evenly in the prepared Bundt pan. Avoid packing them tightly; leave a little room for expansion.
Melt 85 g butter with 100 g brown sugar over low heat, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Pour the warm sauce evenly over the assembled dough.
Cover the Bundt pan loosely and allow the monkey bread to rise until noticeably puffy and the pieces are beginning to press against one another, approximately 30–60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, until deeply golden brown and cooked through in the center. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the remainder of baking.
If checking with an instant-read thermometer, aim for approximately 190–195°F in the center of the dough, avoiding pockets of melted sugar.
Allow the monkey bread to cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes only. Do not let it cool completely in the Bundt pan or the caramelized sugar may glue the bread to the pan.
Place a large serving plate over the Bundt pan and carefully invert.
Lift off the pan and allow the warm brown-sugar butter sauce to run over the bread.
Make the Dough
Prepare the Bundt Pan
Assemble
Make the Brown Sugar Butter Sauce
Second Rise
Bake
Invert and Serve
Serve warm and pull apart with your hands.
Notes
For a more pronounced cinnamon flavor, use a good Vietnamese/Saigon cinnamon (Trader Joe’s cinnamon is Vietnamese/Saigon cinnamon). The sourdough discard does not need to be active; refrigerated discard is fine.
The dough should remain soft and slightly tacky. Resist adding extra flour unless it is genuinely wet and unmanageable.
Complete the first rise and refrigerate the dough whenever it reaches approximately double. The chilled dough can then wait until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
Optional finishing glaze: This recipe is intentionally designed to be rich enough without icing, but a simple vanilla or cream-cheese glaze can be drizzled over the finished monkey bread if desired.