Easy to make Monkey Bread Muffins recipe made with refrigerated biscuits! You only need 5 ingredients to make this simple alternative to Monkey Bread with no bundt pan needed!
Monkey Bread Muffins Recipe
Craving something sticky-sweet and easy to make? These Monkey Bread Muffins are the perfect answer when you’re short on time or don’t have a bundt pan handy. Made with just five simple ingredients—refrigerated biscuits, melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon—this quick recipe transforms pantry staples into individual pull-apart treats that are ooey-gooey in all the right ways. If you love warm, cinnamon sugar flavors and that classic sticky texture, you’re going to be obsessed with these muffin-sized bites of monkey bread.
Did you know Monkey Bread goes by many names like monkey puzzle bread, sticky bread, African coffee cake, and even pluck-it cake? Popularized in American kitchens in the 1950s, it’s traditionally made as one large loaf, but these mini muffins are a fun and easy twist. If you’re into small, shareable bakes, you’ll also love these Mini Blueberry Muffins, this cozy Mini Coffee Cake Muffins recipe, or our ultra-moist Mini and Moist Banana Muffins—perfect for breakfast, snacks, or sweet cravings anytime.
Why do they call it Monkey Bread?
Ok what about the name? Most of my results were helpless, but here’s what I could put together on where the title “Monkey Bread” comes from.
There is an African tree called the Monkey Bread tree that has an exceedingly thick trunk and an edible pulp. Some people think that Monkey Bread is named after the tree as it slightly resembles it.
Alternatively, some people believe Monkey Bread gets its name from monkeys. When eating monkey bread, people usually tear it apart with their fingers, much like how monkeys eat.
How to Make Monkey Bread Muffins
Spray your muffin pan with nonstick spray, bottoms and sides. Don’t skip this step as this will prevent the muffins from sticking when you slide them out. Now pour the butter and brown sugar mixture into each muffin cup.
Rip each biscuit into 6 pieces, you don’t have to be exact with sizes, just make them about even. I used Pillsbury biscuits, but any brand works.
Shake up white sugar and ground cinnamon in a plastic bag. Then put the ripped up biscuits inside and shake to coat evenly.
Fill each muffin cup up with about 8-10 pieces. Continue until all the muffin pieces are gone.
Into the oven it goes, and in about 14 minutes this magic will emerge. By the way, your kitchen is going to smell amazing!
Let sit for 1 minute before turning the pan upside down. Each muffin should easily slide out. These are best served warm so now go and eat them up! 🙂
How to Store
The best way to store Monkey Bread Muffins is to let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to keep them fresh longer, you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days—just warm them in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before serving to bring back that gooey, sticky texture.
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Monkey Bread Muffins
PrintIngredients
- 2 7.5 oz cans refrigerated biscuits
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin sheet with nonstick spray, bottoms and sides.
- Mix melted butter and brown sugar together in small bowl, spoon 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup.
- Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Take each biscuit and rip it up into 6 pieces. Put the biscuit pieces in bag and shake to coat evenly.
- Place 8-10 pieces of biscuits into each muffin cup to evenly fill them up. If you have any sugar left in the bag, sprinkle on top of the muffins.
- Bake for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for just 1 minute.
- Turn upside down, the muffins should fall right out. Serve warm, enjoy!
Michele Cammarata says
Can I make this in a mini muffin pan and if so, what temperature and time should I use?
Pamela Reed says
You can! Please check page 2 of the comments, Vanessa made a really helpful comment with how she turned them into mini muffins! Hope this helps!
Sabrina says
Made this recipe tonight with my daughters. It was pretty easy to make with kids. And it came out delicious. The whole family loved it!
Sarah says
Can you prepare these ahead of time (like the night before) and bake in the morning?
Pamela Reed says
Absolutely! The only thing I’d do differently is keep the extra sugar left in the bag and sprinkle it on top of the muffins right before baking. Enjoy!
Megan says
Do you think these would turn out the same if made in cupcake wrappers?
April drost says
Are these freezer friendly? if I make a bunch of them will they last in the freezer?
Pamela says
Hey April, yes, you can freeze monkey bread muffins for about 3 months.
Lisa(G-ma in the kitchen) says
Making this in Tuesday with my G-daughter let let u know after words . From G-Ma in the kitchen.
Mary says
This or recipe is super delicious! I highly recommend!
Kate D says
Yummy! I baked them in foil cupcake cups so I could share with a neighbor. Love your recipes! Can’t wait to try more.
elaine cowan says
Can I prepare these and refrigerate the night before, then bake in the morning? Would that work?
Pamela says
Hey Elaine, you sure can. I would remove from the refrigerator right when you preheat the oven, that way they have a few minutes to warm up to room temperature before baking. Enjoy the muffins!
Cathy 'Granny Grump' Smith says
I did not make this specific one but I can tell at my age it’s a keeper,. I am 63 and you are such a baby, beautiful but still a baby to me. I remember my first ‘Monkey Bread” Recipe, as I recall, it was those Rhodes frozen bread things ya have to rise. Well this recipe called for dipping a raw one in butter then in butterscotch pudding mix, and layering in the pan, then you had to let it rise till the right size, then poured some warm cream and milk over them then baked them. I was so young and dumb, it made a holy terror of a mess. Lol. So glad someone did em right back then. Wishing ya lots of luck and dry apron tails.
Courtney says
Omg these were amazing!! Such a simple recipe and crowd pleaser. One note I had is I made one pan using silicone bake ware and the other in a metal cupcake pan. The muffins fell right out of the silicone pan, not so much with the metal one. But maybe I’ll use more spray on the metal pan next time. I need to find an excuse to make them again….maybe just cause it’s Monday?!? 😉
Joyce says
Unlike some I did not change a thing and they turned out perfectly.
Pamela says
So happy to hear you liked these muffins Joyce! Thanks for commenting!
Jean Wilder says
So easy and so good. Made them for my neighbors this morning and they were a BIG hit!
Pamela says
So happy to hear everyoned liked these muffins! Thanks for commenting Jean! 🙂
Patty says
I will definitely make these again. Very easy and delicious!
Pamela says
I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe Patty, it’s one of my favs! Thanks for commenting!
Katrina says
Made this today during the great quarantine of 2020. Had made it maybe 40:years ago, but had forgotten about it. I wasn’t married then. My husband loved these this morning. A nice cheap, pantry friendly treat, with coffee. Grandkids would love making these. Will remember that when I can have them over again.
Anna Czarnomski says
I use premade pizza dough from the deli counter! Mmmm
Lisa says
Hey there. Is there anyway I could use muffin liners instead of spraying muffin pan?
Pamela says
Hey Lisa, you sure can. If you are using paper muffin lines, I’d still give them a little spray so the muffins don’t stick.
Anna Czarnomski says
Yep. I do the bread first then the mixture atop. I use wrappers. Pro tip, freeze and pull out as needed.
Carol says
Just taking a bit of a break from a busy morning and came across a recipe for monkey bread. I have always thought monkey bread must contain banana???! Yeah, well I know a bit more now. Seems banana is not in any recipe I have come across. You have definitely given my day a bit of laughter. You write so well and I found your recipe is a keeper, too. I also really love your cat. How adorable is that. I can see who has the run of things in your house, LOL. That is quite normal for a cat owner. I wish I had one or two running around my house, as well. Cheer! Have the best holidays!
Pamela says
Hey Carol, your comment made my day! I’m so happy you found my monkey bread muffins, I can totally understand why you thought bananas must be a ingredient – that’s too funny! I hope you have a great holiday too!
Margaret says
Loved them!!
Pamela says
Thanks Margaret, so happy to hear this! Thanks for commenting and letting me know!
Paul Tkach says
Fantastic recipe!
My wife and I do youth ministry on Sunday mornings and for a snack I usually try to bring some homemade baked treats for everyone. I made a batch using your recipe bit used a donut pan versus the muffin tin and they turned out great!
Since my first attempt I have made them 3 additional times, but used different Pillsbury Biscuit dough each time. I have used the “Butter Tastin Flaky Layers” and the “Honey Butter Flaky Layers”, but my new favorite is the “Grands Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls w/ Extra Rich Butter Cream Icing”. All I can say is wow!!!! Shoot me an email and I can send you some pictures.
Pamela says
Hey Paul – my mouth is watering at the thought of using Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls! I’m so happy everyone loves these muffins! Keep on enjoying!
Becky says
Also adding a few pecan pieces into the mix makes them even better. I’ve done it this way each time and the pecans add so much!
Pamela says
Yum, that sounds great Becky!
Jessica says
I love the idea of this, but I just ruined two muffin tins and my house is filled with smoke! The butter and sugar ran off the dough, and onto the bottom of my oven. Ugh!! I’ll stick with the traditional recipe next time.
Pamela says
Hey Jessica, the butter and sugar get added to the muffin tin first, and then the biscuits so I’m not sure how the butter ran out. Did you possibly fill the tins up too high or not put the butter in first? Hope you give it another shot!
Ashley says
I have made monkey bread many times in the Bundt pan and it never fails to come out uncooked in the center! No matter how long I cook it! I know I’m probably doing something obviously wrong but doing it in a muffin tin will allow me to keep baking this delicious treat! Thanks for the idea!
Danielle R says
This was so delicious! I halved the recipe since it was only for 2 people and it was to die for
Pamela says
So happy you liked them Danielle! 🙂
Liv says
That looks so easy! Thanks!
Aarika says
Holy monkey! These look amazing! I cannot wait to try this recipe over the holidays with fam. Wow! Thank you.
Kari says
I love monkey bread! SO delicious and easy to make!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
AMANDA says
I just found your post and tried these this morning. Yum! Thanks for sharing, they turned out great! 🙂
Pamela says
That makes me so happy Amanda, they’re one of my favorite treats… even better on Saturday morning! 🙂