Easy Monkey Bread Muffins
These Easy Monkey Bread Muffins take everything you love about classic pull-apart monkey bread and bake it into perfectly portioned individual muffins. Refrigerated biscuit dough pieces are tossed in a warm cinnamon-sugar coating, nestled into a muffin tin, and drenched in a buttery brown sugar glaze that caramelizes into pure sticky perfection. Ready in under 30 minutes with no yeast and no fuss, they're ideal for weekend brunches, holiday mornings, or anytime you want something indulgent without the effort.
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin Non-stick preferred for easiest release
- Non-stick cooking spray Or softened butter for greasing the tin
- Medium mixing bowl For the cinnamon-sugar coating
- Small mixing bowl For the optional powdered sugar glaze
- Small saucepan For making the brown sugar butter glaze
- Kitchen scissors or sharp knife For cutting biscuit dough into quarters
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon For stirring the glaze
- Wire cooling rack
- Pastry brush (optional) for extra buttery coverage
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough 16.3 oz each, such as Pillsbury Grands; cold from the fridge
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Brown Sugar Butter Glaze
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113g; 1 stick, melted
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar 165g; packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional; roughly chopped
Optional Powdered Sugar Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar 60g; for optional drizzle
- 1-2 tablespoons milk adjust for desired glaze consistency
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease every cup of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter, making sure to coat the sides and bottoms thoroughly.
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon until evenly combined with no streaks of white sugar remaining. Set aside.
- Open both cans of refrigerated biscuit dough and use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut each biscuit into quarters (about 1-inch pieces), giving you approximately 64 dough pieces total.
- Add the biscuit pieces to the cinnamon-sugar bowl and toss until every piece is fully coated on all sides. If using optional chopped pecans, toss them in at this stage.
- Place approximately 5–6 coated dough pieces into each greased muffin cup, filling them about two-thirds to three-quarters full. Do not press them down — leave some space for the dough to expand.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar and cook for 1–2 minutes until smooth and fully combined. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Spoon approximately 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of warm glaze over each muffin cup, pouring slowly so it seeps between the dough pieces. Use all of the glaze across the 12 cups.
- Bake on the center rack for 16–20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the glaze is bubbling and caramelized. Start checking at 16 minutes as the high sugar content can cause over-browning.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for exactly 5 minutes, then confidently flip the tin upside down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to release the muffins caramelized-side up.
- If using, whisk together powdered sugar and 1–2 tablespoons of milk until smooth and drizzle over warm muffins. Serve immediately for the best gooey, pull-apart texture.
Notes
- Grease the muffin tin very generously — the caramelized brown sugar glaze will stick to any uncoated spots, making removal difficult.
- Keep the biscuit dough cold from the fridge until you're ready to cut it. Warm dough becomes sticky and harder to handle.
- Flip the muffins at exactly the 5-minute mark after baking — too early and they fall apart, too late and the caramel hardens and causes sticking.
- Make-ahead tip: Fill the muffin cups the night before, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Make the glaze fresh in the morning and bake, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the bake time.
- For extra flavor, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over each muffin right before serving to balance the sweetness.
- Storage: Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
- To reheat quickly, microwave individual muffins in 15–20 second intervals until warm. Do not overheat or they may become rubbery.
- Variation: Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, small cubes of cream cheese, or small apple chunks with the dough pieces before baking for a fun twist.
- Savory option: Skip the cinnamon sugar and glaze entirely — instead toss biscuit pieces in melted butter with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and grated Parmesan for a savory pull-apart muffin.
Nutrition
Serving: 1MuffinCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 6IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 8mg
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