Skinny Sweet Monkey Bread: Simple, Nostalgic and Fun To Eat
This sticky, gooey, pastry is very popular to serve as a breakfast treat for company. Monkey Bread is usually made with bread dough covered in cinnamon, sugar, melted butter, nuts and baked in a Bundt pan. It’s traditionally served hot so the baked segments can be easily torn away with your fingers and eaten by hand. No wonder this dreamy pastry is sooooo good! Not very healthy for breakfast but hey you’ve got company! Good news though, I’ve recreated this normally high fat treat skinnier and easier to make by using reduced-fat butter, less sugar, nuts and starting with refrigerated biscuits. One skinny serving now has 190 calories and 6 grams of fat. A full fat serving of Monkey Bread has 608 calories and 40 grams of fat! This delicious treat lends itself to lazy weekend mornings. Make it for family and friends or just because!
Helpful Tips About this Recipe
Makes 10 servings (the skinny facts are based on 10 servings, which is really, really, generous. To cut calories and WW points, make it to serve 12-14!)
Food Fact
Monkey Bread, also known as Bubble Loaf, Pinch Me Cake, or Hungarian Coffee Cake, began appearing in woman’s magazines and community cookbooks back in the 1950s. The origin of the name is unknown, though it has been suggested the bread resembles the monkey puzzle tree whose prickly branches make it difficult to climb. Some feel the name derives from the act of pulling the pastry apart with their fingers. Much like monkeys would do if they were presented with such a treat.
Food Fact
Monkey Bread, also known as Bubble Loaf, Pinch Me Cake, or Hungarian Coffee Cake, began appearing in woman’s magazines and community cookbooks back in the 1950s. The origin of the name is unknown, though it has been suggested the bread resembles the monkey puzzle tree whose prickly branches make it difficult to climb. Some feel the name derives from the act of pulling the pastry apart with their fingers. Much like monkeys would do if they were presented with such a treat.
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving 190 cal, 6g fat, 2g protein, 34g carbs, 1g fiber, 248mg sodium, 23g sugar |
Skinny Sweet Monkey Bread: Simple, Nostalgic and Fun To Eat
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 3 (7.5 oz.) cans Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray (I like the cooking spray with flour in it).
- Sprinkle the walnuts evenly onto the bottom of the pan.
- In a bowl, mix together the ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon.
- Quarter each biscuit and roll each in sugar mixture. Place all pieces layered evenly in the pan.
- In a small pan melt the butter, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Stir often.
- Pour evenly over the biscuit pieces. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and while still hot carefully invert onto a serving plate.
- Serve warm and let everybody pull off a piece.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSodium: 248mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gPlus Points: 5
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Could this be made in a loaf pan?
It depends on the size of your loaf pan, Elaine. One recipe could possibly make 2 loaves. It you have 2 on hand, follow the instructions as written using a bundt. Fill one of the loaves accordingly. If you have leftover dough, but not enough to fill a 2nd loaf pan, use the excess to make muffins.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck!
Nancy
Thank you..I will try the muffin idea. This way, I can freeze those! Ill let you know how they turn out.
Best of luck. I’d love to hear how they turned out, Elaine!
My best,
Nancy