Apple Monkey Bread

Apple Monkey Bread is a sweet, sticky, pull-apart bread filled with tender apples, warm cinnamon spice, and buttery brown sugar goodness. Made with frozen dinner rolls, fresh apples, and a handful of simple ingredients, this easy apple monkey bread recipe is perfect for fall mornings, holiday breakfasts, or anytime you’re craving something warm and gooey from the oven!

This recipe has been a favorite in our family for years. In fact, I first shared it back in 2014!

I remember looking at the fruit basket one afternoon and noticing that a few apples were getting a little wrinkly around the edges. Naturally, my first thought was that it was time to bake something!

My kids have always loved monkey bread, so I decided to give our favorite pull-apart treat an apple cinnamon twist.

The result was everything I’d hoped for! Soft, fluffy bread coated in buttery brown sugar, with tender apples tucked between the pieces. The whole house smelled like apples and cinnamon, and the kids were pretty excited when they walked in from school that afternoon.

It made a wonderful after-school snack, and the leftovers were just as good for breakfast the next morning.

All these years later, this apple cinnamon monkey bread is still every bit as delicious. And now it has some beautiful new photos to go along with it!

Why You’ll Love This Apple Monkey Bread Recipe

• Easy to make: Using frozen Rhodes dinner rolls means there’s no need to make bread dough from scratch.
• Fresh apple flavor: Chopped apples add a little sweetness and become tender as the bread bakes.
• Warm fall spices: Apple pie spice gives every bite that cozy cinnamon flavor we all love.
• Buttery and gooey: Melted butter and brown sugar create a sticky, sweet coating around the soft bread.
• Fun to share: Everyone can pull off a piece, making this a great breakfast or treat for family gatherings.
• Perfect for the holidays: This pull-apart apple cinnamon bread would be a delicious addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.

Ingredients in this Easy Apple Monkey Bread Recipe

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this sweet and sticky apple pull-apart bread.

• Rhodes Frozen White Dinner Rolls: These make the recipe so easy! Let the rolls thaw until they’re soft enough to cut in half before assembling the bread.
• Brown Sugar: Creates that rich, sweet, gooey coating around each piece of bread.
• Apple Pie Spice: This warm blend of spices gives the monkey bread its wonderful fall flavor. You can use store-bought, but I love using my Homemade Apple Pie Spice. It’s easy to make and perfect for all kinds of apple recipes!
• Butter: Melted butter helps the spiced brown sugar stick to the dough and creates that irresistible buttery coating.
• Fresh Apples: Peel, core, and chop two apples. I originally made this recipe with Jazz apples, but other firm baking apples work well, too.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a little brightness to the apples.
• All-Purpose Flour: Helps absorb some of the juices released by the apples as they bake.
• Pecans or Walnuts (Optional): Chopped nuts add a delicious crunch. I used pecans in my updated recipe photos, and they were wonderful!

You’ll find the complete measurements and printable instructions in the recipe card below.

How to Make Apple Monkey Bread

This easy apple monkey bread with Rhodes rolls takes just a little hands-on work. The hardest part is waiting for the dough to rise!

Thaw the rolls. Let the frozen dinner rolls thaw until they’re soft enough to cut. This takes about an hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Cut each roll in half.

Prepare the pan. Generously spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, making sure to coat all the grooves.

Mix the brown sugar and spices. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar with 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice.

Prepare the apples. In another bowl, toss the peeled, chopped apples with the remaining teaspoon of apple pie spice, lemon juice, and flour.

Layer the monkey bread. Dip each piece of dough into the melted butter, then roll it in the spiced brown sugar mixture. Arrange half of the dough pieces in the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan.

Sprinkle half of the apple mixture over the dough, along with some chopped pecans if you’re using them.

Repeat with the remaining dough, apples, and nuts.

Let the dough rise. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray and loosely cover the Bundt pan. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 2–3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 15 minutes. Loosely cover the top with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the bread is baked through.

Flip and serve. Remove the monkey bread from the oven. Carefully loosen the edges with a knife, then invert the Bundt pan onto a serving platter.

Serve warm and enjoy pulling apart all those gooey, cinnamon-apple pieces!

How to Store and Reheat Apple Monkey Bread

Room Temperature: Store leftover monkey bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap cooled portions tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for about 15–20 seconds, or until heated through. You can also cover larger portions with foil and warm them in a 300°F oven.

Apple monkey bread is especially delicious when it’s warm, and the buttery brown sugar coating is soft and gooey!

Love it? Pin it!

If you can’t wait to make this apple cinnamon pull-apart bread, make sure you can find it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Tips for the Best Apple Monkey Bread

Best Apple Monkey Bread Tip: Give the frozen dinner rolls enough time to rise before baking. You want the dough to look nice and puffy, so the finished bread has that soft, fluffy pull-apart texture.

• Grease the Bundt pan well. The brown sugar coating gets wonderfully sticky, so be generous with the nonstick spray, especially in the grooves.
• Chop the apples into small pieces. This helps distribute the apple flavor throughout the bread.
• Choose a firm apple. Jazz, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith apples are good options because they hold their shape while baking.
• Make your own apple pie spice. If you do a lot of fall baking, keeping a jar of homemade apple pie spice in your pantry is so handy. It’s delicious in everything from apple pies to muffins and this gooey monkey bread!
• Don’t skip the foil. Covering the bread partway through baking helps prevent the top from getting too brown before the center is finished.
• Watch the rise, not just the clock. A warm kitchen may speed things up, while a cooler kitchen can make the dough rise more slowly.
• Add the nuts if you love a little crunch. Pecans are especially good with apples and cinnamon, but walnuts work nicely, too.
• Serve it warm. That’s when the bread is at its softest and the buttery brown sugar coating is especially delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make apple monkey bread ahead of time? You can prepare the apples and measure the other ingredients ahead of time. For the best results, assemble the bread and allow it to rise according to the recipe before baking. I haven’t tested an overnight refrigerator rise with this version.
• Can I use a different kind of apple? Absolutely! I used Jazz apples in the original recipe, but Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady apples are also good choices. Choose an apple that holds up well during baking.
• Can I make apple monkey bread without nuts? Of course! The original version I made for my family didn’t include nuts because my husband and kids weren’t big fans of nuts in their desserts. It’s delicious either way!
• Can I use canned biscuits instead of frozen dinner rolls? This recipe was developed using frozen yeast dinner rolls. Canned biscuits have a different texture and don’t need the same rising time, so I wouldn’t recommend swapping them without adjusting the recipe.
• Can I use cinnamon instead of apple pie spice? Yes! Cinnamon will give you a delicious apple cinnamon flavor, although you’ll miss some of the other warm spices found in apple pie spice.
• Why didn’t my monkey bread rise? Make sure your frozen rolls have thawed enough to begin rising and that your kitchen isn’t too cold. The dough should noticeably increase in size before baking.
• How do I know when monkey bread is done? The top should be golden brown, and the dough in the center should be fully baked rather than sticky or doughy. If needed, gently separate a piece near the center to check for doneness.

More Monkey Bread and Pull-Apart Bread Recipes

There’s just something fun about bread that’s made for sharing! Whether you’re craving something sweet for breakfast or a cheesy, savory bread to serve with dinner, these pull-apart bread recipes are always a hit.

• Blueberry Lemon Pull-Apart Bread: Soft layers of bread filled with juicy blueberries and spiced streusel, finished with a sweet and tangy lemon glaze.
• Cinnamon Toffee Monkey Bread Muffins: (pictured above) Made with refrigerated cinnamon rolls and crunchy toffee bits, these sweet little monkey bread muffins are ready in under 30 minutes!
• Homemade Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread: Layers of cinnamon-sugar goodness baked into a beautiful pull-apart loaf and topped with cream cheese frosting.
• Dorothy’s Cheesy Bacon Pull-Apart Bread: Buttery sourdough bread stuffed with bacon, three kinds of cheese, and Dorothy Lynch dressing. Perfect for parties and game days!
• Crack Bread: Crusty French bread loaded with garlic butter, herbs, melted cheese, and bacon. A cheesy pull-apart appetizer that disappears fast!

More Apple Recipes to Love

If you love baking and cooking with apples as much as I do, you’re in the right place! From cozy fall desserts to easy family favorites, there are so many delicious ways to put fresh apples to good use.

• Lattice Topped Baked Apples: Tender, cinnamon-spiced apples wrapped in a beautiful, flaky lattice pie crust. Like having your own little apple pie!
• Apple Kuchen (German Apple Cake): A soft, buttery German apple cake topped with fresh apple slices, cinnamon sugar, and a sweet vanilla glaze.
• Snicker Apple Salad: Crisp apples, fluffy whipped topping, and chunks of Snickers candy bars come together in this easy, three-ingredient dessert salad.
• Apple Crostata: A rustic apple pie with a flaky crust, warmly spiced apples, and a buttery crumble topping. Even better with vanilla ice cream!
• Crockpot Cinnamon Applesauce: Homemade applesauce made in the slow cooker with fresh apples, cinnamon sticks, and no added sugar. Your kitchen will smell amazing!
• The Very Best Apple Crisp: Tender cinnamon-spiced apples baked under a buttery oatmeal crumble topping. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert!

Still craving more apple goodness? Be sure to browse my complete collection of apple recipes for even more sweet and savory ways to enjoy one of fall’s favorite fruits!

There’s something about the smell of apples and cinnamon baking that makes a house feel extra cozy.

This Apple Monkey Bread has been part of our family recipe collection for more than a decade, and I love that something so simple can still bring everyone running to the kitchen.

Whether you make it for a weekend breakfast, a holiday gathering, or just because you have a couple of apples waiting to be used, I hope your family loves it as much as mine does.

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a five-star rating below. It means so much to me and helps other readers find my recipes, too!

Happy baking! 

This recipe was originally posted on October 3, 2014. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on October 14, 2016.