Ube Pull-Apart Monkey Bread

Ingredients

• 3.5 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 0.75 cup Whole Milk, Warmed to about 110°F
• 0.33 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2.25 tsp Active Dry Yeast, One standard packet
• 0.33 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted and slightly cooled, for the dough
• 1 large Eggs
• 0.5 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), Store-bought or homemade
• 1 tsp Pure Ube Extract, For color and floral aroma
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Brown Sugar, For the caramel coating
• 0.5 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted, for coating the dough balls

Instructions

1. Activate the Yeast Whisk the warm milk with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and the yeast in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy — if it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and you'll need a fresh packet.
2. Mix & Knead the Dough In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg, ube halaya, and ube extract, and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. First Rise Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for 60-75 minutes, until doubled in size.
4. Shape & Coat the Dough Balls Punch down the dough and divide it into about 30 small pieces, rolling each into a ball. Dip each ball in the melted butter, then roll it in the brown sugar, and layer the coated balls in a well-greased 10-inch bundt pan.
5. Second Rise Cover the pan loosely and let the dough balls rise again for 30-40 minutes, until puffy and nearly touching the top of the pan.
6. Bake Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while the dough finishes its second rise. Bake for 32-38 minutes, until deeply golden on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, tenting with foil if it browns too quickly.
7. Cool & Invert Let the bread cool in the pan for 8-10 minutes, then place a serving plate over the pan and carefully invert so the caramel coating drips down over the loaf. Serve warm, pulling pieces apart by hand.

Pro Tips

• Use a bundt or angel food cake pan with a center tube so the bread bakes evenly all the way through — a plain round cake pan works in a pinch, but the middle balls may stay slightly underbaked.
• If your kitchen is cool, let both rises happen in a turned-off oven with just the oven light on for gentle, consistent warmth.

Variations

• Ube Coconut Monkey Bread: Fold 1/3 cup toasted shredded coconut into the brown sugar coating for a toasted-coconut crunch in every bite.
• Mini Monkey Bread Muffins: Divide the coated dough balls (3-4 per cup) into a greased muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes for individual portions.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

265 calories · 40g carbs · 5g protein · 10g fat · 21g sugar · 1g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought biscuit or roll dough instead of making dough from scratch?

Yes — toss thawed frozen dinner roll dough balls or cut-up refrigerated biscuit dough in melted butter and brown sugar the same way, mixing a little ube extract into the butter for color. Skip the rising steps and bake until deep golden, about 25-30 minutes.

Why did my monkey bread turn out dense instead of fluffy?

This usually means the dough didn't rise long enough or the yeast was inactive. Make sure both rises get the dough close to doubled in size, and check your yeast's expiration date before starting — warm, humid spots like an unheated oven with the light on work well for rising.

Recommended Ingredient

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer — read our review.

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