100% Whole Wheat Monkey Bread

If you do not like monkey bread, I don't know if I can be friends with you anymore.

For reals.

Monkey bread is traditionally chopped biscuits tossed in cinnamon and sugar and than baked with broken sugar to create a caramel. Warm biscuit balls covered in cinnamon and caramel. The most amazing invention ever.

I have a major thing for chocolate. You might have noticed that. But in reality, it is recipes like cinnamon rolls and quick breads that I have the least amount if self control around. I am a carboholic and make no mistake. The way to my heart is warm sweet breads. Oh yes. 

However, in the spirit if better for you foods, I made a whole wheat, lower fat and lower sugar version of monkey bread.  Because I didn't have the butter and sugar on the bottom of the bundt pan (*facepalm*) I didn't get the caramel factor, but it was still darn delicious and way more filling than traditional monkey bread to boot. Same base recipe as these cinnamon rolls, but rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked in a tube pan. Guys, I can't even. So. So. Good.

The snickerdoodle cookie recipe uses the same concept of rolling little balls of dough in cinnamon and sugar. Just like with those cookies, it is impossible to make this without popping a raw dough ball in your mouth. John Caleb was "helping" me and we rolled two, ate one, rolled three, split one, rewarded ourselves for rolling three in a row by eating four more. It's amazing we got a full pan out of it. Like I said, so so good!

100% Whole Wheat Monkey Bread

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

Yield: 12 servings

 

For monkey bread:



1 3/4 cups hot water
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 cup dry powdered milk
1 1/2-3 cups milled soft wheat flour
½ tablespoon salt
½ tablespoon dough enhancer
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon yeast (Red Star Dry Active)
2-3 cups milled soft wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour)

 

For caramel:

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

Grease and flour a 10 in. Bundt or tube pan.  Place 4 tablespoons butter in bottom of pan and sprinkle 1/3 cup brown sugar over butter.  Set aside. 

In a Bosch bowl, add all the ingredients, with the yeast on top, except the last amount of flour. Pulse, until flour is completely moistened. Turn off and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Turn machine back on speed 1 while adding the additional flour, until dough cleans the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

Grease counters and hands. Remove dough from Bosch bowl and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Roll cubes into balls; and then roll in cinnamon and sugar.  Put in prepared pan, on top of butter and sugar.  Once all the dough has been cut and rolled, let rise in pan for at least 1 hour (I did 2)  Once doubled in size, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.