Vanilla Strawberry Monkey Bread Recipe for Sweet Brunchs

*This post is brought to you by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Dessert Now Dinner Later possible.

This vanilla strawberry monkey bread is a delightful treat that’s perfect for breakfast or dessert. Even though peak berry season may still be a ways off, fresh strawberries make this pull-apart bread bright, fruity, and irresistible. Small pockets of melted white chocolate add a touch of decadence, while the soft, gooey rolls make every bite comforting.

This recipe is simple enough to make with kids and makes a lovely centerpiece for special mornings like Valentine’s Day. You can prepare it the night before and refrigerate, then bake it in the morning for warm, fragrant bread straight from the oven — a great way to create lasting family memories.

Best of all, this recipe uses just six main ingredients and is straightforward to assemble. It yields a showstopping, shareable bundt of pull-apart bread with juicy strawberries and melty white chocolate tucked between pillowy roll pieces.

Ingredients

• 18 Rhodes White Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
• 1 small (3 oz / 85 g) box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 cup (about 85 g) white chocolate chips
• 1/2 to 3/4 pound (227–341 g) strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced (an egg slicer speeds this up)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 g / 1 stick) butter

How to assemble

• Spray a bundt pan with baking spray. Place the instant vanilla pudding mix in a small bowl.
• Cut each roll into fourths and toss the pieces in the vanilla pudding until coated. Arrange the coated pieces in the bundt pan in a staggered pattern.
• Layer sliced strawberries and white chocolate chips alternately among the coated roll pieces as you fill the pan.
• When all the rolls, strawberries, and chips are in the pan, sprinkle any remaining pudding mix over the top.

• In the microwave, heat the granulated sugar and butter together for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes syrupy. Pour this butter-sugar syrup around the edges and over the top of the assembled monkey bread.
• Spray a piece of plastic wrap with baking spray and cover the pan. Place the pan in a warm spot and let the rolls rise until they double in size and nearly reach the top of the pan.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–35 minutes, until golden brown and the bread is set where the pieces touch.

Important: Place a baking sheet on the rack below the bundt pan to catch any drips. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent the bread with foil for the last 10 minutes. Immediately after baking, invert the bundt pan onto a plate so the bread releases. Serve warm and refrigerate any leftovers.

*Recipe added 5/26/16. Originally published on the Rhodes blog.