Sourdough Monkey Bread

Sourdough Monkey Bread is a classic breakfast bread that is perfect for Easter Sunday brunch.  A sweet enriched sourdough with cinnamon sugar spice and butter.  A beautiful presentation served on a buffet table.

Our sourdough recipes are adapted to fit into your busy schedule. I want artisan results but can’t spend the day making sourdough, so I create simple recipes that are easy for busy people. This recipe for sourdough monkey bread is fermented overnight which adds gut-healthy benefits.

Sourdough Monkey Bread is served as a finger food which children love!

What ingredients you will need to Make Sourdough Monkey Bread

• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar (you can reduce to 2 tablespoons)
• 1 & 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter

For the Filling

• 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (you can only use 1/4 if you want to lower the sugar amount
• 1/2 cup unsalted Butter

Equipment 

• Bundt pan 

Baking Schedule Options:

1. You can mix the dough around lunchtime, about 5-6 hours later when the dough passes the float test put the dough in the refrigerator until the next morning when you are ready to bake. 
2. Mix the dough at bedtime and leave the dough out all night at room temperature.  The next morning put the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake monkey bread.
3. Mix the dough at bedtime and leave it out all night at room temperature.  In the morning shape, rise, bake.  

Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?

Yes, you most definitely can do that!  You can reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons in the dough.  For the filling you can reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup.

Can I replace sugar with honey?

It would be fine to substitute sugar with honey in the dough but I would not substitute with honey in the filling.

Tips for Simple Sourdough 

• Mix the dough into a shaggy dough making sure all the flour in incorporated.  Then leave the dough for at least 30 minutes for the flour to fully hydrate.  At the end of this time do stretch and folds until the dough is soft and smooth.  Next you have two options.

1. You can cover the dough and leave at room temperature  for 4-6 hours or overnight.  (This is greatly influenced by ambient temperature).  When the dough passes the float test you can precede with baking or put the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.  
2. You can continue doing a series of stretch and folds every 15-30 minutes for a few hours.  For a total of 4-6 rounds of stretch and folds.  (Personally I never do stretch and folds more than 4 times).  Sometimes I only do the first stretch and fold to make a smooth dough. Just depends on my schedule.

• Handling or shaping dough is always easier if the dough is cold.  I like to make the dough the day before, then store it overnight in the refrigerator.  The next day It is there ready to go anytime that fits into my schedule.  Also, it is easier to shape and score.  

Easter Morning Brunch Schedule

• The day before probably somewhere in the afternoon prepare the dough.  When the dough passes the float test put the dough in the refrigerator.
• The next morning shape, rise, then bake the monkey bread.  This timing will should work out perfectly for brunch.  

Sourdough Monkey Bread

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The best and easiest sourdough recipe! Our sourdough recipes are adapted to fit into your busy schedule. I want artisan results but can't spend the day making sourdough, so I create simple recipes that are easy for all! Busy moms, homesteaders, ranchers, milk cow keepers, and those who have jobs WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE!

Ingredients

• Mix:
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar (you can reduce sugar to 2 tablespoons)
• Add
• 1 1/4 cups of milk
• 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup active sourdough starter
• Filling:
• 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (can reduce sugar to 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

Instructions

*Mix into a shaggy dough.
*30 minutes later come back and stretch and fold until all ingredients are incorporated.
*Cover and leave at room temperature overnight or 8-10 hours
*Next morning
*Mix 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar in a bowl.
*Melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter
*shape dough into square and cut into 1 inch pieces
*roll into balls then coat with sugar mixture and place in a bundt pan.
*Mix remaining sugar mixture with melted butter and pour over dough in bundt pan.
*Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Notes

TIPS:
REMEMBER THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IN YOUR HOME WILL GREATLY INFLUENCE THE PROOF TIME!
**** SPRING AND WINTER*****LET MONKEY BREAD RISE UNTIL PUFFY ABOUT 1-3 HOURS INSIDE AN OVEN WITH THE LIGHT ON.
****SUMMER****RISE TIME MAY BE SHORTER AND YOU MAY LEAVE YOUR MONKEY BREAD ON THE COUNTER TO PROOF.
Option 1: Proofing dough in the oven- when the dough is about 3/4 proofed then turn oven on the 350 degrees and the dough will finish rising and then bake.
Option 2: Let dough fully rise then preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake.
SEE VIDEO FOR REFERENCE ON PROOFING THE MONKEY BREAD.