I made a Blueberry Monkey Bread with layers of soft homemade dough, a sweet, tangy blueberry sauce and a cream cheese glaze, and I included it under What To Make With Bread Dough to spark your curiosity.

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I still remember the first time I pulled apart a Blueberry Monkey Bread, the sauce oozed out and I was hooked. This version stacks soft homemade dough with a sweet tangy blueberry sauce and a cream cheese glaze that slides into every nook.

I use warm milk in the dough so it proofs faster and the crumb ends up pillowy, and I can never skip cream cheese in the glaze because it adds that bright counterpoint to all the sweetness. If you like Fresh Blueberry Bread or a Blueberry Muffin Bake, this one borrows those vibes but is way more shareable and messy.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: mostly carbs, some protein, adds structure but not much fibre.
Blueberries: fresh or frozen, low calorie, vitamins and fiber, give sweet tart burst and color.
Butter: rich in fat, makes dough tender and shiny, adds buttery flavor and mouthfeel.
Sugar: sweetens everything, mostly empty calories, helps with browning and caramel notes.
Yeast: alive little organisms that leaven dough, give airy texture and subtle tang.
Cream cheese: adds creaminess and tang to glaze, gives rich mouthfeel, balances sweetness.
Lemon juice: bright acid that lifts fruit flavor, cuts richness, gives fresh zip.

Ingredient Quantities

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 440 g)

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 7 g packet)

1 cup warm milk about 110 F / 240 ml

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

1 large egg room temp

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional but nice

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar for the blueberry sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons cold water for slurry

2 tablespoons unsalted butter for the sauce

1/2 cup granulated sugar for coating

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted for tossing the dough pieces

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream to thin the glaze

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze

Pinch of salt

How to Make this

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1. Warm 1 cup milk to about 110 F and sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1/4 cup granulated sugar over it, let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if it doesnt foam your yeast may be dead, start over.

2. In a big bowl whisk the foamy milk with 1 large room temp egg, 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled butter, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir in 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic; you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook 4 to 5 minutes. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

4. While dough rises make the blueberry sauce: in a small saucepan combine 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into the berries, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and simmer gently until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. If using frozen berries, thaw and drain a bit first so the sauce isnt too watery. Cool to room temp.

5. Preheat oven to 350 F and generously butter a 10 or 12 cup bundt or tube pan. In a shallow bowl mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if you like it spicy.

6. Punch down the dough, divide into about 30 golfball sized pieces (smaller or larger is fine). Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a shallow dish. Working quick, dip each dough ball in melted butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat, place a layer of coated balls in the bottom of the prepared pan.

7. Spoon some of the cooled blueberry sauce in between layers as you build, but dont drown the dough; reserve a few tablespoons of sauce to drizzle on top before baking so you get pockets of blueberry in the middle and on top. Keep layering until all dough and sauce are used, ending with a sugar-coated top.

8. Cover the pan loosely and let the assembled monkey bread rest 20 to 30 minutes while oven finishes preheating, just so it gets a little puff. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean or internal temp about 190 F. If top browns too quickly tent with foil.

9. Cool the bread in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Meanwhile beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the warm loaf and serve pull-apart style. Enjoy warm, its best the day you make it.

Equipment Needed

1. Instant-read thermometer (check milk at 110 F and the loaf at about 190 F)
2. 10- or 12-cup bundt or tube pan, well buttered
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Stand mixer with dough hook or a clean, lightly floured counter for hand kneading
5. Small saucepan for the blueberry sauce
6. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like precision)
7. Shallow dish for melted butter and a small bowl for the cornstarch slurry
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping
9. Wire cooling rack and a serving plate for inverting the bread

FAQ

Q: Can I use frozen blueberries?

A: Yes, you can. Use them straight from the freezer so they dont turn to mush and colour the dough too much. Toss frozen berries lightly in a little flour or cornstarch before adding, or simmer them into the sauce until thick so they hold up better while baking.

Q: My dough is sticky or too wet, what do I do?

A: Add flour a tablespoon at a time while kneading until it’s tacky but not gummy. Warm proofing helps too, keep the dough in a draft free warm spot (about 75 F). If it still wont rise check your yeast, it might be dead if the milk was too hot or too cold.

Q: How do I stop the bottom from getting soggy from the blueberry sauce?

A: Thicken the sauce well with the cornstarch slurry before pouring, and let it cool a bit so it isnt boiling hot. Also coat the dough pieces in the cinnamon sugar and butter — that creates a little barrier. Bake until deep golden and the middle feels set.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it?

A: Yes. You can assemble and refrigerate the unbaked loaf overnight, then bake next morning (add a few extra minutes). To freeze, shape and flash freeze the balls on a tray, then store in a bag; assemble from frozen and add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.

Q: Any good substitutions for butter, eggs or dairy?

A: Use a vegan butter for a dairy free version and swap milk for almond or oat milk. Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water). Texture changes a bit but it still works great.

Q: Best way to reheat and serve leftovers?

A: Warm slices in a 325 F oven for 8 to 12 minutes or microwave a single piece 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon fresh glaze or extra warm blueberry sauce over the top before serving, it makes it taste like it was just baked.

Blueberry Monkey Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: Use bread flour 1:1 for a chewier, taller loaf; or replace up to 50% with whole wheat (add a splash more liquid since whole wheat soaks more); for gluten free use a cup for cup GF blend with xanthan gum, you may need slightly less liquid.
Active dry yeast: Swap with instant (rapid rise) yeast 1:1, you can skip the proofing step and mix straight in; or use fresh yeast at about 3 times the weight of active dry (7 g dry ≈ 21 g fresh) and dissolve in warm water before using.
Milk: Sub in buttermilk 1:1 for extra tang and tenderness, but reduce added lemon in the sauce if you want less tang; or use unsweetened almond or oat milk 1:1 for dairy free, same temp for proofing is helpful.
Cream cheese (for the glaze): Use mascarpone 1:1 for a richer smoother glaze; or swap with full fat Greek yogurt thickened by straining, use slightly less yogurt and maybe a touch more powdered sugar to match consistency and tang.

Pro Tips

1) Yeast is fickle. If the milk/yeast combo doesn’t foam in 8 to 10 minutes your milk was probably too hot or too cold, or the yeast is dead. Use a thermometer (around 110 F), try again with fresh yeast, or swap to instant yeast and add it straight to the dry ingredients.

2) Keep the blueberry filling thick and restrained. Cook the berries until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, and if you use frozen berries thaw and drain first. Toss the berries with a little cornstarch or flour before adding heat so the sauce wont make the dough soggy, and reserve some chunkier bits to drop in for pockets of flavor.

3) Make uniform dough balls and work fast. An ice cream scoop or tablespoon gives even sizes so everything bakes the same. Dip each ball quickly in butter, don’t let them soak, and roll right into the sugar. For surprise bites press a small dent in a few balls and add just a dab of blueberry so you get bursts without drowning the loaf.

4) Watch browning and finish temps, not just time. Tent with foil if the top’s getting too dark, and check doneness with a skewer or an instant read thermometer (aim for a nicely set interior). Let the pan cool briefly so the loaf holds together, and if the glaze is too loose chill it a bit so it sets while still tasting creamy.

Blueberry Monkey Bread Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

414

kcal

Equipment: 1. Instant-read thermometer (check milk at 110 F and the loaf at about 190 F)
2. 10- or 12-cup bundt or tube pan, well buttered
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Stand mixer with dough hook or a clean, lightly floured counter for hand kneading
5. Small saucepan for the blueberry sauce
6. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like precision)
7. Shallow dish for melted butter and a small bowl for the cornstarch slurry
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping
9. Wire cooling rack and a serving plate for inverting the bread

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (about 440 g)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 7 g packet)
1 cup warm milk about 110 F / 240 ml
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
1 large egg room temp
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional but nice
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar for the blueberry sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons cold water for slurry
2 tablespoons unsalted butter for the sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar for coating
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted for tossing the dough pieces
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream to thin the glaze
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze
Pinch of salt

Directions

Warm 1 cup milk to about 110 F and sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1/4 cup granulated sugar over it, let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if it doesnt foam your yeast may be dead, start over.
In a big bowl whisk the foamy milk with 1 large room temp egg, 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled butter, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir in 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic; you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook 4 to 5 minutes. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
While dough rises make the blueberry sauce: in a small saucepan combine 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into the berries, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and simmer gently until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. If using frozen berries, thaw and drain a bit first so the sauce isnt too watery. Cool to room temp.
Preheat oven to 350 F and generously butter a 10 or 12 cup bundt or tube pan. In a shallow bowl mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if you like it spicy.
Punch down the dough, divide into about 30 golfball sized pieces (smaller or larger is fine). Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a shallow dish. Working quick, dip each dough ball in melted butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat, place a layer of coated balls in the bottom of the prepared pan.
Spoon some of the cooled blueberry sauce in between layers as you build, but dont drown the dough; reserve a few tablespoons of sauce to drizzle on top before baking so you get pockets of blueberry in the middle and on top. Keep layering until all dough and sauce are used, ending with a sugar-coated top.
Cover the pan loosely and let the assembled monkey bread rest 20 to 30 minutes while oven finishes preheating, just so it gets a little puff. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean or internal temp about 190 F. If top browns too quickly tent with foil.
Cool the bread in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Meanwhile beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the warm loaf and serve pull-apart style. Enjoy warm, its best the day you make it.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.