This post may contain affiliate links. To learn more check my disclosure page.
Gluten-free monkey bread has a crunchy, caramelized exterior and a soft, sweet, and sticky center. I love how each dough ball is rolled in cinnamon sugar and layered with rich, salty caramel, perfectly balancing the sweetness. A gluten-free sweet bread that’s easy to make and easy to share.
Gluten-Free Monkey Bread Recipe
I’m no stranger to gluten-free sweet treats. Since finding out I had to go gluten-free, I’ve been looking for ways to recreate every bread and baked treat I love. I grew up on this sweet bread and knew I had to find the perfect gluten-free recipe. I’ll usually make this for a fun weekend breakfast or to bring to a friend’s dinner.
The gluten-free dough balls are moist, fluffy, and just the right amount of doughy. This recipe is like a shortcut to the flavors of cinnamon rolls without rising or any extra fuss. Perfect for sharing, this pull-apart bread is meant to be enjoyed just like its namesake eats— pulling it apart by hand, piece by piece.
Ingredients
- Milk: The protein and fat in milk help with the fluffy texture of the dough.
- Water: Water helps combine the ingredients and activate the instant yeast.
- Butter: Unsalted works best in theory, but I’ve used salted and unsalted in the recipe with minimal differences.
- Instant yeast: Make sure you’re using instant yeast and not dry active yeast.
- White sugar: Sugar to sweeten the gluten-free dough and mixed with cinnamon to create the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: I recommend the Pillsbury brand for this recipe, as other flours may yield slightly different results. If you choose to go with another blend, I recommend a gluten-free bread flour blend.
- Psyllium husk: This is used to help the dough stretch and give more, mimicking the properties of gluten.
- Salt: Salt balances the sweetness in the dough and helps with rising. It’s also used in the caramel to give it that salty-sweet combo.
- Baking powder: Baking powder is used to help the dough rise.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle, warm vanilla flavor.
- Egg: An egg is used to help bind the ingredients together in the dough.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar is used in caramel because it contains molasses, giving it a richer, more complex flavor than white sugar.
- Heavy whipping cream: To create the creamy caramel sauce.
- Cinnamon: Its sweet and spicy notes complement the sweetness of the dough and the caramel.
- Pecans: These are an optional garnish for those who love nuts on desserts!
Tips and Suggestions
- Be careful not to over-bake, as monkey bread can easily become dry. I cooked for exactly 48 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to check the bread at 40 minutes.
- If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can use two large 9×5 loaf pans. If I make this recipe for a smaller crowd, I’ll cut it in half and use one loaf pan.
- Remove from the pan almost immediately so the caramel doesn’t harden. I like to let mine cool for 5 minutes, then overturn it on a platter or plate.
Why Didn’t My Gluten-Free Dough Rise
There are a few reasons why this can happen. Your yeast could be inactive. Make sure rising agents like instant yeast and baking powder aren’t expired. Ensure the water and milk temperature is at or around 110 ℉. Too hot can kill the yeast, and too cold can prevent it from activating properly. I also let my dough rest, or proof, for at least 30 minutes before baking. I like to keep mine on the kitchen counter while the oven is warming up. It’s important to proof in a room that’s on the warmer side.
Serving Suggestions
I like to place the gluten-free monkey bread in the center of a large serving platter with side plates and small forks for guests to pull apart the dough balls easily. Always serve your monkey bread straight from the oven, this keeps the inside fresh and warm and the caramel glaze gooey and delicious.
Storage Instructions
I like to make sure I’m making the proper amount for the occasion, but sometimes there are leftovers. For additional freshness, place the wrapped monkey bread in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days. I like to reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes or small pieces in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More Gluten-Free Sweet Bread Recipes
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten-Free Challah Bread
- Gluten-Free Coffee Cake
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Gluten-Free Apple Bundt Cake
- Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Gluten-Free Monkey Bread
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- 1 Bundt Pan
- Measuring Cups
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk, around 110°F
- ⅔ cup warm water, around 110°F
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 packet instant yeast
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 3 ½ cup gluten free all purpose flour, see FAQs for what I use
- 2 teaspoons psyllium husk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 large egg, room temp
Caramel
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar and Toppings
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
- chopped pecans, optional garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the warm water, warm milk, melted butter, sugar, and yeast. Let that sit while you mix your dry ingredients together.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, psyllium husk, salt, and baking powder and whisk until everything is combined.
- Add in your wet mixture, egg, and vanilla to the dry and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit and rise for 30 minutes while you make your caramel.
- In a medium saucepot, melt your butter, sugar, and heavy cream together on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, allow it to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. After it’s finished, remove from the heat and add in your salt and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, mix together your cinnamon and sugar. Grease a bundt pan and prepare your dipping station of melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
- Pour in about ¼ cup of your caramel sauce into the bottom of your bundt pan, then add in your dough by using greased hands to pull about 1-2 tablespoons of dough (I just eyeball this) and roll it into a loose ball. The balls don’t have to be perfectly uniform.
- Dip it into the butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar before placing it in your bundt pan. Repeat this process until you’ve used half the dough. Pour in another ¼ cup of caramel and repeat again until you’ve used the last of the dough. Pour one more ¼ cup of caramel on the top.
- Allow the dough to sit while your oven preheats to 350°F. Once preheated, bake your monkey bread for 45-50 minutes.
- After it’s finished, allow the monkey bread to cool on the counter for at least 5 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.
- Serve hot with some of your leftover caramel and chopped pecans if desired.
Notes
- Be careful not to over-bake, as monkey bread can easily become dry. I cooked for exactly 48 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to check the bread at 40 minutes.
- If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can use two large 9×5 loaf pans. If I make this recipe for a smaller crowd, I’ll cut it in half and use one loaf pan.
- Remove from the pan almost immediately so the caramel doesn’t harden. I like to let mine cool for 5 minutes, then overturn it on a platter or plate.
- I like to make sure I’m making the proper amount for the occasion, but sometimes there are leftovers. For additional freshness, place the wrapped monkey bread in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days. I like to reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes or small pieces in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to make Gluten-Free Monkey Bread Step-by-Step
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of warm milk, ⅔ cup of warm water, 1 tbsp melted butter, and 1 packet of instant yeast with a whisk. Let the mixture rest to the side.
Using your stand mixer bowl, add 3 ½ cups gluten-free flour, 2 tsp psyllium husk, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking powder and whisk until combined.
Combine the milk mixture in with the dry ingredients and add 1 room-temperature egg and 2 tsp vanilla. Use the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl down when needed.
Cover the stand mixer bowl with plastic wrap and set it to the side in a warm area for at least 30 minutes.
Grab a medium saucepan to make the caramel sauce. Melt ½ cup butter, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, and ⅔ cups heavy cream on medium heat. Once the mixture has come to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and mix in 1 tsp vanilla and ½ tsp salt.
In a small bowl, make your cinnamon sugar coating. Add ¾ cups brown sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon and mix with a fork. Add 4 tbsp of melted butter to another small bowl and set aside.
Grease your bundt pan, grab your dough, and setup the cinnamon sugar and butter bowl for your dipping station.
Pour ¼ cup of the caramel sauce into the bottom of the greased bundt pan.
Roll 1-2 tbsp of dough with greased hands into loose balls. Dip each ball into the melted butter and roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture before placing it in the bundt pan. Repeat until you’ve used half the dough.
Pour another ¼ cup of caramel sauce over the dough balls in the bundt pan. Repeat these steps until all the dough has been rolled into balls, dipped, and put into the bundt pan. Pour another ¼ cup of caramel over the top.
While you allow the dough balls to sit, preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Bake the monkey bread for 45-50 minutes.
Take the monkey bread out of the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter and top with any leftover caramel and chopped pecans. Enjoy!
Do you think the dough could be made ahead of time like night before and then next morning make caramel etc?
It should work!
Oh my goodness!! I’ve never had a gluten free monkey bread before- I was too worried the texture wouldn’t be the same or that that recipe would be hard, and while this recipe did have a few steps, it’s was so simple to make AND so soft and fluffy inside!! It’s crunchy sweet on the outside with that caramel sauce and such a fun treat to pull apart and eat. I will be making this again and again!
This sounds amazing as I adore sweet breads. But in addition to being gluten intolerant, I am also lactose intolerant. Is there any substitute for the whipping cream that could be used?
Hi Elaine, you can use a dairy-free heavy cream, like Silk, Country Crock, Califia Farms, or Violife.