Orange Monkey Bread | The Recipe Critic


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Orange monkey bread is a fun twist on a classic sticky pull-apart bread. It’s packed with soft, buttery biscuit pieces, bursts of citrusy orange zest, and a sticky, sweet glaze. Everyone will want to get their hands on this delicious dish!

Overhead shot of orange monkey bread.Overhead shot of orange monkey bread.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Flavor: Fresh orange zest with a sweet buttery glaze is perfection on this gooey pull-apart dish.
  • Easy to Make: This is the easiest recipe to whip up for a quick and delicious breakfast or Sunday afternoon treat.
  • Holiday Brunch: Your family and friends will absolutely love this fun twist on the classic monkey bread. Serve it with my lemon-baked pancake, and mini quiches.

Ingredients Needed for Orange Monkey Bread

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this incredibly tasty treat. It’s perfect to make during the holidays because oranges are in season. Grab some canned biscuits and oranges, and you should have everything else at home! Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Granulated Sugar: Provides a sweet base for the citrusy, sticky glaze.
  • Orange Zest: Gives the best burst of orange citrus flavor.
  • Refrigerated Biscuits: Make this recipe super easy. I love how light and fluffy they are with zero effort. The hardest part is that they scare me half to death when I open the can of biscuits.
  • Unsalted Butter: Provides the base for the signature sticky glaze.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds a depth of sweetness to the sauce.
  • Fresh Orange Juice: I say fresh because using freshly squeezed orange juice makes such a difference.
  • Salt: Perfectly enhances all of the flavors in the dish.
Overhead shot of labeled ingredients. Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Orange Monkey Bread

Making this treat is super simple. Cut up the biscuits, coat them in sugar and orange zest, heat up the glaze, and pop it in the oven! Have your kids help you cut up the biscuits.

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then grease a bundt pan with pan spray, making sure to coat the center and all crevices. Use a fork to mash the orange zest into the sugar until fragrant to release the oils.
  2. Quarter: Cut the biscuits into quarters. 
  3. Coat: Toss the biscuits in a large ziplock with the orange sugar until all of the biscuit pieces are fully coated. 
  4. Dump: Transfer the biscuit pieces to the bundt pan, distributing them evenly. 
  5. Cook: Add the butter, brown sugar, orange juice, and salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling.
  6. Bake: Boil for 2 minutes before pouring the syrup over the biscuits in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the monkey bread cool for 5-10 minutes before turning it upside down onto a heat-proof plate, then carefully lift the pan off and serve.
Overhead shot of sugar and orange zest mixed in a bowl. Overhead shot of sugar and orange zest mixed in a bowl.
Overhead shot of canned biscuits cut into quarters. Overhead shot of canned biscuits cut into quarters.
Overhead shot of biscuit quarters in a ziplock back mixed with sugar and orange zest. Overhead shot of biscuit quarters in a ziplock back mixed with sugar and orange zest.
Overhead shot of biscuit pieces and sugar mixture in a greased bundt pan. Overhead shot of biscuit pieces and sugar mixture in a greased bundt pan.
Overhead shot of butter, brown sugar and orange juice and salt in a pot on the stove. Overhead shot of butter, brown sugar and orange juice and salt in a pot on the stove.
Angle shot of someone pouring the butter and brown sugar sauce over the biscuit and orange zest in the bundt pan. Angle shot of someone pouring the butter and brown sugar sauce over the biscuit and orange zest in the bundt pan.

Orange Monkey Bread Tips and Variations

This recipe is super fun to play around with. I’ve always been such a huge fan of the cinnamon version, but I gotta tell you, this orange variation is a close second. Here are some tips to ensure yours turns out super flavorful.

  • Don’t skip the orange zest step! By combining the sugar and orange zest, you release all the flavorful oils in the zest. This transforms regular granulated sugar into incredible orange sugar. As a result, this step ensures that the bright, delicious orange flavor is infused throughout the entire monkey bread!
  • Use a pan spray with flour in it! I have found that the best way to get monkey bread, or other treats baked in a bundt pan, release the cleanest when the pan is sprayed well with a baking spray that contains flour.
  • Muffin Version: You can make this into muffins if you place 3-4 pieces of orange-sugar-coated biscuit pieces into each well of a well-greased muffin pan. Top each with a few large spoonfuls of syrup before baking for 20-25 minutes, until the centers of the muffins reach 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Side shot of orange monkey bread. Side shot of orange monkey bread.

How to Properly Store Leftovers

  • At Room Temperature: Store wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
  • Fridge: Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this monkey bread because of the amount of syrup. It will become a soggy, sticky mess.
  • DO NOT Make Ahead: Avoid preparing this monkey bread in advance. Opening canned biscuit dough and delaying baking causes it to deflate and rise poorly.

Close up shot of someone pulling a piece of orange monkey bread off the whole bundt. Close up shot of someone pulling a piece of orange monkey bread off the whole bundt.

More Monkey Bread Recipes To Try

If you’re like me, then I know you love a good pull-apart bread; it is the perfect snack to make for a group of kids, a family movie night, or any time you need something quick and easy.

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  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a bundt pan with pan spray, making sure to coat the center and all crevices.

  • Use a fork to mash the orange zest into the sugar until fragrant to release the oils.

  • Cut the biscuits into quarters.

  • Toss the biscuits in a large ziplock with the orange sugar until all of the biscuit pieces are fully coated.

  • Transfer the biscuit pieces to the bundt pan, distributing them evenly.

  • Add the butter, brown sugar, orange juice, and salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 2 minutes before pouring the syrup over the biscuits in the pan.

  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the monkey bread cool for 5-10 minutes before turning it upside down onto a heat-proof plate. Carefully lift the pan off and serve.

Calories: 774kcalCarbohydrates: 95gProtein: 8gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 319mgFiber: 2gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 742IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.





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