3 Tasty Dutch Oven Monkey Bread Recipes

Dutch oven monkey bread is quite possibly one of the tastiest parts of camping EVER. Right up there with dutch oven cinnamon rolls, but we’ll have to save that tasty treat for our next article.

Monkey bread, a cinnamon pull-apart bread that’s been an American staple since the 1950s, is usually made in a bundt pan and baked in the oven. But like so many breakfast favorites, this sticky sweet bread can also be modified so you can cook it in a Dutch oven in a campfire.

The basic structure of monkey bread is many bite-sized pieces of dough all stuck together in one loaf. It’s a great camping breakfast because there’s no slicing or utensils required and it makes enough to feed a group. Read on and we’ll not only tell you how to make Dutch oven monkey bread, we’ll give you three tasty variations: classic, blueberry, and caramel apple. (If you’re in the market for a Dutch oven, scroll to the end of the post for cooking gear recommendations.)

Classic Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 (7.5 oz.) cans refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick butter, plus 1-2 tablespoons extra

Directions:

1. Place 24 charcoal briquettes in the center of a fire ring. Light them and then let them burn down. Meanwhile use 1-2 tablespoons butter to grease the inside of a cast-iron Dutch oven.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Separate the refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ball. Then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Place the coated biscuit dough balls in the bottom of the Dutch oven in a single layer, making sure they touch. Cut the butter into thin slices and scatter it over the top of the dough. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
5. Use a tongs to arrange 10 coals together and push the rest aside. Place the Dutch oven on the 10 coals. Use the tongs to put the remaining coals on the lid of the Dutch oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. The bread is done when it’s browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

Blueberry Vanilla Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 (7.5 oz.) cans refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place 24 charcoal briquettes in the center of a fire ring. Light them and then let them burn down. Meanwhile use 1-2 tablespoons butter to grease the inside of a cast-iron Dutch oven.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Separate the refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ball. Then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Place the coated biscuit dough balls in the bottom of the Dutch oven in. Add blueberries and use clean hands to mix the blueberries and balls of dough together so they form a single layer.
5. Stir together the melted butter, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the top of the dough. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
6. Use a tongs to arrange 10 coals together and push the rest aside. Place the Dutch oven on the 10 coals. Use the tongs to put the remaining coals on the lid of the Dutch oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. The blueberry vanilla dutch oven monkey bread is done when it’s browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

Caramel Apple Cast Iron Dutch Oven Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

• 4 (7.5 oz.) cans refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups diced and peeled apples
• 1 stick butter, plus 1-2 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Directions:

1. Place 24 charcoal briquettes in the center of a fire ring. Light them and then let them burn down. Meanwhile use 1-2 tablespoons butter to grease the inside of a cast-iron Dutch oven.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Separate the refrigerated biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ball. Then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Place the coated biscuit dough balls in the bottom of the Dutch oven in. Add diced apples and use clean hands to mix the apples and balls of dough together so they form a single layer. Cut the butter into thin slices and scatter it over the top of the dough. Drizzle the caramel syrup over the top of the dough and apples. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
5. Use a tongs to arrange 10 coals together and push the rest aside. Place the Dutch oven on the 10 coals. Use the tongs to put the remaining coals on the lid of the Dutch oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. Your dutch oven monkey bread is done when it’s browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

Cooking Equipment

This Dutch Oven is designed for campfire cooking with legs that keep it raised above the coals.

Since campfire cooking with a Dutch oven requires handling hot coals, you might want to make sure you have a pair of tongs on hand.

And speaking of handling hot coals (and hot cast-iron), you might want these too.

Need MORE dutch oven recipes? Check out our collection of 50 amazing and tasty dutch oven recipes.