Buttermilk Monkey Bread

Ingredients

• 3.5 cup all-purpose flour (Plus more for the work surface if needed; do not add extra flour to the dough after the butter is mixed in.)
• 0.5 cup whole-wheat flour
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar (For coating the dough pieces.)
• 2.25 tsp instant yeast
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
• 1.5 cup buttermilk (Use at room temperature or lukewarm, not hot.)
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter (Melted and browned for coating the dough.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (Stir into the browned butter.)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (For the butter coating.)
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg (For the butter coating; cardamom, allspice, or cloves may be substituted.)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (Optional, for the glaze.)
• 2 tbsp milk or buttermilk (Optional; add enough to make a brushable glaze.)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, instant yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk and mix until a shaggy dough forms.

2. 2

   Work the dough until the dry ingredients are fully hydrated and no dry pockets remain. The dough will be sticky; do not add extra flour after the butter is incorporated.

3. 3

   Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough until cold and doubled in volume, about 8 hours or overnight. For a same-day version, let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.

4. 4

   When ready to shape the bread, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Remove the browned butter from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let it cool until warm but not hot.

6. 6

   Generously grease a 10-inch Bundt pan. Put the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.

7. 7

   Turn the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut it into small, roughly bite-size pieces. If making the dough the same day and it is very soft, use only enough flour to make cutting manageable.

8. 8

   Dip each dough piece in the browned-butter mixture, allowing excess butter to drip off. Roll the piece in the sugar, shaking off any excess, then place it in the prepared Bundt pan. Continue layering the coated pieces evenly in the pan; keep butter out of the sugar so the sugar does not clump.

9. 9

   Cover the pan and let the assembled dough rise at room temperature until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

10. 10

    Bake until the monkey bread is well browned, puffed, and cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes. The center should no longer look wet or doughy.

11. 11

    Cool the bread in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Allow it to cool further before glazing or serving so the pieces set slightly.

12. 12

    For the optional glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with the milk or buttermilk until smooth and brushable. Brush or drizzle it over the warm bread, then let it stand briefly until the glaze forms a light crackly coating.

Notes

The source excerpt indicates that the dough can be prepared in advance, shaped, and baked the day of serving. The optional glaze can be skipped. When coating the dough, let excess butter drip off before dipping the pieces in sugar; otherwise the sugar can form a thick coating. The published page is membership-gated, so the ingredient quantities and detailed method above are reconstructed estimates rather than directly visible source text.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• sweet bread
• baked
• pull-apart bread
• make-ahead
• American
• vegetarian