Apple Pie Monkey Bread

Apple pie is one of those desserts that just feels like fall, but let’s be honest—sometimes you want all those warm, cinnamon-y apple flavors without actually making an entire pie from scratch. That’s exactly where this Apple Pie Monkey Bread comes in.

I took everything I love about classic apple pie—tender cinnamon-spiced apples, brown sugar, butter, and that warm, gooey filling—and turned it into something way easier using refrigerated biscuit dough. The biscuits get tossed in cinnamon sugar, layered with buttery cooked apples, and baked until golden and caramelized, then the whole thing gets finished with a brown butter glaze that takes it over the top.

It’s gooey, pull-apart, a little messy in the best way, and perfect for a cozy fall brunch, dessert, or whenever you have people over. It looks impressive, but it’s secretly SO simple to make—and you know that’s my favorite kind of recipe. Let’s get cookin’!

INGREDIENTS

APPLE FILLING

3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus an extra pinch
Pinch of kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
Juice of ½ a lemon, plus more to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing/serving

MONKEY BREAD

2 (16-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuit dough
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

BROWN BUTTER GLAZE

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, plus more as you see fit
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Good pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven
   Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease a Bundt pan, making sure to get into all the crevices so the monkey bread releases easily after baking.

2. Make the apple filling
   Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have started to soften but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Prep the biscuits
   Cut each biscuit into quarters. In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the biscuit pieces and toss until each piece is evenly coated in cinnamon sugar.

4. Make the brown sugar mixture
   In a small saucepan, melt the ½ cup butter with the ¾ cup brown sugar over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring until smooth and combined. Let the mixture bubble for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

5. Assemble the monkey bread
   Spoon some of the apple mixture into the bottom of your prepared Bundt pan. Add half of the cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces, followed by half of the remaining apples and some of the brown sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining biscuit pieces and apples, then pour the remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over the top.

6. Bake
   Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden brown and the biscuit pieces toward the center are completely cooked through. If the top begins browning too quickly before the center is finished, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.

7. Cool and flip
   Let the monkey bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Place a large serving plate over the Bundt pan, then carefully invert the pan onto the plate. Don't wait too long to flip it—the caramelized brown sugar mixture will become stickier as it cools.

8. Make the brown butter glaze
   While the monkey bread cools slightly, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Whisk the browned butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream. Add another splash of milk as needed until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency.

9. Finish and serve

   Drizzle the brown butter glaze generously over the warm monkey bread. Serve warm and pull apart to enjoy!

Jo’s Tips

Don’t overcook your apples. You want to give them a head start on the stove, but they should still have some texture when you take them off the heat. They’ll continue cooking in the oven.

Cut the biscuits into similar-sized pieces. Keeping them relatively uniform helps everything bake at the same rate, especially toward the center of the Bundt pan.

Grease your Bundt pan really well. The brown sugar mixture gets wonderfully sticky and caramelized as it bakes, which is delicious—but also means you want every inch of that pan greased. I use the butter wrappers from the butter I use in this recipe to start… and then I usually add some more to be extra sure!

Check the center, not just the top. The outside can look beautifully golden before the biscuit dough in the center is finished. Check between a few pieces toward the middle before taking it out of the oven, and tent with foil if the outside is getting too dark.

Don't wait too long to flip it. About 10 minutes of cooling is the sweet spot. You want it to set enough to hold together but still be warm enough for that caramelized brown sugar to release from the pan.

Watch your brown butter closely. Once the milk solids start turning golden, it can go from perfectly nutty to burnt quickly. As soon as you see those golden-brown flecks and smell that toasted, nutty aroma, pull it from the heat.

STORAGE & REHEATING

To store: Let the monkey bread cool completely, then cover tightly or transfer to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To reheat: This is definitely best served warm! Microwave individual portions for about 15–20 seconds at a time until soft and gooey again.

For a larger portion, loosely cover with foil and warm in a 300°F oven until heated through.

Jo’s Tip: If you know you'll have leftovers, the monkey bread reheats especially well in individual portions. A few seconds in the microwave brings back that soft, gooey texture.

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