Description
This Blueberry Monkey Bread is a delightful twist on a classic pull-apart sweet bread, featuring soft, buttery dough balls coated in cinnamon sugar and layered with a luscious blueberry sauce. Baked to golden perfection and topped with a smooth cream cheese glaze, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough
- 3/4 cup (184 g) whole milk, heated to 110°F
- 1/2 cup water, heated to 110°F
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 3 1/4 cups (406 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Blueberry Sauce
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh blueberries, divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Assembly
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Glaze
- 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (83 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk, or more as needed for desired consistency
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a medium mixing bowl, combine warm milk, warm water, sugar, and melted butter, mixing until sugar dissolves. Add yeast and let it rest for 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, mix flour and kosher salt. Add yeast mixture and mix on low speed to combine, then increase speed to high and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Make the Blueberry Sauce: Place 1 cup of blueberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and blueberries begin to pop. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then pour into the saucepan. Stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, salt, and remaining blueberries. Set aside.
- Assemble the Monkey Bread: Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick spray. In two small bowls, place melted butter in one and mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in the other. Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 36 equal 1-inch pieces. One at a time, coat dough pieces in butter, then roll in the sugar mixture. Arrange 12 pieces in the bottom of the pan, spoon half of the blueberry sauce over, repeat with another 12 pieces and remaining sauce, and top with remaining dough pieces. Cover and let rise until doubled and nearly reaching the top of the pan, about 50-60 minutes.
- Bake the Bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the dough reads at least 190°F. Let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a platter.
- Prepare and Drizzle the Glaze: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Stir in confectioners’ sugar and whole milk, adding more milk as needed to achieve a smooth, pourable consistency. Drizzle over the warm monkey bread before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the milk and water are warm but not hot, around 110°F, to properly activate the yeast.
- Allow the dough to double in size during both rises for a light and fluffy monkey bread.
- You can substitute frozen blueberries for fresh; just thaw and drain them before use.
- Use a 12-cup bundt pan for best results; a smaller or larger pan may affect baking time and rising.
- Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer to ensure the bread is fully baked.
- The glaze can be made ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before drizzling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12th of bread)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
