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Pizza monkey bread is an easy, family-pleasing dinner or appetizer! It has puffy biscuit dough baked in a bundt pan with juicy pepperoni slices, Italian seasonings, and melty mozzarella.
We love dipping this monkey bread in pizza sauce for a fun twist on pizza night! For more easy pizza recipes, try my easy pizza bread and these air fryer pizza rolls!
Table of Contents
I love putting fresh spins on my favorite pizza recipes, from pizza burgers to pizza quesadillas. We also LOVE garlic monkey bread in our house. So, is this pizza monkey bread, a pull-apart-style spin on pizza? Or a pizza-style twist on monkey bread? I think it’s the best of both, and it’s delicious! This easy monkey bread recipe is a savory version of classic cinnamon bun monkey bread, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite around here.
Why You’ll Love This Pizza Monkey Bread
- A fun twist on two favorites. Like traditional pepperoni pizza, this recipe is an easy, shareable meal or appetizer. There’s something super fun about making it as monkey bread. Whether I make pizza monkey bread for gatherings or pizza night, it’s a total crowd-pleaser!
- Simple to make. All you need is a tube of biscuit dough and your favorite pizza toppings, and everything bakes in a bundt pan.
- Customizable. My family loves pepperoni pizza, so that was my inspiration for this recipe. But feel free to adapt your filling ingredients with any of your favorite pizza toppings! I share some easy variation ideas below.
Why Is It Called Monkey Bread?
Monkey bread is finger food through and through. So, it’s believed that the name comes from the fact that you’re meant to pick it apart with your hands, the same way monkeys pick at their food.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These are the super easy ingredients you’ll need to make this fuss-free biscuit monkey bread recipe. You’ll find a printable list with the full recipe amounts in the recipe card below the post.
- Pillsbury Biscuits – You’ll need one tube of refrigerated biscuit dough. Feel free to use store-brand biscuits if you’d like. If you’d prefer to use homemade pizza dough in place of biscuit dough, that works, too. Keep an eye on the baking time though, as it might be different.
- Pepperoni – I make pepperoni pizza monkey bread but you can use any of your favorite pizza toppings. See later in the post for more ideas.
- Mozzarella Cheese – For the meltiest results, be sure to shred the mozzarella fresh from the block. In a pinch, you can use shredded cheddar or another melty cheese.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, melted before you start.
- Olive Oil – Choose a nice-quality extra virgin olive oil, or another neutral-flavored oil, like avocado oil.
- Seasoning – I use freshly minced garlic and Italian seasoning. You can use any dried herbs, like oregano, basil, or thyme.
- Pizza Sauce – Tomato sauce or marinara sauce for dipping.
How to Make Pizza Monkey Bread
Monkey bread recipes are traditionally baked in a bundt pan, but if you don’t have one, this pizza monkey bread turns out great in a baking dish or oven-safe skillet, too. Whatever you use, make sure it’s well-greased! Follow the easy steps below and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Prepare the dough. Pop open your canned biscuits and separate them. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
- Combine. Add the biscuit dough pieces to a bowl with pepperoni, shredded mozzarella, butter, oil, and seasonings. Toss everything together until the dough is nicely coated.
- Bake. Transfer the coated dough balls to a pan and bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes, until the bread is puffed and golden.
- Flip and serve. Use a knife to loosen the monkey bread at the edges and then invert the pan onto a plate. Tada! Your pizza bread is ready to serve with a side of pizza sauce.
How Do I Know When My Monkey Bread Is Done?
This pizza monkey bread usually takes about 40 minutes to bake at 350ºF. It’s done when the biscuits are puffed and cooked through, and the top is a crispy golden brown.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Grease the pan well. Whether you use a bundt pan or another type of baking pan, make sure to give it a good coating with cooking spray or shortening. This is important to prevent sticking!
- Prevent the biscuits from burning. If you notice that the monkey bread is browning too quickly, cover the pan with foil while it finishes baking.
- Make it vegetarian. Make vegetarian pizza monkey bread and replace the pepperoni with diced sautéed onions, bell peppers, and/or mushrooms. Or just leave out the toppings altogether and use only cheese.
- Try a different protein. You can replace the pepperoni slices in this recipe with another protein, like chorizo, diced ham, or bacon.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this cheesy pizza monkey bread as a game day or party appetizer. It’s great with marinara and other dips, like ranch dressing. I have the perfect-sized bowl that fits right in the center hole whenever I make this in a bundt pan!
Pair it with more easy appetizers like hot crab dip and boneless chicken wings. As a meal, this savory monkey bread is super family-friendly with a chicken Caesar salad or tossed salad on the side.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, store your pizza monkey bread covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm leftovers in the microwave or the oven (my preferred method) until it’s hot throughout.
More Appetizer Recipes
Pizza Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury Biscuits
- 4 oz Pepperoni
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pizza Sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a bundt pan (or 8-9inch baking dish or oven safe skillet). Set aside.
- Open the tube of biscuit dough, separate it into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
- In a large bowl toss together everything but the pizza sauce, and gently mix until combined.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes until they are golden brown, the biscuits have puffed up and are cooked through. If it starts to get too brown before the biscuits are done, you can cover with foil.
- Remove from the oven and loosen the edges of the bread with a knife. Invert the bundt pan over a cutting board or large plate and serve with pizza sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is definitely a keeper for casual dinners or game-day snacks!
This is the best pizza-inspired recipe I’ve made in a awhile. It’s so cheesy, and the bread itself is perfect.
This is a great appetizer or dinner! My kids really like it and always wanting me to make it!
This looks so good! It’s a great way change up pizza night!