Instant Pot Monkey Bread Recipe: Quick & Easy Gooey Sweet Treat

Remember those lazy weekend mornings, waking up to the irresistible aroma of something sweet baking in the oven? Or the pure joy of gathering around the kitchen table, everyone pulling off a warm, sticky piece of cinnamony goodness? Monkey Bread brings all those cozy, nostalgic feelings flooding back! But what if I told you that you could whip up this classic, incredibly memorable dessert (or breakfast!) in your Instant Pot, making it faster and easier than ever? Get ready, my friends, because this Instant Pot Monkey Bread with Powdered Sugar Icing recipe is about to become your new go-to for instant joy and effortless deliciousness!

Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Monkey Bread with Powdered Sugar Icing

• Fast: Get that warm, gooey goodness on your table in a fraction of the time, perfect for unexpected guests or last-minute cravings.
• Easy: No complicated steps, just simple ingredients and your trusty Instant Pot to do all the heavy lifting.
• Giftable: It makes a fantastic, heartfelt edible gift for neighbors, teachers, or friends – just package it up warm!
• Crowd-pleasing: Seriously, who can resist warm, cinnamony, pull-apart bread coated in a luscious caramel and topped with a sweet icing? It’s a guaranteed hit every single time.

Ingredients

Gather your simple ingredients, and let’s get ready to make something truly special!

• 2 cans biscuits (the refrigerated kind, like Pillsbury!) – I love using one can of regular and one of buttermilk for a little extra richness, but any kind will work beautifully. Just make sure they’re standard-sized cans.
• ¾ cup white sugar, divided – This will be used for both our fragrant cinnamon coating and the rich butter mixture.
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon – The star spice that gives Monkey Bread its signature warmth and comforting aroma.
• ½ cup butter, melted – Essential for that glorious, sticky caramel coating that makes every bite so heavenly.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – A little splash of pure comfort that enhances all the sweet flavors.
• ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed – This is what creates that deep, rich, irresistible caramel sauce.
• ½ cup powdered sugar – For our simple, dreamy, drizzly icing.
• 1-2 tablespoons milk – To thin out our powdered sugar for a perfect, smooth drizzle.
• 1 ½ cups water – For your Instant Pot to work its magic and create the perfect steaming environment.

How to Make Instant Pot Monkey Bread with Powdered Sugar Icing

Alright, let’s get those hands a little sticky (in the best way possible!) and make some magic happen. Your Instant Pot is about to make you a kitchen hero!

1. First things first, grab your 6-cup Bundt pan. You’ll want to grease this baby really well with shortening or butter. I mean, get into all those nooks and crannies! This is crucial for easy release later on and prevents any sticky situations.
2. Next, let’s get our cinnamon sugar mixture ready. In a large resealable bag (a gallon-sized Ziploc works perfectly), toss in ½ cup of white sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Give it a good shake to mix it all up evenly.
3. Now for the biscuits! Pop open one can of biscuits. Take each biscuit and cut it into four pieces. Drop these little doughy nuggets into your cinnamon-sugar bag. Shake, shake, shake until they’re all beautifully coated! Remove them and carefully arrange these cinnamon-sugar-kissed biscuits in the bottom of your prepared Bundt pan.
4. Time for the second can! Open it up, cut each biscuit into four pieces, and add them to the same resealable bag. Give them a good shake to coat them in the remaining cinnamon sugar. Don’t add them to the Bundt pan just yet, just set them aside in the bag.
5. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your ½ cup of butter. Once it’s liquid gold, add any remaining cinnamon sugar from your resealable bag (don’t let that goodness go to waste!), the ½ cup of firmly packed brown sugar, and the remaining ¼ cup of white sugar, along with your lovely teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir it all together until you have a deliciously gooey, caramel-like sauce. This is where the magic really begins! If you’re looking to elevate your homemade spreads, you might love making your own Homemade Cinnamon Cream Cheese Butter for other sweet treats!
6. Pour about half of this incredible butter-sugar mixture right over the biscuits you already have layered in the Bundt pan.
7. Now, take those reserved sugar-coated biscuit pieces from step 4 and layer them on top in the Bundt pan. Pour the rest of the butter-sugar mixture evenly over everything.
8. Time to prep for the Instant Pot! Loosely cover your Bundt pan with aluminum foil. Make sure to create a little tent in the middle so the foil isn’t pressing directly on the monkey bread, and crimp the edges tightly around the rim of the pan.
9. Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the inner pot of your Instant Pot. This is what creates the steam for pressure cooking!
10. Carefully place your Bundt pan onto the trivet that came with your Instant Pot. Using the trivet handles (or if you made a foil sling, use that!), gently lower the Bundt pan into the Instant Pot.
11. Secure the Instant Pot lid, making absolutely sure that the sealing vent is turned to the “Sealing” position.
12. Select “Manual” (or “Pressure Cook” on newer models) and set the time to High Pressure for 25 minutes.
13. Once the cooking time is complete, resist the urge to immediately open it! We need to let it perform a Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes. This helps the monkey bread finish cooking evenly and become perfectly fluffy and tender.
14. After 10 glorious minutes of natural release, you can carefully quick release any remaining pressure by turning the vent to “Venting.” Be mindful of the steam! Once the float valve drops, you can safely open the lid. Using a towel or oven mitts for heat protection, carefully remove the Bundt pan from the Instant Pot using those trivet handles or your foil sling.
15. Now for a tricky but satisfying part! Carefully remove the foil from the Bundt pan. Watch out for hot condensation or drips! Let your beautiful monkey bread cool in the pan for just about 5 minutes. This cooling period helps it set up a bit before inversion.
16. Place a serving plate directly over the top of the Bundt pan. With confidence (but also gentleness!), carefully invert the monkey bread onto the plate. It should slide right out, a golden-brown, gooey masterpiece!
17. Finally, for that irresistible finish: In a small bowl, whisk your ½ cup of powdered sugar to get rid of any lumps. Gradually whisk in 1 tablespoon of milk until you have a smooth, drizzly consistency. If it’s too thick, add just a tiny bit more milk, half a teaspoon at a time, until it’s perfect. Drizzle this dreamy icing all over your warm monkey bread. I promise you, it’s going to be devoured in minutes!

If you loved making this easy sweet bread, you might also enjoy our recipe for Moist Cinnamon Applesauce Bread, which brings another comforting, spiced flavor to your kitchen. Or, for another delightful doughy treat that’s surprisingly easy to whip up, why not try making some Easy Homemade Glazed Buttermilk Beignets?

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling creative? Here are some fun ways to customize your Instant Pot Monkey Bread:

• Nutty Delight: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts into the Bundt pan between layers of biscuits for an added crunch and earthy flavor.
• Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Add a handful of chocolate chips (mini or regular!) into the layers. They’ll melt into gooey pockets of chocolatey bliss as it cooks.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: Instead of a simple powdered sugar icing, whip up a quick cream cheese frosting for an extra decadent touch. Talk about indulgence!
• Spice It Up: A pinch of ground nutmeg or cardamom can add a lovely depth and warmth to the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Fruity Twist: A handful of dried cranberries or finely chopped dried apricots could add a nice tart counterpoint to the sweetness.

Tips for Success

Even though this recipe is super easy, a few tricks can ensure your monkey bread turns out absolutely perfect every time!

• Grease, Grease, Grease! I cannot stress this enough. A well-greased Bundt pan is your absolute best friend for an easy, clean release. Don’t skimp, and get into all those nooks and crannies!
• Don’t Overfill: While tempting to pack in as many biscuits as possible, make sure your Bundt pan isn’t filled to the very brim. Leave a little room for the bread to rise and expand during pressure cooking.
• Foil Tent is Key: The loose foil cover is important! It prevents too much condensation from dripping directly onto your bread and keeps it from getting soggy.
• Natural Release for the Win: Don’t rush the natural pressure release. Those 10 minutes are crucial for the bread to finish cooking evenly, settle, and prevent it from being gummy. Patience is a virtue here!
• Serve Warm: Monkey bread is truly, truly best served warm. The caramel is gooey, the biscuits are soft, and you can easily pull apart those delicious cinnamony pieces.

How to Store Instant Pot Monkey Bread with Powdered Sugar Icing

While this monkey bread is usually devoured pretty quickly (it rarely lasts long in my house!), if you do happen to have leftovers, they can be stored! Keep it covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For a slightly longer shelf life, you can refrigerate it for up to 4-5 days. To enjoy it again, I highly recommend reheating individual portions gently in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until warm and gooey again. You might even want to drizzle a little fresh icing if you have some to bring it back to life!

FAQs

Q: Can I use a different size Bundt pan?
A: A 6-cup Bundt pan is ideal for this recipe’s proportions and Instant Pot size. If you use a larger pan, you might need to adjust the biscuit quantity, but it might not fit in your Instant Pot. Always check your pan’s capacity to ensure it fits comfortably within the Instant Pot liner and below the lid before you start.

Q: Can I make this with homemade biscuit dough?
A: Absolutely! If you have a favorite homemade biscuit dough recipe, feel free to use it. Just ensure it’s a relatively sturdy dough that can hold up to coating and pressure cooking. The cooking time might need slight adjustment, so keep an eye on it or do a quick release and test for doneness.

Q: My monkey bread stuck to the pan! What went wrong?
A: Most often, this means the pan wasn’t greased thoroughly enough. Next time, try using shortening (it adheres better to pan surfaces) and really getting into all the crevices. Also, letting it cool for just 5 minutes before inverting helps it pull away from the pan more cleanly.

Q: Can I skip the icing?
A: While the icing adds a lovely finishing touch and extra sweetness, the monkey bread is still incredibly delicious on its own, thanks to that rich caramel sauce! So, yes, you can skip it if you prefer a less sweet option, or if you’re out of powdered sugar.

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