Experience the ultimate sweet treat with the best monkey bread in a smoker, a dish so versatile it’s perfect for both a hearty breakfast or a decadent dessert! Imagine throwing this on your Traeger alongside your favorite smoked meats for a complete, synchronized meal. This recipe promises a gooey, flavorful experience enhanced by the unique smoky notes only a smoker can provide.
Have you ever considered making monkey bread in a smoker? It’s an ingenious way to “bake” during the warmer months, keeping your kitchen cool by avoiding the oven. The trend of using frozen cinnamon rolls as a shortcut for this classic pull-apart bread has taken the culinary world by storm, offering an incredibly easy path to a show-stopping dish. Dive into this easy smoker recipe and explore more delightful creations on The Typical Mom (affiliate links may be present).
Unveiling the Magic of Smoked Monkey Bread
Our journey to this incredible Rhodes monkey bread variation began years ago with our beloved pumpkin monkey bread. While those original instructions guide you through an oven-baked version, this smoked rendition takes the flavor profile to an entirely new level, infusing every bite with a subtle, aromatic smokiness that’s truly unforgettable.
The foundation of all our monkey bread recipes, including this smoked version, relies on readily available, uncooked cinnamon rolls. For this particular recipe, we’ve found that Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls work exceptionally well. They provide the perfect dough consistency when partially defrosted, making them ideal for cutting and coating.
To ensure your smoking adventures, whether with sweet or savory dishes, are always a success, we highly recommend referring to our printable meat smoking chart. It’s an invaluable resource for achieving perfectly tender results every time.
- We recently upgraded to this Traeger pellet smoker and grill, and we couldn’t be happier with its performance. It offers incredible versatility for everything from smoking meats to baking delicious desserts.
- Before that, we started with an electric Charbroil smoker, which was a fantastic entry point for learning the ropes of smoking. Both types of smokers can yield excellent results, but pellet smokers offer a unique set-and-forget convenience.
- For wood pellets, we consistently rely on applewood. Its mild, sweet flavor complements almost everything we smoke, including this delightful monkey bread, without overpowering the natural sweetness.
The primary distinction when using frozen cinnamon rolls is the need for a crucial defrosting period. Allow them approximately 45 minutes to an hour on parchment paper at room temperature to soften slightly. This partial defrosting is key; it makes it manageable to slice each roll into quarters and individually coat each piece with sugar. Remember, this is a dessert after all, and every piece deserves that sweet, sugary exterior!
For those times when you’re craving monkey bread but are short on time, consider our alternative method using monkey bread muffins, which significantly reduces the preparation and cooking duration.
While pumpkin puree is an optional ingredient, we wholeheartedly recommend it. For us, pumpkin isn’t confined to Fall flavors; its subtle sweetness and moist texture are welcome additions year-round!
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoked Monkey Bread
- How do you make monkey bread from scratch without yeast?
- Creating monkey bread without yeast is simplified by using semi-homemade options like refrigerated biscuits or pre-made cinnamon rolls, such as Rhodes cinnamon rolls. If you prefer a fully homemade approach, you can adapt our no-yeast cinnamon rolls recipe for either baking or smoking.
- Can you bake bread in a smoker?
- Absolutely, yes! Our initial foray into smoked bread yielded such incredible results that we were inspired to create the very smoker monkey bread recipe you see here! The process is straightforward: simply use the same temperature required for oven baking, cover the bread with foil for most of the cooking time, and remove the foil for the last few minutes to achieve a golden-brown finish.
- Can you cook a cake in a smoker?
- Yes, you certainly can! We are planning to tackle cake in the smoker next. There’s no reason it shouldn’t work beautifully, especially given how perfectly these cinnamon rolls rose and cooked evenly across the pan in the smoker.
- How do you defrost frozen cinnamon rolls for monkey bread?
- To prepare frozen cinnamon rolls for cutting, simply lay them on the counter for 45 minutes to an hour until they are soft enough to slice. If your goal is to have them rise significantly before baking (which is not strictly necessary for this monkey bread recipe), it would take much longer, closer to 3 hours, in a pan covered with plastic wrap.
When defrosting your cinnamon rolls, it’s wise to place them on a piece of parchment paper. This prevents them from sticking to your counter as they soften. Be mindful of the timing; leaving them out for much longer than an hour can make them overly soft and mushy, making it difficult to properly coat them with sugar.
- To ensure optimal softness for cutting, set a kitchen timer for 45 minutes to an hour once you’ve removed the frozen rolls from their packaging. This precise timing allows them to become pliable enough for easy quartering.
Mastering Traeger Desserts: Sweet Success on the Smoker
If you’ve never ventured into making anything sweet on your smoker, prepare to be amazed! Traeger desserts are a game-changer. While you typically set your smoker to higher temperatures for desserts compared to savory dishes like teriyaki Traeger smoked chicken thighs or smoked pulled pork, the versatility of these machines shines through.
One of the great advantages of smoking desserts is the ability to coordinate meals. You can start your savory dishes at a lower temperature, and as they near completion, simply increase the smoker temperature, add your dessert, and by the time you’ve finished your main course, your sweet treat will be perfectly ready to enjoy.
The magic truly happens with the rich, ooey-gooey mixture that transforms ordinary cinnamon rolls into an extraordinary sweet pull-apart bread. Here’s what goes into that irresistible coating:
- Brown Sugar and Butter: These two form the backbone of the caramel-like sauce, creating incredible depth of flavor and luscious texture.
- Pumpkin Puree (Optional, but Recommended):
- You can use readily available canned pumpkin puree.
- Alternatively, learn how to make your own fresh Instant Pot pumpkin puree for an even more vibrant flavor.
- Pumpkin Spice (Optional): For those who love a stronger, more pronounced Fall flavor, a pinch of pumpkin spice can be added to the mixture.
- Granulated Sugar for Coating: Each quartered cinnamon roll piece needs a generous coating of sugar before layering.
- Consider using a cinnamon-sugar mixture for an extra layer of flavor.
- Crushed Walnuts (Optional): If you have them on hand, crushed walnuts add a wonderful textural contrast and nutty flavor to the monkey bread.
- Non-Stick Spray: Essential for preparing your baking pan, ensuring the monkey bread doesn’t stick and releases easily.
- Baking Pan: An 8×8 inch pan is perfectly sized for this recipe’s quantity.
- If you plan to double the recipe, consider a 9×12 inch pan or a bundt pan for even baking and a beautiful presentation.
- Cinnamon Rolls: We use 12 quartered, barely defrosted frozen cinnamon rolls.
- Canned refrigerated cinnamon rolls can also be used as a convenient alternative.
The key to perfect monkey bread lies in the layering. If you’re incorporating nuts, we recommend scattering them in both the middle and top layers to distribute their crunch evenly. With many other smoker desserts we’ve created, we’ve found it beneficial to cover the top of the pan with foil for the majority of the “baking” process.
This step is crucial for preventing the top layer from becoming too dark or burnt before the center of the monkey bread has fully cooked through. Once the interior is cooked and fluffy, remove the foil for the last few minutes to allow the top to achieve a beautiful, golden-brown hue.
- Just like our incredibly popular 5-ingredient easy monkey bread recipe, the goal is to prevent it from drying out!
- Even an extra 5 minutes beyond the recommended cooking time can result in the loss of that desirable gooeyness, which is essential for this sticky, sweet, and utterly delicious sweet bread.
Total Time needed: 40 minutes cook time (plus 45-60 minutes defrosting)
How to Make Smoked Monkey Bread
Follow these simple steps to create delicious smoked monkey bread.
- Defrost: Lay 12 frozen cinnamon rolls on parchment paper for 45 minutes to 1 hour to allow them to slightly defrost and soften.
- Prepare: Preheat your smoker or oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Carefully cut each slightly defrosted cinnamon roll into four equal pieces. Dip each quartered piece into granulated sugar to coat it thoroughly. Arrange half of the sugar-coated pieces evenly in a sprayed 8×8 inch aluminum disposable pan.
- Create the Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin puree (if using). Microwave for approximately one minute, then stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Pour about half of this luscious sauce over the first layer of cut cinnamon roll pieces in the pan. If you’re adding nuts, sprinkle half of them over this layer now.
- Layer and Sauce: Place the remaining sugar-coated cinnamon roll pieces on top of the first sauced layer. Set aside about half a cup of the butter mixture; this will be used for topping after cooking. Pour the remaining butter mixture over the second layer of rolls. If desired, sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
- Cover for Smoking: Lightly spray the underside of a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray. Tent this foil over the monkey bread, ensuring it has enough room to rise significantly during cooking. Seal the edges of the foil tightly around the pan, but leave the middle slightly puffed up to accommodate the rising dough.
- Smoke: Once your smoker is preheated, carefully place the prepared pan in the middle of the smoker grate. Close the lid and allow it to cook for approximately 40 minutes.
- Finish and Glaze: After 40 minutes, remove the tray from the smoker and carefully take off the foil. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread the reserved butter/sugar mixture over the top of the monkey bread. Finally, drizzle the packet of icing (typically included with the cinnamon rolls) generously over the very top.
- Serve: For an authentic experience, place the hot pan on a trivet in the center of your table and let everyone dig in with a fork directly from the pan. Alternatively, you can carefully loosen the edges of the monkey bread, place a large plate on top, and invert the pan to release the bread. Then, spread any remaining butter mixture and drizzle the frosting before serving. Enjoy this delightful sticky, sweet bread!
Indulge in Smoker Monkey Bread Perfection
Doesn’t this smoker monkey bread look absolutely amazing? We can attest that it’s a bit addicting, so be sure to savor it in moderation and share the joy with your loved ones! Once you’ve mastered this smoky delight, we encourage you to try our air fryer monkey bread recipe for another quick and tasty variation.
Smoked Monkey Bread
Justine
15
40
8
Comment
Print Recipe
Equipment
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1 smoker
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1 8×8 pan (disposable is best)
Ingredients
- 1 bag cinnamon rolls, frozen, 12 total, slightly defrosted and cut into fourths
- 3/4 c sugar
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1 c butter, melted
- 1/2 c pumpkin puree, optional
- 1/2 c nuts, crushed, optional
- 1/2 c frosting, defrosted, included in bag
Instructions
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Lay 12 frozen cinnamon rolls on parchment paper for 45 min – 1 hour to slightly defrost. Preheat smoker or oven to 350 degrees.
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Cut each one into 4ths, dip each piece into white sugar to coat, then lay half of coated pieces into a sprayed 8×8 aluminum disposable pan.
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Melt butter, brown sugar and pumpkin together in microwave for a minute. Stir so mixture becomes smooth. Pour about half on top of the first layer of cut rolls. Add half of nuts if you want to now.
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Place the remaining cut rolls on top. Set 1/2 cup butter mix to the side to put on the top once it is cooked. Then pour the remaining butter mixture on top (add remaining nuts if desired on top).
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Spray the underside of a piece of foil with nonstick spray and tent over monkey bread so it can rise. Squeeze sides on to pan so edges are sealed but leave middle poofed up to leave room for it to rise quite a bit.
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Put in middle of smoker grate once preheated and close lid. Allow to cook for 40 minutes.
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Remove and take off foil. Use the back of a spoon to spread remaining butter/sugar mixture on top. Then drizzle packet of icing on the very top.
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Set on a trivet in the middle of a table and give everyone a fork to enjoy right out of the pan. Alternatively you can loosen edges, put large plate on top and flip over. Then spread on butter mixture and squeeze on frosting so pan is removed before eating.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcal,
Carbohydrates: 59g,
Protein: 2g,
Fat: 30g,
Saturated Fat: 16g,
Cholesterol: 61mg,
Sodium: 239mg,
Potassium: 133mg,
Fiber: 1g,
Sugar: 55g,
Vitamin A: 3092IU,
Vitamin C: 1mg,
Calcium: 40mg,
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Breakfast, Dessert
American
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