Monkey Bread Muffins
This post may contain affiliate links.
Monkey Bread in a Muffin Tin? Yep, that’s right and my recipe for Monkey Bread Muffins have a fresh orange glaze are so easy to make and everyone gets the gooey center and crisp edges.
Two weekends ago I was out in the woods with my little travel trailer and 20 of my best girlfriends with their little tin can cuties. Whenever I go glampin’ I always want to make fun things in the dutch oven or over the fire. The best laid plans don’t always come to fruition, but it was the thought that counted. Anyway, one of the things I was going to make was Monkey Bread. If you’ve never had Monkey Bread it’s little bite sized pieces of biscuit dough that have been rolled in sugar and cinnamon and then stacked into a bundt pan and baked with butter and brown sugar. Think cinnamon roll meets pull apart bread. Only better. The weekend cooking plans got away from me but I still had the ingredients to make this fun breakfast treat. So after a long EARLY walk the other day with my neighbor I figured I’d surprise the family with some hot muffins to start the day.
QUICKLY JUMP TO:
Heather’s Notes
- Perfectly portioned – Instead of a big loaf, these are baked in muffin tins for individual servings.
- Quick and easy – Made with refrigerator biscuits, you can whip them up in under 30 minutes.
- Crowd-pleaser – Kids and adults both love the gooey, caramelized texture.
- Customizable – Easy to add nuts, dried fruit, or even chocolate chips.
- Make-ahead friendly – They reheat beautifully, making them great for holidays or busy mornings.
Ingredients in Monkey Bread Muffins
- Buttermilk Biscuits – from a refrigerator tube is the easiest way to make these muffins quickly. I like the buttermilk or regular biscuits for this recipe since you’ll be adding spices and the orange glaze.
- Sugar – white granulated, light brown sugar, and powdered sugar are all used in this super fast recipe.
- Spices – pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon goes hand in hand with Monkey Bread recipes and is used to coat the biscuit balls before baking.
- Butter – unsalted butter melted.
- Orange – zest and juice give the glaze a tart and delicious flavor.
Subs & Variations
- Different glazes – Swap the orange glaze for a simple vanilla glaze, cream cheese drizzle, or even a maple glaze.
- Add nuts – Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts between the biscuit layers for crunch.
- Fruit twist – Add dried cranberries, raisins, or diced apples to the layers for extra flavor.
- Spices – Try chai spice, cardamom, or nutmeg for a seasonal variation.
- Dough swaps – Use crescent roll dough or homemade biscuit dough if you prefer from scratch.
How to Make Monkey Bread in a Muffin Tin
Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
Mix granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon) in a bowl.
Add sugar mixture to the dough balls.
Toss lightly to cover in the spiced sugar mixture.
Add 8 balls to each muffin cup. Sprinkle with any remaining spiced sugar.
Drizzle brown sugar butter mixture evenly over the balls.
Bake until golden and set, about 20 minutes.
Drizzle with fresh orange glaze mixture and serve.
Tips for Storing
- Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if glazed.
- Reheat muffins in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to restore their gooey texture.
- Freeze baked muffins in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in oven until warmed through.
More Recipes We Love
- Banana Bread Muffins
- Butternut Squash Biscuits
- Double Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
- Banana Crumb Muffins
Monkey Bread Muffins
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 small canned buttermilk biscuits, each biscuit cut into 6 pieces, rolled into balls
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, or ground cinnamon
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 stick
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large orange, zested and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp orange juice, fresh
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with papers and set aside.
- Cut the 2 small canned buttermilk biscuits into 6 pieces and roll into balls.
- In a small bowl mix the 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice together.
- Toss the biscuit balls in the sugar mixture and add 8 balls to each muffin cup. Sprinkle evenly with any remaining spiced sugar.
- Melt 8 tbsp unsalted butter and stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar. Drizzle evenly over the muffins.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing.
- Meanwhile, mix the glaze ingredients (1/2 cup powdered sugar, zest of 1 large orange, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste) together with a whisk and pour evenly over each muffin. Serve immediately.
Save this Recipe!
Easily save this recipe to your own recipe collection box and come back to it anytime you want!
Notes
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you try this recipe?
Please consider Leaving a Review!Recipe By:
Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…
Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.
Do you cut each biscuit into 6 pieces?
Yes that’s correct, each biscuit into 6 equal parts. I updated the recipe directions to be more clear. Thanks for letting me know. ~heather
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
Wow… easy and great tasting. Love it!
Wow! Pinning these so that I can remember to make them for a special occasion sometime! Yummy!!
Hmmm…. that neighbor should have sampled these – just saying.
I love the orange glaze, genius!
oh my dear, you POUR the butter in! I thought I was crzy by dipping each ball in butter, but this is gorgeously insane!!! love it!