American·Dessert
Cranberry and Walnut Monkey Bread
A festive, pull-apart holiday treat made with a soft yeast dough studded with walnuts and dried cranberries, coated in cinnamon sugar, and finished with a buttery orange-zest glaze.
Prep
120m
Cook
40m
Total
160m
Serves
8
Method
- 01
Sprinkle the yeast over warm milk (105°F) and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes until it blooms and becomes foamy.
Watch · 0:25
- 02
Add sugar, melted butter, beaten egg, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, knead on low speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Watch · 1:02
- 03
Add the chopped walnuts and dried cranberries to the dough and knead for another 1 to 2 minutes until evenly distributed. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let rise for about 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
Watch · 1:38
- 04
Mix 1 cup white sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. On a buttered work surface, stretch the dough into a 15x15-inch square and cut it into 64 pieces using a pizza cutter. Roll each piece into a ball and toss in the cinnamon sugar to coat thoroughly.
Watch · 3:12
- 05
Place the dough balls randomly into a generously buttered Bundt pan and let proof for 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, melt brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until bubbling. Turn off the heat and whisk in orange zest to create a smooth glaze.
Watch · 4:45
- 06
Pour the glaze evenly over the dough balls. Bake in a 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed and browned. Let rest in the pan for exactly 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate to serve.
Watch · 6:18
From Chef John
“Everybody thinks they have good table manners until they're around monkey bread.”
“Before you can make monkey bread, you got to make monkey balls.”
“You are after all the Curious George of when to Gorge.”