This easy chocolate chip monkey bread recipe turns refrigerated buttermilk biscuits into a warm, pull-apart dessert in about one hour. Coat quartered biscuit pieces in cinnamon sugar, layer them with semisweet chocolate chips, then pour over a buttery brown-sugar sauce before baking in a Bundt pan for 35 to 45 minutes.
Every piece is soft and fluffy inside, crisp and caramelized around the edges, and dotted with pockets of melty chocolate. A quick powdered-sugar glaze adds a sweet finish, although this monkey bread is wonderfully rich and flavorful straight from the pan.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
Chocolate chip monkey bread is the kind of bake that looks impressive but asks very little of the cook. Refrigerated biscuits remove the need to mix, knead, and proof dough, while the cinnamon-sugar coating and brown-sugar butter sauce create the flavor of a homemade bakery treat.
The finished bread pulls apart easily with your fingers, making it ideal for brunches, holiday breakfasts, sleepovers, potlucks, and casual family desserts. Each bite combines tender biscuit dough, caramelized edges, gentle cinnamon warmth, and semisweet chocolate.
A Bundt pan is the best choice because its center tube helps the dense, layered dough bake more evenly. The pan also gives the bread its classic ring shape and plenty of ridges for the buttery sauce to cling to.
If you enjoy chocolate-filled baking projects, our classic chocolate chip cookie recipe is another dependable way to use a bag of semisweet chocolate chips.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short, but every component has a specific job. The biscuits provide a tender shortcut dough, the cinnamon sugar adds a lightly spiced crust, and the brown-sugar butter mixture melts into a glossy caramel-like coating as the bread bakes.
- Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits: Use two cans, about 16.3 ounces each, and cut every biscuit into four pieces.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: One cup provides chocolate in nearly every section without making the bread overwhelmingly sweet.
- Brown sugar and butter: Together, they create the warm sauce that pools between the biscuit pieces.
- Granulated sugar and cinnamon: This mixture coats the dough and adds a fragrant, lightly crisp finish.
- Optional glaze: Powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla make a simple drizzle for extra sweetness.
Prepare the Bundt pan before opening the biscuit cans. A generous layer of baking spray or butter is important because the brown-sugar mixture caramelizes and can stick around the center tube and pan ridges.
For a seasonal bread table, pair this recipe with our moist pumpkin bread. The two breads offer a lovely contrast between chocolate-cinnamon richness and warm pumpkin spice.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Coat the interior very thoroughly, including the center tube, the bottom, and all decorative grooves, because the caramelized sauce needs a well-greased surface for clean release.
Step 2: Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, then stir in the packed brown sugar. Warm the mixture just until smooth and cohesive; a vigorous boil is unnecessary and can make the sauce more difficult to spread evenly.
Step 3: Place the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable bag or bowl and stir them together. Open the biscuit cans, separate the dough, and cut each biscuit into four similarly sized pieces so the bread bakes at an even rate.
Step 4: Add the biscuit pieces to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss until coated on all sides. If the dough feels especially soft, work in batches so the pieces do not stick together and each surface receives a light, even coating.
Step 5: Arrange about half of the coated dough pieces in the Bundt pan. Sprinkle approximately half of the chocolate chips over this first layer, distributing them around the ring rather than leaving them in one concentrated area.
Step 6: Add the remaining biscuit pieces and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over and between them. Chilling the chocolate chips briefly before assembly can help them stay distinct and spread more evenly throughout the bread.
Step 7: Slowly pour the warm brown-sugar butter mixture over the layered dough. Aim for an even pour around the ring so the sauce can travel down through the biscuit pieces instead of collecting only on one side.
Step 8: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, watching for a deeply golden top and a fully baked center. If the surface is darkening before the middle is done, loosely lay foil over the Bundt pan and continue baking.
Step 9: Rest the baked bread in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. This short cooling period helps the sauce settle and gives the biscuit pieces enough structure to release, but do not wait until the bread is completely cold.
Step 10: Place a serving plate over the Bundt pan and carefully invert the bread in one confident motion. Let it cool slightly, whisk the optional glaze until smooth, and drizzle it over the warm ridges before pulling the bread apart.
Pro Tips for the Best Monkey Bread
Greasing is the first major success point. Use enough baking spray or softened butter to cover every interior surface, especially the center tube, because that area often catches the most caramelized sugar.
Do not pack the biscuit pieces down tightly. A loose arrangement leaves room for the sauce to move through the layers and helps the center cook without requiring excessive baking time.
- Check the center: The top should be golden, but color alone is not enough. Look for fully baked dough in the middle before removing the bread.
- Protect the top: If the surface browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil rather than turning up or down the oven temperature.
- Chill the chips: Briefly refrigerate or freeze the chocolate chips before layering to reduce melting during assembly and improve distribution.
- Invert at the right moment: Five to 10 minutes of rest helps the bread set while it is still warm enough to release cleanly.
Canned cinnamon rolls can replace the biscuits if desired, but the finished bread will be sweeter because the dough already contains cinnamon-sugar flavoring. For the balanced flavor described here, refrigerated buttermilk biscuits are the preferred shortcut.
For a savory gathering, keep this sweet bread separate from recipes such as an all-purpose Buffalo chicken marinade. The contrast can work on a large buffet, but the monkey bread is best served as a breakfast or dessert centerpiece.
Serving, Storage & Reheating
Serve chocolate chip monkey bread warm or slightly above room temperature so the chocolate remains soft and the brown-sugar coating stays glossy. Set the whole ring on the table and let guests pull off individual pieces, or portion it onto plates with a little extra glaze.
The bread is at its most tender on the day it is baked, but leftovers can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container, keeping in mind that chilled biscuits will become firmer.
To reheat, warm individual portions briefly in the microwave until soft and fragrant. You can also cover the bread loosely with foil and warm it gently in the oven, taking care not to dry out the biscuit pieces.
For another homemade bread idea with a very different texture, try our easy focaccia recipe. It is savory and airy, while this monkey bread is sweet, pull-apart, and richly caramelized.
Flavor Variations and Make-Ahead Ideas
The classic combination of cinnamon and semisweet chocolate is difficult to beat, but a few small changes can make the recipe feel new. Try adding a pinch of extra cinnamon to the coating, or use a mixture of semisweet and milk chocolate chips for a softer, sweeter chocolate flavor.
Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts can be layered with the chocolate chips for crunch. Keep additions modest so the biscuit pieces still fit loosely in the Bundt pan and bake evenly.
For a breakfast spread that includes a savory option, serve this bread after a platter featuring chicken prepared with our simple Buffalo chicken marinade. The sweet cinnamon aroma and spicy savory flavors make a memorable brunch combination.
Because the dough uses refrigerated biscuits, assemble the bread shortly before baking rather than holding the unbaked pan for an extended period. The best texture comes from coating, layering, saucing, and baking while the dough is fresh.
Easy Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray or butter, taking extra care around the center tube and every ridge.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and warm until the mixture is smooth and combined, but do not let it boil vigorously.
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable bag or bowl. Separate the biscuit dough and cut each biscuit into four pieces.
- Toss the biscuit pieces in the cinnamon sugar until each piece is coated. Layer about half of the dough pieces in the prepared Bundt pan, then sprinkle over about half of the chocolate chips.
- Add the remaining biscuit pieces and chocolate chips to the pan. Pour the warm brown-sugar butter mixture evenly over the top so it can flow between the pieces.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the dough in the center is fully baked. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil.
- Let the bread cool in the Bundt pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Invert it onto a serving plate while it is still warm but has had time to set, then cool slightly before serving.
- For the optional glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth. Drizzle it over the warm monkey bread and serve.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This easy chocolate chip monkey bread recipe is a reliable shortcut bake with a generous payoff. The Bundt pan creates a beautiful pull-apart ring, while cinnamon sugar, buttery brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate transform simple biscuit dough into something warm and celebratory.
Remember the three details that matter most: grease the pan thoroughly, bake until the center is fully cooked, and invert the bread after a 5- to 10-minute rest. Add the vanilla glaze while the bread is warm, then serve it when the chocolate is soft and the caramel coating is still wonderfully sticky.
Whether you make it for a holiday morning, a weekend brunch, or an easy dessert, this bread is designed to disappear piece by piece. Keep the recipe nearby, because once your family tastes those chocolate-filled cinnamon layers, they will ask for it again.
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