Stuffed with cream cheese and tossed with cinnamon sugar, this mixed berry monkey bread is an easy sweet addition to your brunch menu.
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I can't tell you when exactly it happened, but I remember going to summer school as a kid and learning how to make monkey bread. That summer (and probably for several months afterwards), my little sister and I were addicted. It was a simple recipe, with biscuit dough, butter and cinnamon sugar and was microwavable so totally kid friendly and insanely delicious.
Well, I'm here today to bring back this childhood favorite, and add a special twist to make it worthy of your next brunch. It's perfect as a dessert or simply a sweet side to a savory egg bake. No need to bother with the hassle of making donuts, this monkey bread will get you your donut fix with minimal effort.
Essentially a cream cheese stuffed mini donut, this mixed berry monkey bread is easy to make and sure to be a brunch hit.
With ingredients you likely already have, this monkey bread can be put together in minutes. Lay out your assembly line of crescent dough (you could also use biscuit dough - just flatten, stuff and continue - baking time may need to be adjusted), cream cheese, butter and cinnamon sugar. Tear off small (2 - 3 inch) pieces of dough, stuff with about a nickel size pinch of cream cheese and roll dough to seal around cream cheese.
With ingredients you already have in your pantry, this mixed berry monkey bread is quick and easy to put together. A go-to for any weekend brunch.
Spray a bundt pan (or loaf pan) with non-stick cooking spray. Roll cream cheese stuffed dough balls in melted butter to coat, then in cinnamon sugar - tossing to coat evenly. Place in pan. Sprinkle frozen berries evenly throughout and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown and dough is cooked through.
Mixed berries and cream cheese give this pull apart bread the perfect combination of tart, sweet and savory.
All of that sugar on the dough and in the berries is going to be hot, so make sure you let it rest a few minutes before serving. Run a knife along the edges and flip onto a serving tray, or just save a dish and just spoon right from pan to plate.
Sweet cream cheese stuffed mixed berry monkey bread is the perfect accompaniment to a savory sausage and spinach scramble.
Ingredients
1 package Pillsbury Crescent dough
4 oz cream cheese
3 T butter - melted
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 c. frozen mixed berries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray bundt or loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mixed together sugar and cinnamon.
Tear off 2 or 3" pieces of dough. Place about a nickel-sized pinch of cream cheese in the center of dough and roll dough to seal around cheese. Coat in butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar to evenly coat. Place in pan. Sprinkle mixed berries evenly throughout.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown and dough is cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.