Imagine pulling apart warm, cinnamon-sugar coated dough balls studded with tangy blueberry sauce and topped with a dreamy dairy-free glaze—this is the blueberry monkey bread that makes brunch feel special without the fuss.
⚡ Quick Recipe Snapshot: Prep: 1 hr 45 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 2 hr 10 min | Yield: 4–5 servings | Difficulty: Medium | Cuisine: American | Calories: 660 per serving | Season: Anytime
Why This Recipe Works
- Smart shortcut dough: No yeast, no rising stress—just a simple gluten-free batter that chills and bakes in one go.
- Texture magic: Layers of cinnamon-sugar dough balls, bright blueberry sauce, and a creamy glaze create that pull-apart, gooey experience everyone loves.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prep the dough and sauce the night before, assemble in the morning, and bake fresh when you’re ready.
Grocery List (& Shortcuts)
Main Players
- 1 cup frozen blueberries (no thawing needed)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup Natural SunButter (or almond butter)
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp warm water)
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 oz dairy-free cream cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp almond milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (for blueberry sauce)
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp tapioca or corn starch
- 3 tbsp water
Smart Shortcut: Use mini bundt pans or small ramekins—they bake evenly and look impressive with zero extra effort.
Substitutions: Not gluten-free? Swap regular all-purpose flour for the GF blend. Prefer regular cream cheese? Use it in the glaze. Don’t have SunButter? Almond butter, tahini, or even peanut butter work beautifully.
Step-by-Step
Make the Blueberry Sauce
Combine frozen blueberries and 2 tbsp sweetener in a saucepan over medium heat. Let them warm and bubble gently for a few minutes. Whisk together water, lemon juice, and tapioca starch in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the starch mixture into the bubbling blueberries and stir constantly. Cook on medium-low for 5–8 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer to a jar and let cool completely—it will thicken more as it cools. This can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Build the Dough
Prepare your flax egg by stirring 1 tbsp flax meal with 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes to gel. Beat together applesauce, SunButter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and the flax egg using a hand mixer until well combined. Add gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a thick dough forms—it should hold together but not be sticky. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to overnight).
Assemble and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease 3 mini bundt pans or 4 small ramekins generously with nonstick spray. Mix coconut sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Pinch off about 2 tsp of chilled dough and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Layer the coated balls into your pans, then spoon some blueberry sauce over the first layer. Repeat with a second layer of dough balls and more sauce. If using bundt pans, place sauce on the bottom since you’ll flip them out. Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for 24–25 minutes until golden and set. The tops should feel slightly firm but still tender.
Glaze and Serve
Cool for 15 minutes. Beat dairy-free cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond milk until creamy and drizzle-able. Drizzle generously over warm monkey breads right before serving.
June’s Tips
Texture is everything: Don’t overbake—the dough balls should still feel tender when you pull them apart. A few extra minutes in the oven can dry them out, so set a timer and trust it.
Sauce thickness fix: If your blueberry sauce is too thin after cooling, whisk in another 1/2 tsp tapioca starch mixed with 1 tbsp water and heat gently for 1 minute. If it’s too thick, thin with a splash of water.
Make-ahead magic: Assemble the monkey breads in their pans the night before, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge—just add 2–3 minutes to the bake time. The glaze can be made up to 4 hours ahead and drizzled on just before serving.
Storage & Leftovers
Fridge: Store cooled monkey breads in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 10–12 minutes until warm, or microwave individual portions for 30–45 seconds.
Freezer: Freeze baked (unglazed) monkey breads in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above. Drizzle with fresh glaze before serving.
Can I use fresh blueberries instead of frozen?
Yes! Fresh blueberries work beautifully. Use about 1 1/4 cups fresh berries since they contain more water. The sauce may take a minute or two longer to thicken.
What if I don’t have mini bundt pans?
Small ramekins, a muffin tin, or even a regular bundt pan work great. Just adjust bake time slightly—a full bundt may need 30–35 minutes. You won’t flip a regular pan, so enjoy it right-side up.
Is this recipe really dairy-free and gluten-free?
Yes, as written! But feel free to swap in regular cream cheese and all-purpose flour if you prefer. The recipe is flexible and forgiving.
Can I make the dough without a hand mixer?
Absolutely. Whisk the wet ingredients together, then fold in the dry ingredients with a sturdy spoon or spatula until combined. It takes a bit more elbow grease, but the result is the same.
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Save This Recipe & Tell Me How It Went!
This blueberry monkey bread is the kind of cozy, pull-apart treat that brings people to the table. Whether you’re hosting brunch or sneaking a slice with your morning coffee, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Save this recipe, give it a try, and drop a comment below—tell me if you added any fun twists or how your family devoured it. With something sweet,
June
Blueberry Monkey Bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine frozen blueberries and 2 tbsp sweetener in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk together water, lemon juice, and tapioca starch in a small bowl until smooth.
- Pour the starch mixture into the bubbling blueberries and stir constantly.
- Cook on medium-low for 5–8 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer to a jar and let cool completely.
- Prepare your flax egg by stirring 1 tbsp flax meal with 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl.
- Beat together applesauce, SunButter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and the flax egg until well combined.
- Add gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a thick dough forms.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Grease mini bundt pans or small ramekins generously with nonstick spray.
- Mix coconut sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Pinch off about 2 tsp of dough and roll into a ball, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
- Layer the coated balls into your pans, spoon blueberry sauce over each layer.
- Repeat with a second layer of dough balls and more sauce.
- Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for 24–25 minutes until golden and set.
- Cool for 15 minutes.
- Beat dairy-free cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond milk until creamy.
- Drizzle generously over warm monkey breads right before serving.