Pumpkin Apple Monkey Bread is the ultimate fall breakfast: sticky, sweet and irresistible. This easy, crowd-pleasing recipe combines real pumpkin, fresh apples and warm pumpkin pie spice for perfect autumn flavor. Bake it in a bundt pan or make it in a slow cooker to serve warm, gooey pieces that everyone will love.
Table of contents
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- How to make it in a slow cooker
- Recipe tips
- Additions and substitutions
- More pumpkin recipes
Sweet, sticky and buttery, this pumpkin apple monkey bread is a show-stopping fall treat. Tear it apart with your hands or slice and serve — either way, the combination of tender biscuit pieces, caramelized sugar and pumpkin-spiced apples delivers classic comfort-house aromas and flavors. It’s perfect for a special breakfast, holiday brunch or an indulgent snack with coffee.
This version uses refrigerated biscuits tossed in a spiced sugar mixture, layered with diced apples and a pumpkin-butter-maple glaze. The method is deliberately simple, so you can focus on enjoying that warm, fall flavor without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
These ingredients give the best balance of sweetness, spice and pumpkin flavor. Substitution notes are included in the Additions and Substitutions section below.
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
- 32.6 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (two 16.3 oz cans)
- 2 cups apples, peeled and diced (Honeycrisp, Jonagold or Pink Lady work well)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (use 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (pure maple syrup preferred)
Instructions
Follow these steps to assemble and bake the monkey bread. Total time is about 55 minutes (15 minutes prep, 40–50 minutes bake).
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 2: Slice each refrigerated biscuit into quarters. Peel and dice the apples. Toss the biscuit pieces and apples with the spiced sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin puree and maple syrup until smooth.
Step 4: Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour half of the pumpkin-butter mixture into the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Add the sugar-coated biscuit pieces and diced apples to the bundt pan in an even layer.
Step 6: Pour the remaining pumpkin-butter mixture over the biscuits and apples. Place the bundt pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips and bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes.
Step 7: The monkey bread is done when the dough pieces are golden brown and have a caramelized crust. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Step 8: Place a large plate over the bundt pan and carefully invert the monkey bread onto the plate. Serve warm.
How to make it in a slow cooker
This recipe also works beautifully in a Crock Pot. Assemble the biscuit and apple mixture as directed above and transfer it to a lightly greased slow cooker. Pour the pumpkin-butter mixture over the top.
- Cook on low for at least 4 hours and up to 7 hours. After 7 hours, switch the cooker to warm to avoid burning.
- To prepare the day before: cook up to 7 hours, let cool, refrigerate overnight, then reheat on warm for at least 1 hour before serving.
The slow cooker keeps the monkey bread warm, gooey and ready to pull apart for brunch or a gathering.
Recipe tips
- Doneness: In the oven, look for golden brown, caramelized edges on the dough pieces. In the slow cooker, the top pieces brown and the sides will show sticky, caramelized sugar.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Alternative pans: If you don’t have a bundt pan, a 9×13-inch casserole dish or two loaf pans will work; you may need to split the batter for loaf pans.
- Protect your oven: Always place the bundt pan on a rimmed baking sheet before baking to catch any overflow from the pumpkin-butter glaze.
Additions and substitutions
- Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the bottom of the bundt pan with the pumpkin mixture, or toss them with the biscuits and apples for the slow cooker method.
- Cranberries: Replace the fresh apples with 2 cups fresh cranberries for a tart fall-winter version.
- Caramel: Drizzle caramel sauce over the finished monkey bread, or replace half of the pumpkin puree with caramel sauce for a caramel-apple twist.
- Apple pie filling: Swap the fresh apples for a 21-ounce can of apple pie filling if you prefer an extra-sweet, saucier result.
More pumpkin recipes
If you love pumpkin season, try adding other pumpkin favorites to your menu: pumpkin spice bars, filled pastries, smoothies, pumpkin chili, pumpkin cookies, cranberry pumpkin bread, or pumpkin cheesecake brownies. For individual portions, try pull-apart pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
Pumpkin Apple Monkey Bread
Sticky, pumpkin-spiced monkey bread made with refrigerated biscuits and fresh apples. Easy to bake or slow-cook for a warm, shareable fall breakfast.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 32.6 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (2 – 16.3 oz cans)
- 2 cups apples, peeled & diced
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
- Slice each biscuit into quarters. Add the biscuits and diced apples to the sugar mixture and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk the melted butter, pumpkin puree and maple syrup together.
- Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour half of the pumpkin-butter mixture in the bottom of the bundt pan.
- Add the sugar-coated biscuits and apples to the bundt pan.
- Pour the remaining pumpkin-butter mixture over the biscuits.
- Place the bundt pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40–50 minutes.
- The monkey bread is done when the dough pieces are golden brown and caramelized on the outside.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Place a large plate over the bundt pan and invert to release the monkey bread. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Slow cooker method: Follow steps 2–4, transfer the sugar-coated biscuits and apples to a Crock Pot set to low, pour the pumpkin butter mixture over top and cook on low for 4–7 hours. Switch to warm after 7 hours.
- Recommended apples: Honeycrisp, Jonagold or Pink Lady.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked monkey bread in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before reheating.
- If you don’t have a bundt pan, a 9×13-inch dish or two loaf pans will work.
Nutrition Facts (approx.)
Serving size: 1 of 6 servings (approx.) — Calories: 711 kcal; Carbohydrates: 91 g; Protein: 8 g; Fat: 37 g; Saturated Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 1096 mg; Sugar: 37 g.