Cheese Monkey Bread
Submitted by Batgrlie
Savory cheese monkey bread: butter-dipped diamonds of cheddar yeast dough stacked in a ring mold and baked into a golden, pull-apart loaf. Perfect with soup or on the brunch table.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
2 hrsCOOK
35 minREADY
3 hrsCheese monkey bread is the savory sibling of the sticky-sweet cinnamon version, and it’s every bit as fun to eat. A rich yeast dough made with milk, eggs, butter, and shredded cheddar gets cut into diamond shapes, each piece dipped in melted butter and stacked in overlapping layers inside a ring mold.
The beauty is in the pulling. Every chunk comes away buttery, cheesy, and bronzed on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside. The ring mold gives it that crown-of-bread presentation that makes people gasp when it lands on the table.
Two proofs and a solid bake create a bread that’s enriched enough to eat on its own, sturdy enough to mop up soup, and dramatic enough for any brunch spread.
Pro Tips
- Water for blooming yeast should be 105 to 110°F (40 to 43°C), hot tap water kills yeast.
- Scald the milk properly, heating to 180°F (82°C) before cooling deactivates enzymes that can weaken the dough structure.
- Don’t overfill the ring mold past ¾ full. The dough really does pop up and out of the pan if crowded.
- Tap the bottom after baking, a hollow thump means done. A dull thud means another 5 minutes.
Variations
- Swap cheddar for sharp Gruyère or fontina for a nuttier, more European flavor.
- Roll each diamond in melted garlic butter with chopped fresh rosemary or thyme for herb-cheese monkey bread.
- Add crumbled cooked bacon or diced pepperoni between layers for a loaded savory brunch bread.
Ingredients
Directions
Soften yeast in warm water and stir in sugar. Scald milk in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add ½ cup butter and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Stir beaten eggs and yeast mixture into lukewarm milk mixture. Gradually beat in 3 cups flour and cheese with wooden spoon to make soft dough. If dough is too soft, gradually add more flour until desired consistency.
Transfer dough to greased bowl and turn to grease all over. Cover and let rise in warm place free from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Divide dough in half and roll out each portion on floured surface into rectangle ⅓ inch thick.
Melt remaining ½ cup butter. Cut dough into 3-inch diamond shapes. Dip each piece of dough into melted butter and layer in greased 10-inch ring mold, overlapping points. There should be 3 layers, but pan should be no more than ¾ full or dough will pop off while baking. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
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