There's something downright magical about a Crockpot monkey bread bubbling away while you sip your coffee and pretend the chaos of Christmas morning is under control. Sweet, buttery dough, orange glaze dripping down every pull-apart bite, and that warm cinnamon smell curling through the house - this is the kind of easy holiday breakfast recipe that tastes like effort without requiring any. The slow cooker does all the work; you just get the glory (and maybe the last piece if you're quick).
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🎄 Why this easy crockpot monkey bread feels like Christmas magic
This isn't just a holiday breakfast-it's a slow cooker miracle dressed in cinnamon and sugar. Every bite is buttery, gooey, and dripping with a bright orange glaze that tastes like something from a fancy bakery, not your kitchen counter. You'll love it because it's effortless: no waiting on the oven, no babysitting the dough, just toss it in the Crockpot, set it, and let your house fill with that warm, spicy aroma that makes people wander into the kitchen "just to check." It's the kind of holiday recipe that makes you look put-together when you're still in your fuzzy socks and half-awake from wrapping gifts.
🍊 Here's what you'll need to make it
You don't need a bunch of fancy ingredients or a degree in pastry arts-just a few pantry staples and a Crockpot. This easy slow cooker recipe comes together in minutes and tastes like you've been baking since sunrise. Perfect for holiday mornings, lazy weekends, or those "breakfast counts as dessert" days.
- Refrigerated biscuit dough: The "I woke up like this" of breakfast breads. No proofing, no kneading, no regrets.
- Sugar & brown sugar: Team Sticky Sweet. They caramelize into that buttery coating that makes everyone think you own a Bundt pan.
- Powdered sugar: Whisk it with orange juice and vanilla for a glossy drizzle that says I tried, even if you didn't.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice & cardamom: Basically Christmas potpourri, but edible - and less judgy.
- Pecans: Optional, but recommended for crunch, flavor, and plausible deniability when someone accuses you of eating half the pan.
- Apple juice: Keeps the bread moist and adds just enough sweetness to make your slow cooker feel smug.
- Orange juice: The base for that shiny citrus glaze that makes the whole thing look like it belongs on a magazine cover.
- Orange zest: Bright, zingy, and unapologetically festive. Like sequins for breakfast.
- Vanilla: Smooths everything out and smells like cozy kitchen therapy.
- Dried cranberries: Tart, pretty, and just there to make you feel like this is a balanced meal.
Toss it all together, plug in that slow cooker, and let the magic happen while you pretend to be productive.
🍊 Free Download: Your Crockpot Monkey Bread Cheat Sheet
Want to keep this exact recipe handy - tips, make-ahead notes, storage instructions, and all my "don't skip this step" secrets? I made you a free Crockpot Monkey Bread Cheat Sheet that covers everything from perfect texture tricks to how long it keeps on the counter before it mysteriously disappears.
It's short, printable, and made just for this recipe. No fluff, no filler - just the good stuff you'll wish you'd written on a sticky note the first time you made it.
👉 Download your free Crockpot Monkey Bread Cheat Sheet here
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Holiday Monkey Bread with Apple, Cranberry & Pecans
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional, but adds holiday warmth
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom, optional
- 24 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, 4 tubes
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Optional Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 -2 tablespoons orange juice or milk
- Zest of 1 orange, (for the glaze or final sprinkle-optional but chef's kiss)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Spray the insert of a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray, line it with a slow cooker liner (trust me on this), then give the liner a good spray too. We want monkey bread, not monkey glue.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cardamom until it looks like something you'd sprinkle on a cinnamon roll if you were feeling dramatic.
- Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of that sugary magic in the bottom of your prepared slow cooker.
- Pop open those biscuit tubes like you're starting a holiday breakfast race, then cut each biscuit into quarters. Try not to eat too many pieces along the way. (No judgment.)
- Toss the biscuit pieces into the bowl with the sugar mixture and give them a gentle toss-think cinnamon sugar spa day.
- Gently transfer the sugar-coated biscuit pieces into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the dried cranberries and chopped pecans in as you layer, like little festive surprises.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, apple juice, and vanilla extract. Pour this buttery, apple-scented goodness evenly over the biscuit mixture.
- Lay a clean tea towel over the top of the slow cooker (to catch condensation and keep it from dripping back down), then place the lid on top of the towel.
- Cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the biscuits are puffed, golden, and smell like you've been baking all morning (without actually using the oven).
- Remove the lid and let it stand for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.
- Carefully invert the monkey bread onto a serving platter. If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle more pecans over the top-or hit it with a the orange glaze for a little drama.
Optional Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of orange juice (or milk), vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable.
- If the glaze feels too thick, add a little more liquid-just a splash at a time-until it reaches your desired drizzle-ability. You want it to flow, not splatter.
- Stir in orange zest or sprinkle it on top after glazing for that extra hit of holiday sunshine.
- Drizzle over the warm monkey bread right before serving. Then stand back and watch it disappear faster than holiday leftovers.
Notes
- Don't skip the tea towel trick under the lid; it keeps condensation from raining on your masterpiece.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, check it at the 2-hour mark so the edges don't go from "golden" to "why is it smoking?"
- Let it rest 10-15 minutes before inverting - that's when the syrup sets and the magic happens.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make buttery crockpot monkey bread step-by-step
Making this monkey bread is about as easy as holiday baking gets - no oven, no proofing, no meltdown required. Just cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces, a splash of apple juice, and a buttery drizzle that turns into golden caramel in your slow cooker. Follow the steps below and let that cozy bakery smell do all the heavy lifting while you "supervise" with coffee in hand.
- Coat the dough in cinnamon sugar magic: Cut biscuit dough into quarters and toss it in a bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mixture until every piece is glistening and ready for glory.
- Layer like a Southern architect: Spoon a layer of those sugar-coated pieces into your slow cooker, sprinkling cranberries and chopped pecans between layers for little pockets of festive surprise.
- Pour on the butter potion: Mix melted butter with apple juice and vanilla, then pour that golden mixture over the dough. It seeps down like sweet lava, coating every bite in buttery caramel flavor.
- Cover and let the magic happen: Lay a clean towel under the lid to catch condensation, then cook low and slow until the kitchen smells like Christmas morning and the bread is puffed and golden.
👩🍳 Monkey 'bread' business: your top questions answered
I get it - you've got questions, probably while your kitchen smells like cinnamon heaven and you're wondering if you can eat it straight from the Crockpot. Here's the truth about leftovers, timing, and the fine art of not burning the bottom.
Absolutely. Just keep the texture similar - soft and buttery, not dry or heavy. Homemade dough may need an extra 15-20 minutes of cooking time. Brush the top with butter halfway through if it starts to look dry.
Use a slow cooker liner and don't skip the layer of cinnamon sugar at the bottom - it acts like caramel armor. Cooking on low instead of high also prevents scorching while still giving you that golden, pull-apart perfection.
Yes, but with a trick - assemble everything the night before and refrigerate it. In the morning, pull it out while the coffee brews, then start the slow cooker. It'll be warm and gooey by the time the family stumbles in.
Have other questions? Check out the free kitchen cheat sheet above or ask me in the comments!
📚 Sweet endings and second helpings
Your slow cooker did its magic, your kitchen smells like Christmas, and you're already plotting your next cozy bake. Here are a few more Southern favorites to keep that streak going - because there's no such thing as too much butter or too many carbs.
Try my Slow Cooker Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole when you're feeding a crowd before the parade, or the Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole when you'd rather sleep in and still wake up to something that smells like Saturday. It's one of my favorites for Christmas.
And if you're craving something sweet and bakery-style, Crockpot Cinnamon Raisin Bread has your name all over it.
Pour another cup of coffee and keep that slow cooker humming - breakfast just got real cozy.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
C.J. says
This sounds fabulous!!! However, the wife and I wouldn’t be able to eat this much! This happens with so many recipes! So I don’t make them. How about recipes scaled down to recipes for 2?