Description
Banana Bread Monkey Bread is a delightful twist on traditional monkey bread, featuring soft, bite-sized pieces of banana-flavored dough rolled in a buttery brown sugar coating and baked to golden perfection. Perfect as an easy breakfast treat or a sweet dessert, this pull-apart bread combines the comforting flavors of classic banana bread with a fun, shareable format.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 1 large banana)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (for coating)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (for coating)
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch Bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas, 1/2 cup milk, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
- Form the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined; do not overmix to keep the bread tender.
- Cut dough pieces: Divide the dough into small bite-sized pieces, roughly the size of a walnut or smaller, preparing them for coating.
- Prepare coating mixture: Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter for coating. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar with optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using for added texture and flavor.
- Coat dough bites: Dip each dough piece into the melted butter, then roll in the brown sugar (and nut) mixture, ensuring each piece is well coated for maximum sweetness and crunch.
- Layer in pan: Arrange the coated dough pieces evenly in the greased 9-inch Bundt pan, layering gently without compressing too tightly.
- Bake: Place the Bundt pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the monkey bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting onto a serving plate. Optionally, drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze for added sweetness before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, drizzle a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk over the top before serving.
- Adding chocolate chips to the dough pieces makes for a sweeter, decadent version.
- Ensure bananas are ripe and soft for the richest flavor and natural sweetness.
- Use a Bundt pan with a non-stick surface or grease thoroughly to avoid sticking.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or omit nuts altogether based on preference or allergies.
