Strawberry Monkey Bread: Sweet and Sticky Dessert

Name: Strawberry Monkey Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough ((340 g cans)); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ cup dark brown sugar; ½ cup butter ((1 stick, melted)); 2 cups fresh strawberries ((chopped)); 4 oz cream cheese ((cubed and softened)); 2 tablespoons strawberry jam; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 1 tablespoon heavy cream

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Tender biscuit pieces layered with fresh strawberries, cream cheese, and a sticky brown sugar glaze—this is the pull-apart bread that feels like dessert but comes together in under an hour with zero fuss.

Why This Recipe Works

Shortcut magic: Canned biscuit dough means you skip the yeast rising and kneading—this is weeknight-friendly dessert that doesn’t feel like it.
Texture heaven: Crispy-edged biscuit pieces, pockets of jammy strawberries, and creamy cheese cubes create that addictive pull-apart experience.
Flexible and forgiving: Layer it however you like, and a 10-minute cool before flipping keeps it from falling apart—no precision required.

Grocery List (& Shortcuts)

Main Players

2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough (340 g cans)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Smart Shortcut: Use a gallon zip-lock bag to coat the biscuit quarters in cinnamon sugar—way less mess than a bowl, and honestly faster.

Substitutions That Work

Dairy-free: Swap cream cheese for dairy-free cream cheese and use coconut cream in the glaze.
Different berries: Raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries work beautifully—adjust jam flavor to match.
No almond extract: Vanilla extract is a perfect 1:1 swap.

Step-by-Step

Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a Bundt pan with non-stick spray. Set aside ¼ cup of your chopped strawberries for garnish later.

Coat the Biscuits

Quarter all the biscuits from both cans. In a very large bowl (or that gallon zip-lock bag), whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Toss the biscuit pieces until every piece is coated in that sweet, spiced mixture. This is the foundation of your texture, so don’t skip the thorough coating.

Build the Layers

Whisk together the melted butter and dark brown sugar in a small bowl—set aside. Now the fun part: layer your Bundt pan. Start with a handful of cinnamon-sugar biscuit pieces, then scatter some strawberry pieces and cream cheese cubes over them. Repeat this pattern, layering generously, until the pan is about ¾ full or you’ve used most of your ingredients. End with a final layer of biscuit pieces on top.

Bake

Drizzle that brown sugar butter evenly over the entire top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and you can see the edges pulling slightly away from the pan. The kitchen will smell absolutely incredible.

Cool and Flip

Let the monkey bread cool for 10 minutes—this is crucial. It gives the structure just enough time to set so it doesn’t fall apart when you flip it. Place a serving plate over the Bundt pan and flip it confidently. The whole thing should slide right out.

Make the Glaze

Whisk together the softened cream cheese, strawberry jam, powdered sugar, almond extract, and heavy cream in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. If the cream cheese is still a little stiff, microwave the bowl for 30 seconds to soften it further.

Finish

Drizzle the strawberry cream generously over the warm monkey bread and scatter those reserved strawberry pieces on top for a pretty finish.

Harper’s Tips

Texture is everything: Don’t skip the 10-minute cool time before flipping. It’s the difference between a beautiful pull-apart bread and a crumbly mess. Trust the process.
Cream cheese hack: If your cream cheese is cold straight from the fridge, soften it in the microwave for 15–20 seconds before cubing. It distributes better through the layers and melts into pockets of creaminess as it bakes.
Make-ahead win: Assemble the whole thing the night before, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Bake straight from cold—just add 5 minutes to the bake time. Perfect for weekend brunch prep.

Storage & Leftovers

Fridge: Cover any leftovers loosely with foil and store for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to warm through without drying it out.

Freezer: This one doesn’t freeze beautifully once assembled and baked, so enjoy it fresh. However, you can freeze unbaked assembled monkey bread for up to 2 months—just add 10 minutes to the bake time when cooking from frozen.

Can I use fresh strawberries instead of frozen?

Absolutely—fresh strawberries are what this recipe was built for. They’ll release a little juice as the bread bakes, which is part of the magic. Just make sure they’re not too wet; pat them dry with a paper towel if needed.

What if my Bundt pan is smaller or larger than standard?

A standard Bundt holds about 12 cups. If yours is different, fill it about ¾ full and bake until golden. You might have leftover biscuit mixture, which you can bake separately on a sheet pan as little pull-apart bites.

Can I make this in a regular cake pan instead?

Yes, but you won’t get that gorgeous Bundt shape. Use a 9×13-inch pan and bake the same way. It’ll be just as delicious, just a different presentation.

Is there a way to make this less sweet?

Reduce the granulated sugar to ¾ cup and use less of the strawberry cream glaze. The bread will still be sweet from the biscuits and berries, just a bit more balanced.

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Save This Recipe & Tell Me How It Went!

This strawberry monkey bread is the kind of dessert that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen—and we’re not going to tell them otherwise. Snap a photo, save this recipe, and come back to tell me how your version turned out. Did you use a different berry? Make it ahead? I’d love to hear what worked for your kitchen.