This Dutch oven monkey bread is a sticky pull-apart bread to make at camp. It comes together in minutes, is ready in an hour, and is perfect for a sweet breakfast treat or midday snack alongside a cup of coffee (or hot chocolate for the kids).
Recipe at a Glance: Dutch Oven Monkey Bread
- DETAILS
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Preparation method: Dutch oven cooking
- HIGHLIGHTS
- Monkey bread is a sticky pull-apart bread that's perfect for breakfast or snacking. This recipe has been adapted to be cooked in your cast iron Dutch oven at camp.
- You'll love being able to toss this together in minutes and let it cook with minimal effort, and will be happily enjoying a sweet campfire treat in just 1 hour.
- For this sweet breakfast or snack, store-bought biscuits are tossed in cinnamon sugar, coated with a brown sugar butter glaze and cooked until puffed and tender.
If you've ever popped a few morsels of warm, sweet monkey bread into your mouth, you likely already know how incredibly good (and difficult to resist) it is. This version tastes just like the classic oven baked version, using canned biscuits, cinnamon sugar, and a brown sugar glaze but is cooked in your cast iron Dutch oven at camp. It's an excellent sweet breakfast treat or snack, particularly one that the kids will love! If you want to make it in your oven at home, check out the FAQ section below.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Biscuits--Use the regular (not jumbo) biscuits for this recipe. Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, you may not need all of them. You want to use just enough to create a snug single layer on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
- Butter--You can use unsalted or salted butter for this recipe. Whatever you've got on hand at camp will do.
- Raisins--These are optional, but highly recommended. If you prefer a little crunch in your bread, you could replace them with toasted walnuts or pecans.
How to Make Monkey Bread in a Dutch Oven
1. Cut the biscuits into quarters and toss to coat in cinnamon sugar.
2. Arrange the biscuit pieces in a snug single layer in a parchment-lined Dutch oven.
3. Sprinkle the raisins over the top.
4. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a small saucepan.
5. Drizzle the melted butter over the biscuits.
6. Place 10 coals below the Dutch oven and 20 on the lid and bake until golden and cooked through.
FAQs
You could make a smaller batch of this monkey bread in a medium sized, 3 ½ to 4 quart Dutch oven. You will only need 1 to 1 ½ cans of biscuits to create a single layer of dough in the Dutch oven, and the butter and brown sugar can be reduced to ¼ cup of each. Use 6 coals below and 12 on the lid when cooking.
Follow the directions and bake it in a 350°F (180°C) oven, uncovered, until puffed and golden and the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C), 30 to 40 minutes.
This makes a great side to a savory breakfast hash if you're enjoying a big breakfast, or you can keep it simple and offer some fresh fruit and yogurt or an orange mango smoothie on the side.
Storage
Monkey bread is best enjoyed shortly after cooking, while still warm. You can store it, tightly wrapped in plastic at room temperature for up to 1 day. Rewarm it in the Dutch oven, or wrapped in foil over low heat until warmed through.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, mix your cinnamon sugar before heading out on your camping trip. Stash it in a resealable bag or container. If you've got extra, use it for campfire doughnut holes!
- Make sure that all your biscuit pieces are in a single layer in the Dutch oven. Stacked or overlapped pieces won't cook evenly.
- Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
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Recipe
Dutch Oven Monkey Bread
Equipment
- Charcoal or hot embers
Ingredients
- 2 (12-oz | 340-g) cans biscuits
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup raisins optional
- ⅓ cup butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Line a large Dutch oven with parchment paper. Prepare a chimney of coals for Dutch oven cooking. You'll need 30 coals to start. The coals are ready when they turn white all over.
- Remove the biscuits from the can and cut each one into four pieces.
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a resealable bag. Working with a few pieces at a time, drop the biscuits into the bag, close and shake to coat each piece. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in the Dutch oven.
- Scatter the raisins over the top of the biscuit dough, if using.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and brown sugar. Let the butter melt, stirring occasionally, and then mix well to dissolve the sugar.
- Pour the brown sugar and butter evenly over the biscuits. I find it easiest to spoon the glaze out of the saucepan and drizzle it over the biscuits. This allows for more even coverage.
- Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and cook with 10 coals below and 20 on the lid, replacing the coals as needed, until the bread is puffed and set, 35 to 45 minutes. The internal temperature should be around 200°F (93°C).
- Remove from the fire pit and serve warm.
Notes
- Get ahead--Mix your cinnamon sugar before heading out on your camping trip. Stash it in a resealable bag or container.
- Single layer--Make sure that all your biscuit pieces are in a single layer in the Dutch oven. Stacked or overlapped pieces won't cook evenly.
- Protect the oven--Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
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