Mini Monkey Bread from Scratch with Vanilla Glaze

I tried to tell myself to go on a diet :)

BUT, I kept seeing post after post of yummy desserts.  It seemed like everywhere I turned, there was yummy food staring at me.  Then, the realization sunk in that it is almost Christmas and there is NO need to worry about calories during the entire month.  Yep, I decided it is a "free month" to eat all the amazing homemade candy and cookies and anything else I can shove in my mouth.  I think you should consider it a "free month" too, stop depriving yourself.  Eat that homemade caramel and divinity and drink that eggnog!  Let's wait and worry about it until January. Deal?

You might also like my Mini Orange Monkey Bread!

 That is where these monkey breads come in, they are not "light" by any means, so you might want to save them for a special occasion.  I'm thinking Christmas morning?  They taste like delicious mini cinnamon rolls, yet they are way easier to make.  I love that you can break the monkey bread apart and have little bite-sized pieces!  You can use store-bought biscuits if you prefer, but my homemade biscuits take less than 5 minutes to make.  Your choice.  

Mini Monkey Bread from Scratch

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbl. baking powder

3 Tbl. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cold 

1 c. buttermilk (plus a little more, if needed)

Cinnamon/Sugar Coating

1 c. brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

Vanilla Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 - 1 Tbl. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; mix well.  Cut cold butter into cubes and add to flour mixture.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center and slowly incorporate the buttermilk until just combined.  I use a fork at first and then I use my hands to finish mixing.  You might need to add an extra Tablespoon or two of buttermilk to get the dough to come together.  Try not to over mix the dough.  

Lightly flour work surface and pat dough out into a rectangle, about 1 inch thick.  Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into around 1 - 2 inch cubes.  There is no need to be exact, it really won't matter if they are uneven.  Grease a muffin tin very well.  

Combine 1 cup of brown sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon in one bowl and melted butter in a separate bowl.  Take a few dough cubes and toss in melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place cinnamon sugar coated cubes into muffin cups.  Add enough cubes to fill each cup.  Repeat until all dough cubes are gone.  If you have any cinnamon sugar mixture leftover, you can sprinkle it over the monkey breads.  

Place in oven and bake for 25-28 minutes or until browned and biscuit cubes are cooked through.  Remove from oven and loosen each monkey bread from pan. Carefully remove to a wire rack to cool.  Combine all glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Add enough milk to reach desired consistency.  You can either drizzle the glaze over the muffins while they are warm or when they are cooled.  Yield: 12 muffins.