Makes 55 medium-sized pieces per pan.
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
All-purpose flour
Sugar
Brown sugar
Salt
Instant yeast
Unsalted butter
Large eggs (Room temp)
Whole milk (Room temp)
Vanilla extract
Butter extract
Almond extract
Honey
Cinnamon
Confectioner’s sugar
Chopped pecans (Optional)
Tools you’ll need.
Stand mixer
Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray
Nordic Ware anniversary Bundt pan
Rolling pin
Cooling rack
Preparation of ingredients
Dry ingredients
Step 1- Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into stand mixer bowl. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
Wet ingredients
Step 2- Add 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons warm whole milk (Temp of milk 120 degrees F), 2 large eggs (Room temp), 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon butter extract into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Step 3- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on a medium-low speed or according to your stand mixer’s instructions on mixing doughs for 3 to 4 minutes. Dough should be slightly sticky.
Forming the dough
Step 4- Lightly flour the surface of your table. Add the dough on top of the table. Knead for 1 minute. If the dough continues to stick while kneading, combine the flour that’s on the table with the dough as you knead it. Form into a ball and place on top of the table. Carefully shape it into a square. Let the dough rest for 15 or 20 minutes.
Step 5- Press the dough down with your hands forming a flat circle. Roll the dough into a 10-inch wide by 16-inch-long rectangle.
Note- The amount, size and weight of dough will vary depending on how you cut the dough. Picture demonstration of how to cut the dough is below.
Step 6- Cut the dough into 55 small squares. Once done you should have 55 pieces of dough altogether. Each square piece of dough should weight 0.5 or 0.6 ounces in weight. If the pieces of dough are more than the weight mentioned, trim off the access dough. If the dough weighs less than mentioned, take pieces of dough from smaller squares of dough and combine it with the dough until it weighs 0.5 or 0.6 ounces in weight.
Step 7- Roll all 55 pieces of dough into a ball and set aside.
Honey butter mixture
Step 8- Add 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 or 2 teaspoons honey into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
Cinnamon sugar mixture
Step 9- Add 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 or 1/3 cup chopped pecans (Optional), 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and a sprinkle of salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Dipping and assembling the dough
Spray Bundt pan with Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray.
Step 10 Coat 6 pieces of dough at a time by first dipping them into the honey butter mixture then dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Step 11- Place the pieces of dough into the baking pan. First start at the center bottom. Then add the pieces of dough toward the inner wall of the bundt pan. Next add the pieces of dough toward the middle of the baking pan. Then add the pieces of dough in-between the two outer pieces of dough. Cover the bundt pan with a towel and let rise for 1 hour. Picture demonstrations are below.
Baking the Monkey bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 12- Place into a preheated 350-degree oven on the middle rack. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 13- Flip the bread onto a cooling rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it.
Making the butter vanilla honey icing
Step 14- Add 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons warm whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon butter extract, 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional), and a light sprinkle of salt. Stir all ingredients with a whisk until mixture is creamy and smooth with no visible lumps.
Step 15- Drizzle the icing from the bowl going in a zig zag motion on top of the monkey bread. Let set for 5 to 10 minutes. Take two flat spatulas and carefully place underneath the Monkey bread and carefully transport the bread onto a serving dish.
Quick tips- The Monkey bread is best served warm. If the bread gets cold place into a preheated 325-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the bread is warm and soft. You can also wrap the bread with plastic wrap and place into the fridge. To heat the bread, follow the instructions above and go from there.
YouTube instructional video
