This Paleo Monkey Bread is perfect for Christmas breakfast or brunch, or any other special occasional brunch. I hope you like how they have a bit of sweetness, without being overly sweet.
When I was in college I had awesome roommates, like seriously awesome! One of my roommates used to make us pull-apart monkey bread, and I was pretty sure she had completed my life. It was so good! She said that it is what her mom would make their family on Christmas morning, and I could see why - it was insanely delicious.
I have never made the monkey bread myself. I don’t have the recipe, and I have never been that ambitious…but I have never forgotten it like I said it completed my life :). In fact, I was going down memory lane the other day. (Just a side note, when I was about 3 years old the name of the street we lived on was Memory Lane.
Our apartment building was right next to a cemetery. I think that name was very appropriate, don't you?) Which made me think about that bread..so I decided I would make my own healthier and simpler version, and that is how this monkey bread, aka cinnamon clover rolls, came to be.
Wow! I am so glad I was ambitious enough to come up with this recipe because they are GOOD! They are only lightly sweetened, instead of dripping in sweetness, like the life completing college bread - BUT I am ok with that, and actually prefer the lightly sweetened version.
Uh, what? (yes, you heard that right, I prefer a little less sugar for this particular recipe :). These rolls are also grain, nut, and gluten-free, being made with high-fiber coconut flour, and surprisingly have a very similar taste and texture to original bread. Plus, they are super-simple to make and require no rising, yeast, or any of those other complicated ingredients or steps.
These provide the best results when served warm out of the oven. If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, and warm before eating…BUT seriously, they are the tastiest right out of the oven.
There is just something special about making a homemade, special breakfast or brunch on Christmas morning that is a really special tradition. Part of it is the smell of the cinnamon and the warmth of the sugar that brings everyone together around the table to talk excitedly about their presents. It can also be a good time of year to reflect on the real reason for the season and finally sit back and relax a little after all the hustling about and getting ready for the big day.
I do recommend you make this gluten free monkey bread once or twice before you plan to make them for your family though, so you will feel fully relaxed and have the recipe down before cooking for everyone. Besides, that just gives you an excuse to eat these a few extra times . . .
Merry Christmas!
Recipe
Paleo Monkey Bread Recipe with Cinnamon Sugar
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Cuisine: Paleo
Description
This monkey bread is the perfect cinnamon sugar clover roll for a sweet breakfast or brunch. I love how they are a little sweet, but not too sweet - but oh, so comforting!
Ingredients
- 1 cup arrowroot flour *
- ½ cup coconut flour *
- 1 tsp Paleo baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk such as almond or cashew milk
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar *
- ½ heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Sift together the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, and salt
- Stir in the eggs, coconut oil, and milk and mix until a dough forms
- Combine the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl
- Roll the dough into individual tablespoon sized balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture
- Place 3 balls into each cup of a well greased muffin tin
- Bake 15-20 minutes and serve warm
Notes
These provide the best results when served warm
Ellen
Can I make dough in advance, and refrigerate it? I assume I’d bring to room temp then pop in the oven when I’m ready to cook. Thx
Rebecca Baron
That probably would work but I haven't tried it. If you do, please come back and let us know how it turns out.
Alisa Shaw
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
Rebecca Baron
Sure!
Jessica H.
Great recipe! A tasty breakfast treat. I added raw pecans on top before baking and served with a drizzle of wildflower honey to make them a little sweeter and stickier. Thank you for sharing.
Amy
Anything I can use to replace the arrowroot (other than tapioca, almond flour, cassava)? I unfortunately can't have these high oxalate flours. 🙁 Would potato starch suffice?
Rebecca Baron
I'm sorry but in this case I don't think potato starch will work.
Katie
What a treat! Thank you so much for this recipe....it’s the perfect amount of sweet 🙂
Rebecca Baron
I'm so glad you like it. Thanks for commenting!
Nadine
Thank you for creating such a delicious recipe. Easy to make and I enjoyed your straight forward prep instructions. Keep up the great work -- I look forward to visiting your blog often.
Rebecca
I'm so glad you like the recipe and the instructions. I hope you find other good recipes and come back often.
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I have never seen little rolls shaped like this before! They are super cute and I bet taste delicious too.. a recipe I need to try!