Monkey Bread Recipe
Soft, sticky, and cinnamon-scented—this healthy monkey bread is made with a simple yogurt dough and naturally sweetened with banana, dates, and maple syrup.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 187kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups wholemeal flour wholewheat
- 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (melted) (or butter)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)
- ¼ cup dates (finely chopped)
Sticky Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 medium banana (mashed) (or ½ cup apple sauce)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven to 180°C (350°F) line a cake tin or baking dish.
- Make the Dough:In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead for a minute or two until smooth.
- Form Dough Balls:Break off small pieces of dough and roll into 1-inch balls (think golf ball size -ish) kids love helping with this part!
- Coat the Dough Balls:Mix the cinnamon and coconut sugar in a bowl. Dip each dough ball in melted coconut oil or butter, then roll in the cinnamon mixture.
- Layer in the Pan:Place the coated dough balls into your baking dish, stacking them loosely.
- Add the Sticky Sauce:Whisk together the almond/peanut butter, maple syrup, applesauce, and salt until smooth. Pour evenly over the dough balls.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Let cool slightly before removing from the pan.
Video
Notes
- Wholemeal (whole wheat) flour: Adds a lovely nutty flavour and extra fibre. You can also use half wholemeal and half all-purpose (plain) flour for a softer texture. I have made this recipe with gluten-free flour, and it worked well. The dough balls were soft and delicious when warm, but did have a tougher texture as they cooled.
- Greek yogurt: Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt for best results; dairy-free yogurt also works.
- Maple syrup: Adds gentle sweetness—swap for honey (for kids over 1) or omit for younger babies.
- Coconut oil or butter: Both give great flavour; choose whichever you prefer.
- Peanut butter: Almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter all work well.
- Banana or applesauce: These provide natural sweetness and moisture.
- Roll the dough evenly so the filling spreads nicely and you get consistent swirls.
- Bake until golden; the pieces should pull apart easily but still be fluffy in the middle.
- If you want to make it a little special for guests, try the optional glaze of butter and brown sugar for extra shine and flavour.
- Serve with Greek yogurt and soft fresh fruit or a little vanilla ice cream is delicious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serve | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg