Apple Fritter Monkey Bread is an easy, delicious pull-apart bread filled with caramelized apple pieces, sticky cinnamon-sugar, and a light glaze. Inspired by classic apple fritters, this baked version makes a wonderful breakfast or dessert.
If you enjoy apple fritters but prefer to skip frying, this monkey bread is a perfect alternative. It uses real yeast dough for a tender, bread-like texture—no canned biscuit dough—combined with the cinnamon-sugar and apple flavors you love.
Apple Fritter Monkey Bread
This recipe requires thawed yeast dinner rolls, apples, cinnamon, brown and granulated sugar, butter, and a simple glaze made from powdered sugar plus apple juice, milk, or water. The method is straightforward and yields a sticky, fragrant pull-apart bread.
Start by cutting the thawed rolls into quarters. Dip each piece in melted butter, shake off excess, then toss in the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture so each piece is evenly coated.
Grease a bundt pan well. Place a layer of the caramelized apples in the bottom, then add a layer of the coated dough pieces. Continue alternating apple and dough layers until everything is used. Pour any remaining melted butter on top.
Cover the pan with lightly sprayed plastic wrap and let the dough rise up to an hour, or until it nearly reaches the top of the pan. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until the bread is golden and fully cooked where the pieces touch. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
When the bread is done, immediately invert the bundt pan onto a large plate, taking care with the hot, sticky butter-sugar. Let it cool for 3–5 minutes so the topping sets slightly.
Prepare a glaze by whisking powdered sugar with apple juice, milk, or water to your desired consistency, and add a touch of maple or vanilla extract if you like. Drizzle the glaze over the warm monkey bread and serve immediately.
Store leftovers, if any, covered in the refrigerator. Rewarm individual portions in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before serving. This bread keeps well and reheats nicely.
Ingredients
- Apples: 3 apples (Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced 1/4-inch; 2 Tbsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp butter; 1–2 Tbsp water if needed.
- Monkey Bread: 18 yeast dinner rolls (thawed but still cold); 1/2 cup (113 g) melted butter; 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, gently packed; 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon.
- Glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar; 1–2 Tbsp apple juice, milk, or water; 1/4 tsp maple or vanilla extract.
Equipment
- Standard 9-1/2-inch bundt pan
- Skillet for cooking apples
Instructions
- Thaw rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet covered with sprayed plastic wrap for 1–2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Rolls should be thawed but still cold and barely risen.
- Apples: Peel, core, and dice apples. Toss with granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the apples 7–10 minutes until fork-tender and liquid has evaporated. Add water, 1 Tbsp at a time, only if apples are drying and browning too fast. Cool slightly.
- Cut thawed rolls into fourths. Place melted butter in one bowl and mix brown sugar with cinnamon in another bowl.
- Grease the bundt pan well. Put a layer of caramelized apples in the bottom. Dip each dough piece into melted butter, shake off excess, then coat in the cinnamon-brown sugar.
- Layer coated dough pieces and apple chunks in the bundt pan until all pieces are used. Pour any remaining butter over the top. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise up to 1 hour, or until the dough nearly reaches the top.
- Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through where pieces touch. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil.
- Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a large plate. Be careful of the hot, sticky topping. Let cool 3–5 minutes.
- Whisk powdered sugar with apple juice, milk, or water and add maple or vanilla extract. Drizzle the glaze over the slightly cooled monkey bread and serve warm.
Notes
You can assemble the monkey bread the day before and refrigerate overnight; it will continue to rise in the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.