These soft, pillowy gluten-free monkey bread bites are the ideal breakfast for Christmas morning!
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How Do We Make It Gluten-Free?
Creating this gluten-free monkey bread recipe involved multiple test runs. Key factors for achieving the perfect dough include:
- Flour: While I usually favor Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, it wasn't suitable for this recipe. Instead, I opted for King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, which provides a denser texture ideal for monkey bread.
- Xanthan Gum: Since the King Arthur flour lacks xanthan gum, I added some to the dry ingredients for effective thickening and stabilization.
- Psyllium Husk Powder: Essential for gluten-free baking, this ingredient acts as a binder, giving the dough elasticity and flexibility.
- Yeast: I used Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast, which is known for its rich flavor in bread recipes.
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Why You'll Love This
I was introduced to monkey bread a few years ago and became instantly hooked! This delightful dessert consists of pillowy bites coated in cinnamon sugar, baked, and glazed with even more sugar. Typically baked in a bundt or loaf pan, monkey bread can be easily pulled apart, making it perfect for sharing.
Often served at festivals, many families enjoy it during the holidays. With the classic flavors of cinnamon rolls but less effort—no rolling or cutting required—monkey bread is a kid-friendly baking option for breakfast treats!
Ingredients
Here is everything you will need to make this delicious gluten free monkey bread!
For the Dough:
- Almond milk: Moisturizes and activates the yeast.
- Cane sugar: Feeds the yeast and sweetens the dough.
- Active dried yeast: Provides leavening for rise and fluffiness.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Forms the structure without gluten.
- Psyllium husk powder: Binds and adds elasticity.
- Baking powder: Helps the dough rise and stay light.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Xanthan gum: Mimics gluten for flexibility and texture.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and tenderness.
- Eggs: Provide structure and moisture.
- Apple cider vinegar: Promotes rise and light texture.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- Unsalted butter: Moistens and helps the coating stick.
- Cane sugar: Sweetens the coating.
- Brown sugar: Adds richness and depth.
- Ground cinnamon: Gives the signature spicy flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered sugar: Forms a sweet, smooth glaze.
- Almond milk: Thins the glaze to drizzle consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the glaze’s flavor.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
Substituions & Variations
These tips below can help you adjust the recipe!
- Alternative Dairy Free Options: If you would like, you can use coconut milk or oat milk!
- Sugar Fix!: For a more natural sweetener, try coconut sugar in place of brown sugar. This will also add a hit of caramel flavoring.
Please note that this recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above.
Equipment
All you will need for this recipe is; mixing bowl, a stand mixer and a bundt pan.
Instructions
Active Dry Yeast vs. Other Yeast Forms
Active dry yeast is ideal for this recipe as it enhances flavor, especially in sweet breads. Unlike rapid rise yeast, which speeds up the process but alters taste, and fresh yeast, which requires longer activation, active dry yeast offers the perfect balance of flavor and function for this monkey bread.
How To Activate The Yeast
To activate yeast successfully, the liquid temperature is crucial. For this recipe, almond milk should be between 105-115°F. Start by warming the milk in a glass container for about 40 seconds, then dissolve a tablespoon of sugar in it. Once cooled to the right temperature, add 2 ¼ teaspoons of active dry yeast and let it sit for 8-10 minutes.
Activated yeast will bubble and foam, emitting a wheat-like or beer-like aroma. If it doesn’t activate, it may be due to incorrect milk temperature. Using a thermometer can help ensure the milk is just right, as too hot will kill the yeast.
The Perfect Gluten-Free Dough
To make gluten-free dough, activate the yeast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients and place them in a stand mixer. Add sugar, eggs, butter, and apple cider vinegar, then mix for 1 minute. Add the activated yeast and mix for 5 minutes until a soft dough forms. Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes until slightly sticky. Proof the dough by greasing a bowl, placing the dough inside, covering, and letting it rise for 1 hour in a warm spot.
Making the Monkey Bread
After 1 hour, the dough should double in size. Dust a surface with flour, oil your hands, and gradually add flour if needed. Use a greased cookie scoop to divide the dough into 30-40 balls, then roll them into uniform shapes.
Melt and cool a stick of butter, then grease a bundt pan with it. Mix cane sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and sprinkle it in the pan. Dip each dough ball in melted butter, roll in the cinnamon sugar, and place them in the pan. Drizzle any leftover butter and sugar over the dough.
Cover the pan and let the dough rise for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F, then bake for 30-35 minutes.
The Final Steps...
Let the baked monkey bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife along the edges and invert onto a plate. For the glaze, sift powdered sugar, add milk and vanilla, whisk until smooth, and pour over the bread.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this gluten-free monkey bread warm, drizzled with glaze, for a sweet breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Pair it with coffee or tea, or even add ice cream as a treat!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. To reheat, add a tablespoon of milk for every five pieces and microwave for 30 seconds to keep it soft.
FAQ
Yes, but for the best results, stick to a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum or guar gum, as they help with texture and structure.
Yes! Just freeze before baking.
Absolutely! Feel free to reduce the sugar in the dough or coating.
Related
Looking for more? Try these out!
Gluten-Free Monkey Bread
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, BrunchDifficulty: Medium8
servings20
minutes35
minutes1
hour30
minutesWith all the delicious flavors of cinnamon rolls in bite-size pieces!
Ingredients
- For the Dough
¾ cup warm almond milk
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 packet active dried yeast
2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used this one from King Arthur), plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon xanthin gum
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 room temperature eggs
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup cane sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
- For the Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons almond milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- For the Dough
- Heat the almond milk in a glass container in the microwave for 40 seconds
- Pour one tablespoon of sugar into the warm almond milk and stir until dissolved
- When the milk is lukewarm, add the packet of active dried yeast and stir
- Allow the yeast mixture to sit for 8-10 minutes to activate. When activated, it will foam on the top.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, salt & xanthin gum
- Sift the dry ingredients to a stand mixer and create a crater in the flour
- Add the rest of the sugar, butter, eggs and apple cider vinegar to the crater
- Use a paddle attachment on medium-low speed for one minute to combine the ingredients
- Once the yeast mixture has activated, pour it into the stand mixer and increase the speed to medium
- Mix for five minutes until a smooth dough forms, then switch to a dough hook
- On medium-low speed, allow the dough hook to knead the mixture for five minutes
- Transfer the dough to a greased, warm glass bowl
- Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow to sit in a warm area to rise for one hour (the dough should double in size during this time)
- Dust a work surface with flour, then oil your hands and place the dough on the prepared surface
- If the dough is sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until you can knead it without the dough sticking to your hands
- Knead the dough into a ball, then use a small cookie scoop to create 30-40 balls. Roll the scooped dough in your hands to create dough balls.
- For the Cinnamon Sugar
- In a shallow bowl, melt the butter and then allow it to reach room temperature
- In another shallow bowl, combine the sugars, cinnamon and salt
- Use a silicone brush to grease a bundt pan with the melted butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the butter to coat the pan
- Then, take one dough ball at a time and dip it into the melted butter before rolling it in the cinnamon sugar
- Place the coated ball in the prepared pan and repeat this process with each dough ball
- Once all the dough balls are in the pan, you should have leftover butter and cinnamon sugar. Combine the two and pour over the dough in the bundt pan.
- Cover the bundt pan with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while the monkey bread is rising
- Finally, bake for 30-35 minutes
- Once baked, allow to rest in the bundt pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing (to remove, run a clean knife along the edges. Then, place a plate on the top of pan and hold the plate to flip the pan upside down. The monkey bread should come out with no problem!)
- For the Glaze
- Combine the sugar, almond milk and vanilla extract in a small bowl
- Whisk until smooth
- Drizzle the glaze over the monkey bread and enjoy
Notes
- To warm up the monkey bread, pour a tablespoon of almond milk per 5 pieces of monkey bread and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds
[…] Monkey Bread: These soft, pillowy bites are the ideal breakfast for Christmas morning! These pillowy bites are coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture before being baked and glazed with (you guessed it) more sugar! The individual bite-size pieces make it the perfect pastry to share. […]