Easy Cherry Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Recipe: A Sweet Indulgence

Indulge in the ultimate sweet treat with this incredibly easy cinnamon roll monkey bread recipe featuring a delightful cherry twist. Perfectly baked in a bundt pan, this ooey-gooey, pull-apart pastry is an ideal choice for a special breakfast, a festive brunch, or a satisfying dessert. Forget complicated recipes; with just a few main ingredients, you can effortlessly create this impressive easy monkey bread right in your own kitchen!

Imagine a warm, golden-brown monkey bread, fresh out of the oven, its every bite bursting with sweet cinnamon and rich cherry flavor. This recipe brings that dream to life in just about 30 minutes of baking time, utilizing minimal ingredients to deliver maximum impact. It’s so straightforward, there’s no need to consider store-bought alternatives. This beautiful bundt cake is perfectly sized to share with family and friends, making it a fantastic addition to any gathering or a charming gift when visiting someone’s home.

The Irresistible Charm of Monkey Bread

Monkey bread, often described as a pull-apart bread, gets its playful name from the way it’s eaten – by picking off individual pieces with your fingers, much like a monkey. Traditionally, it consists of small pieces of dough coated in cinnamon sugar and baked together in a bundt pan, creating a delicious, sticky, and shareable treat. Our recipe elevates this classic by incorporating ready-made cinnamon rolls and a luscious cherry pie filling, simplifying the process while adding layers of rich flavor and a beautiful presentation.

The inspiration for this particular cherry-infused monkey bread came from a memorable visit to Schatt’s Bakery in Bishop, California. For anyone driving through to Mammoth, this small yet incredibly popular bakery is a must-stop, offering an array of delightful treats and a savory deli selection. The unique pastries there sparked the idea to create a similar, impressive, yet easy-to-make dessert at home, leading to this fantastic cinnamon roll and cherry pie filling combination.

Crafting Your Cherry Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

This recipe truly shines in its simplicity and the use of everyday ingredients. It’s designed to be quick, easy, and absolutely delicious, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create this amazing treat.

Essential Ingredients

1. Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls: You’ll need two cans of standard-sized refrigerated cinnamon rolls. It’s best to avoid the “Grands” style as they are much larger and might alter the baking time and texture. Alternatively, you can thaw about 18 individual frozen cinnamon roll dough pieces for approximately 30 minutes until they are soft enough to cut. Using pre-made cinnamon rolls, whether from the refrigerator section or thawed from frozen, significantly cuts down on prep time and ensures that classic cinnamon-sugar swirl flavor is baked right in.
2. Cherry Pie Filling: One can of cherry pie filling (typically around 21 ounces) forms the heart of this recipe’s fruity flavor. This convenient ingredient adds a vibrant taste and a beautiful, gooey texture to the monkey bread. While cherry is our favorite for its bright, tart-sweet profile, the beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability.
3. Cream Cheese: For the frosting, a block of room-temperature cream cheese is essential. Allowing it to soften ensures it blends smoothly with other ingredients, creating a silky, spreadable topping that perfectly complements the warm monkey bread.
4. Marshmallow Creme: A tub of regular-sized marshmallow creme is the secret to a light, airy, and incredibly delicious frosting. When combined with cream cheese, it creates a unique glaze that is both sweet and subtly tangy, adding an extra layer of decadence to your monkey bread.

Creative Variations and Smart Substitutions

While the core recipe is fantastic as is, there are many ways to customize your monkey bread to suit your taste or what you have on hand.

The foundation of this monkey bread relies on pre-made dough, making it incredibly convenient. Refrigerated sweet biscuit dough rolls are the easiest option. However, if you prefer, you could defrost frozen dough balls, like Rhodes rolls, to make a similar version of monkey bread. This approach requires a bit more time for the dough to soften and reach the right consistency for cutting into smaller pieces, but it works wonderfully and offers a slightly different texture.

Pie filling is key to incorporating fruit into this delightful mix. While canned pie filling offers unmatched convenience, those with more time or a penchant for homemade treats can certainly whip up their own fruit filling from scratch. Beyond cherry, consider exploring other popular flavors such as apple, mixed berry, or even a delightful blueberry pie filling for a different fruity experience. Each variation brings its own unique character to the dish.

A bundt cake pan is highly recommended for baking this monkey bread. Its distinctive shape allows for more even cooking and creates a visually appealing presentation that’s perfect for any occasion. While a square pan could be used, the bundt pan truly enhances the classic pull-apart nature and ensures a more consistent bake. For an extra touch of sweetness and elegance, a light dusting of powdered sugar over the top just before serving can be a beautiful finish, though it’s certainly not necessary as the monkey bread is already wonderfully sweet on its own.

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfection

Creating this delicious cherry cinnamon roll monkey bread is a straightforward process, yielding impressive results with minimal effort. Follow these simple steps for a perfect bake:

• Prepare the Cinnamon Rolls: Begin by carefully cutting each refrigerated or thawed cinnamon roll into approximately four smaller pieces. Place these bite-sized pieces into a medium-sized mixing bowl. This ensures that each piece will be thoroughly coated and will create that signature pull-apart texture.
• Combine with Pie Filling: In a larger mixing bowl, gently empty the entire can of your chosen fruit pie filling (cherry is highly recommended for this recipe). Then, add the cut cinnamon roll pieces to the pie filling.
• Gentle Mixing: Using a spoon or spatula, very gently stir the cinnamon roll pieces and pie filling together. The goal is to coat the dough pieces evenly without breaking them up too much. You want each piece to be enveloped in the sweet fruit goodness.
• Prepare the Bundt Pan: Generously spray the inside of your bundt pan with a non-stick cooking spray, or alternatively, brush it with a thin layer of melted butter. This crucial step prevents sticking and ensures your monkey bread releases cleanly from the pan. Carefully spoon the combined mixture into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it evenly to ensure a consistent thickness all the way around. This even distribution is key for uniform baking.
• Bake to Golden Perfection: Place your bundt pan into a preheated oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top of the monkey bread is beautifully golden brown and the insides are no longer sticky or doughy. You can test for doneness by gently poking a piece with a toothpick – it should come out clean.
• Cooling and Serving: Once baked, remove the bundt pan from the oven. Allow the monkey bread to rest and continue cooking slightly in the pan for at least 5-10 minutes. This resting period helps the monkey bread set and makes it much easier to flip. After resting, carefully invert the bundt pan onto a large serving platter. The monkey bread should slide out effortlessly, revealing its gorgeous, sculpted shape.

Elevate Your Monkey Bread with a Luscious Frosting

No monkey bread is complete without a decadent frosting. While the cinnamon rolls typically come with a small tub of icing, this homemade cream cheese and marshmallow creme frosting takes your monkey bread to an entirely new level of deliciousness. The combination of the tangy cream cheese and the sweet, airy marshmallow creme creates a truly amazing complement to the fruit-filled pastry.

To prepare this luscious frosting, ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for optimal blending. In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with a tub of marshmallow creme. Using an electric mixer on a low setting, beat the ingredients together until smooth, creamy, and well-incorporated. The result is a light, dreamy frosting that is perfectly balanced.

Once your monkey bread has cooled slightly and is inverted onto a platter, you have a few options for applying the frosting. For an elegant presentation, you can transfer the frosting to a pastry bag (or even a small freezer bag with a snipped corner) and squeeze it over the top of the monkey bread in an attractive zig-zag pattern. Alternatively, you can simply spoon generous dollops of frosting over individual servings, allowing everyone to customize their sweetness level. The combination of the warm pie filling and the cool, creamy frosting is absolutely divine, making every bite an unforgettable experience!

Baking Versatility: Other Pan Options

While a bundt pan is ideal for its visual appeal and even cooking, monkey bread is surprisingly adaptable to other baking vessels, offering different results and serving styles. Here are a couple of popular alternatives:

Muffin Tin Monkey Bread

Yes, absolutely! Baking monkey bread in a muffin tin is a fantastic idea, especially if you’re looking for individual portions or a quicker bake. It’s incredibly fun to make and significantly reduces baking time. Simply spray your muffin tin cavities with non-stick spray, then spoon the cinnamon roll and pie filling mixture into each cup. Bake until golden and cooked through (the timing will be much shorter than for a bundt pan). Once done, scoop out the individual monkey bread muffins and frost them before serving. This method is perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts or kid-friendly treats. For specific timing, you might refer to recipes like our apple pie monkey bread muffins, adjusting for your oven.

Baking in a 9×13 Pan

You can certainly bake monkey bread in a 9×13 inch pan, though the resulting texture will be more casserole-like and less of a traditional pull-apart mound. If you choose this option, you might follow the guidelines for a cinnamon roll breakfast casserole. The key is to keep a close eye on it during the baking process to prevent the edges from over-browning while ensuring the center cooks completely. Bake until the top is lightly golden and the center no longer appears wet. To confirm doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle; it should come out clean, indicating the biscuit pieces are cooked through and no longer sticky. This method is great for larger crowds and offers easy scooping.

Unlike traditional monkey bread recipes where each cut piece of biscuit is individually rolled in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar mixture, this recipe simplifies the process. The inherent cinnamon flavor from the rolls combined with the sweet pie filling means that extra coating step isn’t necessary, saving you time and effort without sacrificing flavor.

Storing and Enjoying Leftovers

If by some miracle you have any cherry cinnamon roll monkey bread leftovers, they can be saved and enjoyed again, provided they are stored properly. The main goal is to prevent air from drying out the delicious pastry. For best results, allow the monkey bread to cool completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. Store in the refrigerator. It is best enjoyed within 24-48 hours. To reheat, simply warm individual portions in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until heated through and gooey again. A few minutes in a conventional oven at a low temperature can also crisp up the exterior slightly. Leftovers make for a fantastic quick breakfast or a comforting snack!

More Delectable Recipes to Explore

If you’ve enjoyed this easy and delicious monkey bread, you’ll be thrilled to discover other creative ways to use similar ingredients or explore more pull-apart delights:

• Try our cherry pie filling dump cake for another incredibly simple yet satisfying dessert using canned pie filling.
• For a seasonal twist, our pumpkin monkey bread is absolutely amazing, especially during the fall months.
• And for those who love their Instant Pot, believe it or not, Instant Pot monkey bread is a game-changer – you absolutely have to try it!

And if you’re a cheesecake enthusiast, don’t miss our creamy Instant Pot cheesecake recipe. We often provide video tutorials to guide you through these recipes, so be sure to check for those as well!

★★★★★

5 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

By
Justine

Cinnamon roll monkey bread with cherries is just amazing! For breakfast or dessert it’s easy to make and you can use any flavor pie filling you want.

Prep:

10 mins

Cook:

30 mins

Total:

40 mins

Servings:
8

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Equipment

• 1 bundt pan
• 1 Bowl

Ingredients

• 2 cans cinnamon rolls, refrigerated or thawed from frozen for 30 minutes
• 1 can pie filling, (about 21 oz)

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Instructions

• Cut each cinnamon roll into about 4 pcs and put into a bowl.
• Empty can of pie filling into bowl with cut cinnamon rolls and gently stir.
• Spray inside of bundt pan with non stick spray and spoon mixture into your pan, make sure it is even all the way around so it cooks evenly.
• Put in your oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Allow to continue to cook in the pan and cool for at least 5-10 minutes before flipping bundt oven on to a large platter.

Video

Notes

Monkey Bread Frosting

Mix 7 oz. marshmallow creme + 1 block softened cream cheese together.

On a low setting mix together your room temperature cream cheese and tub of marshmallow creme. Serve on the side for dipping or put into a small freezer bag, snip corner off and squeeze on to cherry bundt in a zig zag pattern and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz,
Calories: 171kcal,
Carbohydrates: 20g,
Protein: 1g,
Fat: 9g,
Saturated Fat: 5g,
Cholesterol: 31mg,
Sodium: 127mg,
Potassium: 72mg,
Sugar: 11g,
Vitamin A: 395IU,
Vitamin C: 1.2mg,
Calcium: 31mg,
Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course:
Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine:
American

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