Warm Pull-Apart Bread

Your whole house is gonna smell awesome with this Apple Fritter Monkey Bread. Chopped up biscuits tossed in cinnamon sugar mix, loaded with juicy apple bits, then baked till warm and sticky. Grab a piece right out of the oven, whether you want it for dessert or just a sweet breakfast treat.

Why You'll Love It

This is a super simple way to make something that looks fancy. Biscuit dough from a can makes it quick. Apples bake down soft and sweet. All the sticky, gooey pieces pull apart so easily. It’s a fun upgrade to a regular morning, and honestly, who can pass up something that’s kinda like apple pie for dessert?

What You'll Grab

• Bundt Pan: Use a 10-inch one for best results
• Extra butter: Slather the pan all over so nothing bakes on
• Vanilla: 2 teaspoons real vanilla – skip the fake stuff
• Milk: 1/4 cup, keep it cold till you mix the glaze
• Powdered Sugar: 2 cups, sift it for a smooth finish
• Lemon: You’ll want the zest and juice from one lemon
• Apples: 3 firm big apples, heavy ones with no soft spots are best
• Butter: 2 sticks, go unsalted; set one out to soften a bit
• Brown Sugar: 1 cup, packed tight – light or dark is fine
• Cinnamon: 3 tablespoons, fresh is best (old loses punch)
• White Sugar: 1 1/2 cups, plus a little extra for dusting
• Biscuits: 2 cans (16 each) of buttermilk biscuits, keep cold until go-time

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Easy Apple Fritter Method

Add the finishing touch:

Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla together. Aim for a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle it over the hot monkey bread.

Let it chill a bit:

Once out of the oven, leave it alone for 10 minutes before flipping or slicing, so it holds together.

Bake away:

Bake in the oven’s middle rack for 35-40 minutes. Top’s ready when you see deep golden brown and a knife poked in comes out clean.

Pour the syrup:

Simmer a stick of butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, stirring until glossy. Pour all that over the pan full of dough and apples.

Layer it up:

Drop in half the sugar-coated dough pieces. Scatter over half the cooked apples. Repeat with the rest, stacking up the layers.

Give biscuits a sugar bath:

Roll chunks of biscuit dough in the cinnamon-sugar bowl so they’re all coated, working in a few pieces at a time.

Stir up the cinnamon coating:

In a bowl, combine 1 cup sugar with 2 hefty spoonfuls of cinnamon. Mix till you don’t see stripes.

Chop the dough:

Open up both biscuit tubes. Slice each biscuit into quarters – don’t fuss about making them perfect.

Sauté those apples:

Drop a stick of butter in a big skillet on medium. Toss in the lemony apple chunks. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring, until they’re softened but not mush. Let cool for the next step.

Get apples ready:

Wash, peel, and core the apples. Chop into small cubes, then squeeze lemon juice and toss to coat. Add sugar and cinnamon, then mix up until all coated.

Butter up your pan:

Fire up the oven to 350°, then generously grease every part of your bundt pan with soft butter so the bread won’t stick.

Perfecting That Sugar Coating

This sweet sugar coat brings everything together. Mix your cinnamon sugar in smaller bowls. It clings to the dough better and won’t get as sticky. If it starts looking wet or chunky, just stir up a new batch. Keep a touch of cinnamon sugar on hand to dust the top right before you glaze.

Choosing Awesome Apples

Granny Smith apples are ideal — they keep their shape when baked. Make sure the apples are heavy for their size and nice and hard. Bigger apples save you time peeling. Chop ‘em evenly so they cook at the same rate. Ditch any that look brown or dried out.

Glaze That Shines

Fresh powdered sugar makes a difference — old stuff clumps too much. Measure out 2 cups, then slowly add milk, a spoon at a time. Mix until smooth and glossy, thick enough to stick but not too runny. Stir in vanilla at the end. Drizzle all over the warm bread in zigzags. Too thin? Add sugar. Too thick? Splash in a bit more milk.

Trouble-Shooting Tips

Bread stick to the pan? Next time, use even more butter when greasing. Dough raw in the center? Loosely cover with foil and bake a few extra minutes. Apples come out hard? Just dice ‘em smaller. Glaze turns stiff? Add a bit of warm milk and stir. Bottom getting too dark? Move the pan higher in the oven.

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Making It Last

Give bread an hour to cool before you wrap it up. Store in an airtight box for up to 3 days on the counter, 5 in the fridge. Warm leftovers in the microwave for 15 seconds. For a crowd, make it same day since it’s best fresh. Freeze leftover chunks wrapped in foil — they’ll be good for a couple months.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I swap out the dough?

Absolutely! You can use standard bread dough—just chop it up into small pieces. Crescent rolls work wonderfully and might even beat biscuits. Pizza dough is a decent option too; butter it up to avoid dryness. Frozen bread dough is fine after it thaws. Stay away from soft doughs like croissants—they can get overly mushy. Whatever dough you choose, let it sit at room temperature before starting. Watch out for varying bake times when you experiment.

→ How can I make this without gluten?

Grab some gluten-free biscuits from the freezer aisle—Pillsbury or Annie's make solid options. If you're mixing your own dough, use a thick gluten-free pancake batter and form chunks. Add an egg to help it hold together better. Keep an eye on the bake—gluten-free dough often takes a little extra time. Grease your pan really well since gluten-free mixtures love to stick!

→ How should I store leftovers?

Put leftovers in a sealed container to keep them fresh for up to 2 days at room temp. Avoid the fridge—it dries everything out. To store longer, freeze smaller portions on a sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. When reheating, zap it for 30 seconds in the microwave or warm gently in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. The glaze might melt a bit, but it'll still taste amazing!

→ Can this be prepped ahead of time?

Sure thing! Dice everything, layer it up in the pan, cover tightly, and pop it in the fridge. The next day, let it come to room temp while the oven preheats (around 20 minutes). It might need an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven since it's starting cold. Only make the glaze fresh—leftover glaze tends to thicken too much. It's a hassle-free morning prep for holidays or busy weekends!

→ What fruits work besides apples?

Firm pears are a great substitute, or try peaches in the summer—just blot them dry first. Canned fruit works too, but drain it well. Fresh plums make a nice fall option. Mixed berries also taste fantastic if you coat them lightly with flour to absorb extra juice. Stick to similar-sized chunks for even cooking. Add a bit more cinnamon for pears or nutmeg for peaches!

Conclusion

Loving this dish? Try baking apple streusel muffins next! Or go for twisted cinnamon bread with a touch of apple slices. Even pancakes shine brighter with warm apple syrup. All these ideas revolve around the timeless apple-cinnamon pairing you're already enjoying.