Slow Cooker Monkey Bread

Pull out the slow cooker! This Slow Cooker Monkey Bread only requires 10 minutes of prep time. Then just sit back and wait for gooey, warm cinnamon bread!

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Slow cookers are such a great tool in the kitchen. Sure, they’re most often used for pot roasts or soups and stews, but that slow cooker can be used in some creative ways, too. For instance, this Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is fantastic for snow days. And slow cookers are great for appetizers like queso or even snack mix. (Yup, snack mix in a slow cooker!)

Today’s recipe also falls into that ‘unique ways to use a slow cooker’ category. Slow Cooker Monkey Bread. Yup, we are baking bread in a slow cooker. And guess what? It’s pretty fantastic! Buttery pieces of biscuit dough coated with cinnamon and sugar. That’s my kinda breakfast treat, dessert and everything in between!

Slow Cooker Monkey Bread

At this point you might be thinking, “Now why would I want to bake monkey bread in a slow cooker? It’s faster to bake it in the oven.” This is absolutely true. But perhaps your oven is occupied with other recipes. Or think about this – many slow cookers have programmable modes. You could program that slow cooker to cook this monkey bread overnight. Let that sink in. You wake up in the morning to warm, gooey monkey bread…and all you have to do is get out of bed. Sounds like a good brunch to me!

We always make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, but this Slow Cooker Monkey Bread would be a totally legit Christmas morning recipe. Let the slow cooker do all of the work while you sip on coffee and watch the kids open presents. Sounds like a good Christmas morning breakfast to me!

Aside from the taste, the next best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make. 5 minutes. Maybe 10. If you’ve got 10 minutes, you can get this recipe prepped and ready to go. Chop up biscuit dough. Toss in cinnamon sugar and melted butter. Put in slow cooker. Done.

One unique thing about this recipe is the fact that it’s baked in a pan…in a slow cooker. I like using this method as it ensures the edges of the monkey bread don’t burn. Also, it’s a lot easier to flip the monkey bread onto a serving platter this way. I found that an 8″ springform pan fits perfectly inside of our oval slow cooker. You’ll have to play around with your baking pans to see what fits in your slow cooker. Or if all else fails, use a disposable foil baking pan – you can squeeze that pan to make sure it fits!

I also like to fill the slow cooker with a couple inches of water. As it bakes, this ensures that the bread comes out nice and soft. In order to keep the top of the monkey bread from getting too soggy, just lay a couple layers of paper towels over the crock pot before putting the lid on. The paper towels will absorb the condensation while ensuring that the bread stays nice and soft. This little trick allows you to cook the monkey bread on high without it burning.

Variations

There are plenty of ways to create variations on this Slow Cooker Monkey Bread recipe:

• Instead of Pillsbury canned biscuit dough, use canned cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon roll monkey bread? I mean why not??
• I used chopped pecans in this recipe, but you could omit the nuts or use a different nut – walnuts would be a good choice.
• Add a frosting. Mix ⅔ cup confectioner’s sugar with 1 Tablespoon of milk and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Drizzle this glaze over the monkey bread right before serving.
• Add dried cranberries. Put a festive holiday spin on this recipe by adding a handful of dried cranberries before baking. Raisins would work well, too. And if you want to get really fancy, mix in the zest of an orange. Yum!

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Crockpot Monkey Bread should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

If you’re looking for a fun and easy recipe, then put this Slow Cooker Monkey Bread on the list. It’s a great way to enjoy an easy breakfast (or dessert) with barely any effort at all. Happy (slow) Baking! If you’re looking for a more traditional monkey bread recipe (with homemade dough!), then check this Pull-Apart Monkey Bread out.

Did you bake this Slow Cooker Monkey Bread recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Slow Cooker Monkey Bread

Pull out the slow cooker! This Slow Cooker Monkey Bread only requires 10 minutes of prep time. Then just sit back and wait for gooey, warm cinnamon bread!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 474kcal

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 16 oz. can refrigerated jumbo biscuits
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Place a small wire rack in the bottom of a large slow cooker. (Note: If you don’t have a wire rack that will fit inside of your slow cooker, you can roll a piece of aluminum foil into a log and then shape it into a circle.)
• Spray inside of an 8” round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside. (Note: Check to make sure the pan will fit into your slow cooker. If not, try using a similar sized oval or square baking pan.)
• Using a large bowl, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and pecans; stir until well combined. Set mixture aside.
• Cut each of the biscuits into 6 pieces and place into bowl. Add melted butter and stir until well coated.
• Transfer biscuit pieces into the prepared cake pan.
• Place pan into slow cooker on wire rack or rolled foil. Carefully pour water into the slow cooker until it comes halfway up side of the cake pan (or at least several inches up side of the slow cooker).
• Place several layers of paper towels across top of slow cooker and then place lid on top.
• Cook on HIGH for 3-3½ hours, or until biscuits are fully cooked.
• Remove cake pan from slow cooker and invert monkey bread on a large serving platter.
• Serve warm.

Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: