Golden Bubble Ring
Submitted by tcasar
Golden bubble ring (monkey bread) made from homemade yeast dough balls rolled in butter, cinnamon sugar, and optional nuts, baked in a tube pan until golden and pull-apart tender.
YIELD
1 loafPREP
2 hrsCOOK
40 minREADY
3 hrsThis is monkey bread from scratch. Homemade yeast dough gets shaped into 28 balls, rolled in melted butter, coated in cinnamon sugar, and packed into a greased tube pan with optional chopped nuts scattered between them. After a second rise, they bake into a golden, pull-apart ring where every piece is coated in caramelized, buttery cinnamon sugar.
The kneading step is where the magic happens. A full 8 to 10 minutes of kneading develops the gluten into a smooth, elastic dough that rises high and bakes up soft and pillowy. Shortcut this and the bread comes out dense.
Cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before inverting. This lets the melted sugar firm up just enough to hold the ring together without cementing the balls to the pan.
Kitchen Tips
- Check the milk temperature with a thermometer. It needs to be 115 to 120°F (46 to 49°C) to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot. A turned-off oven with the light on works well.
- Roll all 28 balls before dipping any in butter. Assembly goes faster when you batch the steps.
- Don’t skip the second rise in the pan. It’s what gives the bread its airy, pull-apart texture.
Variations
- Add a cream cheese or powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the top after unmolding.
- Use pecans between the balls for a sticky bun flavor.
- Tuck small pieces of cream cheese inside each dough ball before rolling in cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In large mixing bowl combine 2½ cups of the flour and the yeast.
Heat milk, ½ cup sugar, shortening, and 1 teaspoon salt just until warm (115-120F), stirring constantly until shortening almost melts.
Add to dry mixture; add eggs.
Beat at low speed of electric mixer for ½ minute, scraping bowl.
Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
Shape in ball. Place in greased bowl; turn once.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 1 to 1¼ hours.
Grease a 10-inch tube pan.
Shape dough into 28 balls.
Roll each in melted butter, then in mixture of ¾ cup sugar and cinnamon.
Arrange in pan; sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.
If nuts are used, scatter among the balls as pan is filled.
Let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool in pan 15 to 20 minutes.
Invert on rack; remove pan.
Comments