This cinnamon monkey bread, in all of its gooey cinnamon-sugar goodness, is simply irresistible.. and so fun to make!

It should come as no surprise that I have been looking for ways to keep myself occupied while in quarantine. Of course, it’s given me lots of time to develop and test my own recipes.. but I think a big part of learning and growing as a baker involves trying others’ recipes, too. It’s such a great way to get inspired and learn new techniques.
Cinnamon monkey bread is not something I had ever made before, but I stumbled upon this recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring (remember how I raved about her chocolate cake?) and thought now was as good a time as any to give it a go!

It’s safe to say this one was a winner! My official taste-tester (also known as my husband), Matt, absolutely loved this monkey bread the minute he tried it. His feedback was that it reminded him of Cinnabon, something he seriously misses since having to go gluten free, and I thought that was a great compliment! I opted to skip the icing this time, just because I feel like this monkey bread is sweet and decadent (and delicious) enough without it — but I’m sure that would really take it over the top.
Why I Love This Cinnamon Monkey Bread…
- It’s just fun to make! If you have little ones at home, this is a great recipe to get them involved in. I think they would have a lot of fun cutting out the rounds and dipping in the cinnamon sugar topping.
- It’s perfectly gooey and sweet, and the dough itself is nice and soft.
- No fancy equipment needed here — you don’t even need a mixer! Just a mixing bowl and whisk, a rolling pin, a small cookie cutter, and a loaf pan.
How To Make…
You will start by whisking together your dry ingredients, then adding your Greek yogurt and water to form a dough that holds together. Next, you’ll roll your dough out into a disc, and start cutting out rounds using a small cookie cutter (mine was a bit bigger than the one used in the recipe, but it worked!).
Then, just set up a little work station for dipping! One small bowl for your melted butter, another for your cinnamon-sugar mixture. Dip each round into the butter first, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Start arranging the rounds in your loaf pan, starting with a single layer on the bottom and working your way up. Bake on 350ºF for 25 minutes (mine took closer to 28 minutes). And that’s it!

Once cooled enough to handle (they’re extra good warm), pull apart and enjoy that gooey cinnamon goodness!
Leave a Reply