Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread

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Sweet and warming Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread. It’s the perfect sticky pull-apart bread year long, but especially during the colder months. Simple sweet dough made without eggs, rolled in a simple cinnamon sugar, and baked in a bundt pan with a delicious bourbon pecan sauce. There’s just SO much to love here! Turn out while this monkey bread is still warm and the bourbon sauce oozes from the top through each nook and cranny to create a truly delicious treat. Serve at on weekend breakfast or brunches, during the holiday’s, or any special occasion! This Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

About The Recipe

It’s OFFICIALLY the last day of February and we are finishing off the month with something a little different and something we’ve been promising since last December…Monkey Bread! Which, we have been really excited to share with all of you, as this is no ordinary monkey bread. We decided to put our little twist on the recipe and have some fun with it.

So, say “hello” to this absolutely delicious (and oh so easy) Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread!

Though, developing this recipe was a bit more complicated than we expected it to be.

Since we make a lot of pull-apart recipes and sweet doughs, we knew this had to be different. It HAD to be special. So…we decided to make an eggless sweet dough!

The dough itself turned out almost perfect the first time, which we were ecstatic about, but when it actually came to the monkey bread and the proper amounts…that’s where the trouble started.

Our first monkey bread was perfect (flavor and texture-wise), but the actual monkey bread was much too short. It just felt…flat? It was beautiful, but definitely nowhere NEAR enough dough. Naturally, we doubled the recipe and tried again.

YIKES!

It was waaaaay too much. It rose so far out of the bundt pan that it was just a disaster. So, we halved the doubled recipe…and it was still too much.

Now, let me remind you this was our fourth day testing this recipe. We almost gave up, but we decided to give it one more shot, but with the recipe now increased by a quarter. Turns out, that amount was absolutely perfect. The dough rose beautifully, didn’t become misshapen (like it had in previous attempts), and it also stayed TOGETHER after turning out.

We seriously couldn’t be happier with the end result! Every bite is soft, fluffy, sticky, perfectly sweet, and full of flavor. There is no better bake to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert! SO. GOOD.

What is Monkey Bread?

If you’ve made it this far and are still wondering what the heck I’m talking about, let me explain.

Monkey bread is a type of bread that is pull-apart. You pick it apart like…well, a monkey! It’s a sweet and buttery dough, coated in cinnamon sugar, with a brown sugar sauce generally poured over it before cooking. In our case, we put the sauce in the bottom of the bundt so, when you turn it out, you have all this wonderful gooey and sticky sauce dripping through every part of this monkey bread. In my opinion, it might just be the best way to make it! Especially with the addition of pecans.

So, while this recipe is really close to a traditional monkey bread, we did add bourbon and pecans to the sauce and omitted an icing. If you’d like to see a traditional monkey bread recipe on our blog, be sure to let us know in the comments below! But for now, let’s get to baking!

Why You Will Love This Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread

• Made entirely WITHOUT eggs!
• Super simple to make.
• The bourbon is cooked so, you get to enjoy the flavor without the alcohol!
• Perfectly balanced between sweet and spiced.
• Makes a great breakfast, brunch, or even dessert.
• A real crowd pleaser!

Equipment Needed

• Stand Mixer
• Bundt Pan
• Bread Proofer (optional)
• Mixing Bowls
• Digital Scale

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

For The Sweet Dough:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Whole Milk
• Unsalted Butter

For The Sauce:

• Dark Corn Syrup
• Light Brown Sugar
• Salted Butter
• Ground Cinnamon
• Bourbon
• Finely Chopped Pecans

For The Coating:

• Ground Cinnamon
• Granulated Sugar
• Melted Salted Butter

How To Make Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread

Step 1: Make the sweet dough and let proof

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, yeast, butter, and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead for another 5-6 minutes.

Turn into prepared bowl. Let rise at warm room temperature (78 degrees F) until doubled in bulk 1-1/2 hours.

Step 2: Make the bourbon sauce

In a small pot, combine the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Place over low heat and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

Stir in bourbon and chopped pecans.

Pour into greased bundt pan and set aside.

Step 3: Make the coating

Whisk together cinnamon and sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Step 4: Assemble and proof

Divide dough into 1 ounce pieces, being sure to roll them smooth. Coat in melted butter. Roll in cinnamon sugar and place in pan with sauce. Repeat with all pieces until no more dough remains. Let proof for 30 minutes – 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.

Step 5: Bake

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes (but not ANY longer!) and turn out onto lipped plate.

How To Store

While monkey bread is best enjoyed the day you make it, it can be stored! Cover the leftovers in a cloche or airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.

Substitutions

• You can use rum instead of bourbon.
• While pecans work best in this recipe, walnuts are a decent substitute.

Expert Tips

• Check your yeast and make sure it’s in-date.
• A properly kneaded dough should be smooth and clean the bowl. If you have an instant read thermometer, it will read about 70 degrees F.
• Do NOT boil the brown sugar sauce. Cook over low heat just until the sugar is dissolved.
• Make sure the nuts are finely chopped.
• Use a bread proofer for best results with the raising of the dough.
• If you aren’t using a bread proofer for the dough, you will need to cover it with plastic wrap.
• When baking, you may need to cover it with foil about 20 minutes into the bake time.

When you make this Bourbon Pecan Monkey Bread, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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