This is a healthier twist on classic monkey bread – soft and delicious pull apart bread. It’s also extremely versatile since it can be baked and enjoyed immediately, or prepped the night before to be baked fresh in the morning. This is made healthier by using apple sauce instead of butter. A delicious treat for special occasions and holiday breakfast!
Have you ever had Monkey Bread? It’s one of those sweet treats that I very rarely make and indulge in – until now. Before I explain why in a minute, I want to explain what Monkey Bread is, just in case you haven’t had it before.
You may have heard of plucking cake, pull-apart bread, and bubble bread. There are several different renditions and names but it’s all Monkey Bread to me. I’m not sure why we call it Monkey Bread, but it’s a fun name and I love it!!
What’s interesting is one version of this delicious breakfast bread was published in the 1972 Betty Crocker cookbook as “Hungarian Coffee Cake”. In Hungary, it’s called arany galuska. But over time, it’s become what I enjoy as Monkey Bread.
If you haven’t had it before, Monkey bread is very similar in flavor and texture to cinnamon rolls, which happen to be one of my favorite breakfast treats. I absolutely love the ooey-gooey goodness of a warm homemade cinnamon roll. The gooey-er, the better. I mean, who doesn’t love swirls of cinnamon and butter.
And after I posted a healthier version of this classic decadent treat, which you can check out here, I had an epiphany. Just like my Healthier Cinnamon Rolls, I replace the butter with applesauce, refined sugar with coconut sugar, and half of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. And though I may be a bit biased, I think the results are fantastic!
Of course you can always opt to use vegan butter in leu of the applesauce. Your monkey bread may be more classic with all that buttery flavor and gooeyness; but I believe there’s something to be gained by using wholesome applesauce instead of vegan butter, which is essentially oil. To boot, I truly believe this healthier version is just as delicious as the traditional recipe.
Another great thing about this recipe is that instead of using canned biscuits like many monkey bread recipes, we make our own wholesome dough using a 50-50 flour blend. I recommend using white whole wheat flour along with all-purpose flour. This increases the nutritional profile of the monkey bread while maintaining a soft texture.
If you prefer to use all-purpose flour, your monkey bread may be even lighter and fluffier and have a more traditional flavor. Whole grain flours tend to be denser and heavier. If you do change the flours a bit, you may need to adjust the amount of flour used. This is true any time you substitute flours since they absorb liquids differently.
To knead my dough, I use a stand mixer on the lowest speed, incorporating the warm milk slowly, and then increase the speed and mix it for five or six minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can certainly knead the dough by hand on the counter, my wrists just appreciate this thoughtful gesture.
Just a word of caution about the dough. Try really hard not to add more flour you truly need. This will ensure a softer and more tender dough. When you add too much flour, these monkey rolls will be more dense, tough, and dry.
Once the dough is well combined, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a couple of dense towels and allow the dough to rise in an undisturbed place until it doubles in size. This typically takes about an hour, but may take a little longer, depending on the temperature.
Once it has risen, combine the apple sauce, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl. You can add in chopped pecans or raisins if you prefer a bit more texture and flavor. Otherwise, leave them out.
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a floured surface and divide it into four sections. Now divide each section into sixteen pieces by cutting it in fourths top to bottom and fourths lengthwise in a grid pattern. At this point, you should have 64 small pieces of dough.
Roll each piece of dough into a little ball and drop it into the sugary apple sauce mixture. Toss the dough gently until all are well coated. Then transfer to a greased Bundt cake pan or tube cake pan, and cover with plastic wrap or two clean kitchen towels to rise again.
But before we go any further, you should know that you have two options. You can allow your Healthier Monkey Bread to rise and bake now. Or, you have the option to proof the Healthier Monkey Bread overnight in the refrigerator.
Options
- Bake Now. Allow the monkey bread to rise for 30 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature and the monkey bread has doubled in size, remove the cover and bake 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- Overnight Proofing. If you want to bake the monkey bread in the morning, place the covered Bundt pan in refrigerator to rise overnight. When ready to bake in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
Once golden, remove your Healthier Monkey Bread from the oven and allow the pan to cool for five to ten minutes before turning the pan upside down on a cooling rack or serving plate. It should release easily. If not, use a butter knife or spoon to loosen any sticky spots.
Once your Healthier Monkey Bread is turned out, you have the option to drizzle it with a simple icing glaze. You can also leave it plan if you choose. Or just like cinnamon rolls, it’s absolutely scrumptious with cream cheese frosting. So many possibilities!
This Healthier Monkey Bread is best enjoyed fresh and warm the same morning or day it is baked. If you do have any leftovers, it can be stored in an air-tight container for two to three days. Simply reheat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave or in a toaster oven until warm.
I hope you enjoy this Healthier Monkey Bread as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
And don’t forget to subscribe for new plant-based and vegan recipes today!! Just click on the subscribe link in the header or on the side. I simply love creating and sharing new recipes.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour*
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast**
- 1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk, heated to 100-105° F
- ½ cup applesauce (or vegan butter, room temperature)***
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
Cinnamon Sauce
- ½ cup applesauce (or vegan butter, melted)***
- ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins or chopped pecans**** (optional)
Sugar Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook attached, combine the flours and yeast.
- Pour in the warm milk, apple sauce (or melted butter), and salt.
- Mix on low speed until combined until the dough forms and leaves the side of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes total.
- Increase to medium speed and mix for 5-6 more minutes, until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand for 6-8 minutes. If the dough is wet, add in 1-2 Tbsp flour.
- Cover with plastic wrap, two clean kitchen towels, a lid, or aluminum foil; and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour, depending on your yeast and room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and raisins or pecans (if using).
- Grease a Bundt cake pan or tube cake pan with coconut oil, vegan butter, or avocado oil.
- When the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough into quarters.
- Then divide each quarter into 16 balls, totaling 64 balls. See the pictorial).
- Toss the dough balls gently in the bowl with the sugary apple sauce mixture until evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated dough balls to the Bundt pan.
- Pour any remaining cinnamon sauce over top and cover with plastic wrap, two clean kitchen towels, a lid, or aluminum foil.
- Options:
- Bake Now. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 45-50 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature and the monkey bread has doubled in size and almost reach the top of the pan. Remove the cover and bake for 30-35minutes, or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- Overnight Proofing. If you want to bake the monkey bread in the morning, immediately place the covered Bundt pan in the refrigerator to rise overnight. When you’re ready to bake the monkey bread in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- While baking, make the sugar glaze, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- Remove the bundt pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate or cake stand and allow to cool 5-10 minutes. Drizzle the icing over the monkey bread and serve warm.
- To enjoy, slice or pull the pieces off, as desired.
- These are best enjoyed the same morning/day they are made. Store any remaining monkey bread in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or on the counter for 3 days.
Notes
* I like using King Arthur 1½ cups white whole wheat flour and 1½ cups all-purpose flour; but feel free to use any whole grain flour or all-purpose flour. If you use different flours, you may need to use less/more milk.
** I use SAF instant yeast. This recipe uses one packet or 2¼ tsp instant yeast. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can use rapid-rise or order yeast on Amazon via subscribe and save. I keep a small portion of yeast in the refrigerator; the rest is stored in a freezer bag or jar in the freezer. Yeast stores and keeps extremely well in the freezer.
*** You can substitute vegan butter for the apple sauce if you prefer.
**** For a great variation, mix in ½ cup raisins or chopped pecans into the sugary applesauce and cinnamon mixture.
Healthier Monkey Bread
Equipment
- mixer
- oven
Ingredients
Dough
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour*
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast**
- 1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk heated to 100-105° F
- ½ cup applesauce or vegan butter, room temperature***
- ½ tsp salt optional
Cinnamon Sauce
- ½ cup applesauce or vegan butter, melted***
- ½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins or chopped pecans**** optional
Sugar Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with the dough hook attached, combine the flours and yeast.
- Pour in the warm milk, apple sauce (or melted butter), and salt.
- Mix on low speed until combined until the dough forms and leaves the side of the bowl, about 1-2 minutes total. Increase to medium speed and mix for 5-6 more minutes, until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand for 6-8 minutes. If the dough is wet, add in 1-2 Tbsp flour.
- Cover with plastic wrap, two clean kitchen towels, a lid, or aluminum foil; and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour, depending on your yeast and room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and raisins or pecans (if using).
- Grease a Bundt cake pan or tube cake pan with coconut oil, vegan butter, or avocado oil.
- When the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide it into quarters, then divide each quarter into 16 balls, totaling 64 balls. See the pictorial).
- Toss the dough balls gently in the bowl with the sugary apple sauce mixture until evenly coated.
- Transfer the coated dough balls to the Bundt pan. Pour any remaining cinnamon sauce over top and cover with plastic wrap, two clean kitchen towels, a lid, or aluminum foil.
Options:
Bake Now.
- Allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 45-50 minutes. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature and the monkey bread has doubled in size and almost reach the top of the pan. Remove the cover and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
Overnight Proofing.
- If you want to bake the monkey bread in the morning, immediately place the covered Bundt pan in the refrigerator to rise overnight. When you’re ready to bake the monkey bread in the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Once the oven has reached temperature, bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- While baking, make the sugar glaze, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- Remove the bundt pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate or cake stand and allow to cool 5-10 minutes. Drizzle the icing over the monkey bread and serve warm.
- To enjoy, slice or pull the pieces off, as desired.
- These are best enjoyed the same morning/day they are made. Store any remaining monkey bread in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or on the counter for 3 days.