This easy pull-apart bread starts with frozen dinner rolls that rise overnight and are then baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker for a sweet and fast cinnamon-sugared breakfast or brunch treat.
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I’m not sure who made up the name for this sweet, sticky pull-apart bread, but whoever did nailed it on the head. Because just like monkeys who are known to pick, pick, pick at their favorite things, this cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan-laced monkey bread is the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch finger food.
This overnight monkey bread is made with frozen yeast dinner rolls so be sure to plan ahead and allow time for the rolls to rise overnight.
The unique part of this recipe is that instead of being baked in the oven, this monkey bread is baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Yes! You can bake in the Instant Pot, and successfully do so too.
The other part of this recipe I love so much is the “balls” of the monkey bread are cut in half before baking to make smaller bites, ensuring that every single nugget is lathered in that classic sticky, cinnamon and brown sugar goodness.
Half the size means you can enjoy them all year long, whether it’s Christmas breakfasst, or New Years brunch, or any time you’re craving that sweet treat any monkey would put his hat on and dance for.
This recipe comes from one of my favorite baking bloggers who foresaw the future and jumped on the electric-pressure-cooker-train to author the recipe blog Pressure Cooking Today well before the Instant Pot was even a glimmer in anyone’s quick-to-make-recipe eyes.
Instantly Sweet: 75 Desserts and Sweet Treats from Your Instant Pot® or Other Electric Pressure Cooker is Barbara Schieving’s second cookbook featuring all electric pressure cooker recipes. With this cookbook Barbara and her co-author Marci Buttars of the recipe blog Tidbits to head to the sweet side of things where you’ll be totally surprised at the number of desserts that can be made in the electric pressure cooker.
The cookbook shares all the secrets for cakes, cheesecakes, lava cakes, pudding, cobblers and even pie. If you’re ready for Instant Pot baking success, this is the cookbook to guide you.
see more: 20 Make-Ahead Holiday Breakfasts
How to Make Monkey Bread
This monkey bread is totally easy to make and thanks to a short list of grocery store ingredients even the most novice cook armed with an Instant Pot can bake it successfully too.
I use the 6-Quart 10 in 1 Instant Pot Duo with a 6-cup, half-size bundt pan I found on Amazon to bake the rolls in.
If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot in your kitchen arsenal, not to worry, simply bake in a 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes.
Monkey Bread Ingredients
The ingredient list in this monkey bread recipe is short and sweet just like the monkey bread balls themselves:
- Frozen dinner rolls: I use Rhodes frozen bake and serve yeast dinner rolls. The bag will yield more than you’ll need for this recipe so you can freeze and save for another time. But on that note, be sure to use frozen dinner rolls that haven’t been left in your freezer for more than 3 months so you’re sure to get a good rise.
- Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar but the darker brown sugar would work too, and yield a more molasses type flavor.
- Cinnamon: We aren’t using many ingredients in this recipe making it all the more important to use good quality spices.
- Butter: I used salted butter. Melt the butter in the microwave (use a microwave safe bowl) for 30 to 45 seconds
- Chopped pecans or walnuts: Chop the nuts finely then toast them in a dry fry pan to bring out their nutty flavor.
To easily chop your nuts fine, this is my favorite kitchen gadget to make the magic happen. It’s the same style as the one I gave my mom for Christmas when I was about 8 years old. It’s been a staple in her kitchen all these years and it’s in mine too.
Allow the frozen balls to thaw slightly before cutting them in half. Then, lightly form into a smaller ball by pinching the ends underneath the balls.
TIP: Make less of a mess and use the same hand to roll the balls in the cinnamon brown sugar mixture instead of switching back and forth so the other hand stays clean.
Barbara suggests refrigerating the monkey bread for it to rise overnight but I’ve found better success with my rise by leaving the rolls on the counter overnight instead.
see more: 31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make Now
Monkey Bread In the Instant Pot
To cook this in the Instant pot, the half-size bundt pan is lowered into the insert of Instant Pot to bake for 20 minutes 25 minutes.
To easily transfer the bundt pan in and out of the insert, make a sling out of aluminum foil. Fold a piece of the foil to about 26 inches long and 4 inches wide.
The Instant Pot takes a few minutes to come to temperature but then quickly bakes the rolls. Be sure to release all of the pressure before opening the lid and open away from your face.
Don’t be surprised if the rolls seem to have extra moisture on top of them after baking. This will quickly dissipate. The rolls will also look somewhat pale, but once you plate them, the caramelized goodness will shine through.
Easy Recipe Ideas to Serve With Your Monkey Bread
- Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Banana and Chocolate Chip Baked French Toast
- Deep-Dish Spinach, Leek and Bacon Quiche
- Coconut Baked French Toast With Oatmeal Crumble
- Spinach, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Quiche
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 16 frozen unbaked white yeast dinner rolls
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup pecans , chopped and lightly toasted
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
To Make the Monkey Bread
- The night before baking, place the frozen rolls on a cutting board to thaw at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel. Do not let rise. When thawed, but each roll in half.
- Coat a half-size 6-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a shallow bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. In a second small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, for about 30 seconds on high. Dip the roll halves in the butter and then roll them in the brown sugar mixture until coat4ed. Place the rolls in the prepared Bundt pan, staggering the dough balls to build layers. Cover the Bundt pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and leave on the counter to rise overnight.
- In the morning, pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooking pot and place a trivet in the bottom. Carefully center the filled pan in the pressure cooker by dropping it in with a sling of aluminum foil folded into a strip 26 inches long and 4 inches wide. Lock the lid in place and turn the pressure release valve to the sealed position. Select High Pressure and 25 minutes cook time.
- When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
- With the sling, transfer the pan to a wire rack. Invert the bread onto a serving plate.
For the Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of milk until smooth, adding more milk as needed. Drizzle the glaze over the top and sides of the bread. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
More Breakfast Sweet Recipes You’ll Want to Make Too
- The Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Sweet and Sticky Glazed Lemon Buns
- Pull-Apart Cinnamon Pecan Rolls
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Gwyneth’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe
- German Chocolate Banana Bread
Special Equipment for this Recipe
See more of Barbara’s pressure cooking recipes here.
Get your copy of Instantly Sweet: 75 Desserts and Sweet Treats from Your Instant Pot® or Other Electric Pressure Cooker .
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Stephanie
Hi there! What should I use if I don’t have powdered sugar? Thank you, excited to try this.
Judy
Hey Heidi. I stumbled onto your website looking for a recipe for monkey bread cooked in the pressure cooker. I made it and took it to work to share and it was a real hit. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing. I will be trying more of your recipes.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
I am so glad you loved it! I hope to see you here for more recipes!
Jennie
This sounds great! If I double the recipe, how much additional time will I need to cook it? (Still new to this Instant Pot thing )
luxuryarizonarealtors
Thanks for sharing !
Lynn
Hey Heidi! Smart idea to place the pan inside the instant pot. Recipe looks great.
gomovies
The cakes are attractive, I’m curious how you can create delicious looking cakes.
Barbara Schieving
Your monkey bread looks irresistible! Thanks so much for the awesome review.