Two weeks ago the Urban Vegan, Dynise Balcavage, posted a mouth-watering recipe for monkey bread that I knew I had to make the moment I saw it. The timing of the recipe couldn't have been better - I was looking for something sweet to make for the week, and I came thisclose to making my cinnamon rolls for lack of inspiration (not that my cinnamon rolls aren't delicious, but I was hoping for something new to pique my baking interest). This monkey bread was exactly what I was looking for - something I've never made (but something I've seen non-vegan versions of throughout the midwest); the promise of cinnamon & sugar (one of the best combos ever); and, I have to admit, since getting over my fear of baking with yeast about two years ago, I crave yeast-based treats.I ended up making these on a Sunday, and few days are as perfect for baking with yeast as Sundays. Dynise's recipe is very straightforward. I used apple cider in place of the orange juice because it's what I had on hand. Also, after the first hour my dough hadn't risen enough, so I let it rise for an additional 50 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
These. Are. So. Good. I intended to get more photos of these in smaller dishes, but as soon as they were dished out they were consumed. The monkey bread is a good idea for holiday brunches with family - make it the day before and then heat it up in the oven right before serving to get it all warm and gooey. I'm pretty excited to have a new dessert/brunch staple, and anyone hanging out with me in the next few months will definitely get to enjoy some yummy monkey bread.
