Monkey Bread Made with Pillsbury Grands Biscuits

These are so good you might want to ‘slap your own self ‘ in the head !!

Cream Cheese and Chocolate Filled Monkey Bread is baked in a 9″ x 13″ pan. Unlike typical monkey bread, there’s only one layer rather than several and the pieces are bigger. Think of these as ‘cinnamon roll meets monkey bread’!

A friend of mine is in the hospital and I brought two plates of my monkey bread to share with the nurses. They gave it rave reviews and several blamed me for their lack of will-power. (Actually, I didn’t do so well in the will power department myself.)

Oven at 350F (175C) Greased 9″ x 13″ pan

Bake for 35 minutes – or until top is golden and center biscuits are fully cooked.

INGREDIENTS

2 (16 oz.) packages of LARGE biscuits, such as Pillsbury ‘Grands’ Biscuits, found in the dairy case

Cream Cheese Filling

2 ( 8 oz.) packages of cream cheese – softened
½ tsp. almond extract
1 ½ tsp. sugar
chocolate chips, such as Nestles ++ You’ll need about 1/2 cup or more ++ I recommend using dark chocolate

Chopped Nuts, White Sugar & Cinnamon … to be sprinkled over filled biscuits

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ cup white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce

½ cup (1 stick) butter – cut into cubes
¾ cup PACKED brown sugar

METHOD ++ See photos at bottom of post !

Open 2 packages of large refrigerated biscuits – allow to warm up a bit. Soften 2 packages of cream cheese by bringing them to room temperature OR by microwaving each UNWRAPPED block of cream cheese on high for about 10 seconds.

In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ½ tsp. almond extract and 1 ½ tsp. white sugar until combined.

Place about a 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips in a small bowl.

Here’s how I formed the biscuits; take out four at a time. Cut each biscuit in half. Fold the cut halves together to form a circle. (See photo below). Using your palms, flatten each biscuit half until you have a 3″ circle. Drop 2 heaping measuring teaspoons in the middle of each flattened biscuit and place several chocolate chips on top. ++ I used about 4 for each, but next time I’m going to add more!!

Bring the edges together to form something resembling a ball. The shape does NOT matter, so don’t be fussy. Place biscuit balls into a greased 9” x 13″. Repeat….

++ I allowed the biscuits to rest a few minutes so the dough could rise a bit. While dough is resting, sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. In a small bowl mix ½ cup white sugar with 2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture over biscuits.

Place ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes, and ¾ cup PACKED brown sugar in a small microwavable bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Mix butter and brown sugar well with a fork or a whisk. Pour over biscuits.

Bake in a 350F (175C) oven for 35 minutes. Biscuits should be golden brown and center biscuits should be fully cooked.

Invert onto a serving platter…. it IS a bit tricky. Immediately remove pan. There will be bits of yummy melted brown sugar and butter left – scrape it out before it cools and put it in the nooks and crannies between the biscuits. (If no one is looking, you have my permission to just eat it!) ; o )

++ If you don’t have a large enough serving platter, use a cookie sheet.

Cream Cheese and Chocolate Filled Monkey Bread is soooo good when eaten fresh from the oven – and I was pleasantly surprised to see how good these were a day later. Enjoy!