Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread + Video
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Cinnamon roll monkey bread combines all the best parts of these two delicious treats! Make this crockpot recipe for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
What’s better than ooey gooey, soft, and buttery sweet cinnamon roll morsels that you can pull apart into little bite-sized pieces?
This recipe is so much easier to put together than mixing and rolling out dough for a pan of rolls. With a drizzle of sweet frosting, you won’t be able to taste the difference!
If you’re craving something more savory, I have another easy monkey bread recipe that’s loaded with sausage, eggs, and cheese.
Or, try caramel and cinnamon pull apart bread that tastes like apple pie or Bananas Foster! How about a quick air fryer cinnamon roll instead?
How To Make Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
Thaw a package of frozen dinner rolls, then cut them into quarters. Coat the pieces in butter and toss in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Add them to a buttered crock pot and cook on High until they are fluffy and cooked through. Start checking at around 1 ½ hours, though it can take up to 3 hours total.
Just before the dough is done, whip up the cream cheese frosting. Drizzle it over the top and serve immediately. Or, turn the dish out onto a serving tray before icing.
Video: Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
To see us make this from start to finish, watch the video in this post.
Tips and Tricks
- Adjust time and temp as needed. Since every slow cooker heats differently, I recommend keeping a close eye on this the first time you prepare it. If yours runs hot, you may want to set it to Low for a longer period of time to prevent scorching around the outside.
- Double the frosting. If you prefer to have extra icing for dipping, you’ll want to make twice the listed amount.
- Add fruit or nuts. Peel and chop up a firm apple or two to mix in with the dough pieces or sprinkle some walnuts or pecans between the layers!
- Tip for easy cleanup: Line your crockpot with parchment so you can lift the treat straight out when it’s done! Keep in mind that it may take a bit longer to cook with this extra layer.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Slow Cooker – Great for soups, roasts, shredded chicken, and more! I love it in the cooler months, but it’s also great in the summer when you don’t want to heat up the whole house with the oven.
- Kitchen Shears make quick work of cutting up the dough balls for this easy monkey bread.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Electric Hand Mixer – I’ve had this one in my kitchen forever and it still works beautifully.
FAQ – Common Recipe Questions
What brand of frozen dinner rolls do you use?
I used Rhodes for this recipe, and it’s also what I use for my famous bombs! You could also whip up a batch of homemade white bread dough if you prefer to use that.
Does cinnamon roll monkey bread need to be refrigerated?
It should be fine at room temperature if you leave off the icing, otherwise it will need to be chilled.
Because the texture is more doughy than traditional baked versions, it won’t become tough in the refrigerator.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and warm individual portions in the microwave.
Enjoy!
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Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread + Video
Ingredients
- 24 frozen dinner rolls
- 16 tablespoons butter, 2 sticks. melted
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place frozen dinner rolls on clean counter top or cutting board to thaw enough to cut, about 15-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile: melt butter in medium bowl and prepare cinnamon sugar. To prepare cinnamon sugar, combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake to combine.
- Add 1/4 cup of melted butter to the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker, brush butter up the sides or use a paper towel. Set aside.
- Using clean kitchen shears, cut dinner rolls into 1/4’s. Place a handful of the cut rolls into the butter. Stir to coat. Remove from butter and toss in cinnamon sugar.
- Place half of the cinnamon roll bites into the slow cooker in an even layer. Repeat to make 2 even layers. Pour any remaining cinnamon sugar over top and pour remaining butter over top. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2-3 hours (mine were perfect at 1 hour 45 minutes).
- If you place paper towels around the lid of the slow cooker it will help with the consistency of the recipe.
- Meanwhile prepare the cream cheese frosting.
- In a tall bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and continue to mix until incorporated. Add cream and salt. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Drizzle frosting over the entire batch of pull apart bread or serve on the side.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published May 2016, updated and republished November 2021
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Which brand on dinner rolls would you suggest?? This recipe looks AMAZING – can't wait to try it out Christmas morning! x
I just made this. Wow, soooo delicious! & So quick and easy to make. It is really VERY good!
Question: does this need to be stored in the refrigerator??
How much brown sugar did you use? The recipe doesn't say how much. 🙁
1 cup of brown sugar worked just fine for me!
Hey. 1 1/2 hr to 3 hrs is a huge swing. How long did you guys cook this?
Can you explain what the paper towel on the lid does?
I’m going to gain so much weight because of how often I make this recipe! It’s such a good sweet snack to have after dinner, I can’t get enough of it!