Eggnog Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread for Christmas Morning
The cinnamon-sugar coating gets into every crease of the dough, while the eggnog sauce sinks through the gaps and turns glossy in the oven. That contrast is what makes this…
Tip: save now, cook later.The cinnamon-sugar coating gets into every crease of the dough, while the eggnog sauce sinks through the gaps and turns glossy in the oven. That contrast is what makes this Christmas morning monkey bread worth pulling apart while it’s still warm. I cut each refrigerated cinnamon roll into four pieces, toss them until the cinnamon sugar clings, and spread them evenly in the Bundt pan so there’s a little of that sweet coating in every bite.
The sauce takes only a few minutes on the stove: butter, brown sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg simmer together until smooth. Pour it over the rolls, then let the oven do the work. The top turns deeply golden, and the center pieces should no longer look doughy when you pull them apart. Finish with the icing from the cans, squeezed over the warm bread, and set it on the table for everyone to tear into.
Kitchen Note
I let the bread rest in the Bundt pan for the full 10 minutes before turning it out. The short wait gives the warm pieces a chance to settle, so they’re less likely to break apart when you invert the pan.
Save this eggnog cinnamon roll monkey bread for Christmas morning, when warm cinnamon-sugar pieces and a buttery eggnog sauce belong on the table.
Why the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating and Eggnog Sauce Stay Separate
The dough gets two distinct layers of sweetness, and each has a different job. Granulated sugar and cinnamon coat the cut surfaces before the pieces go into the pan. The buttery brown sugar sauce is poured over everything afterward, so it can flow into the spaces between those coated pieces as the bread bakes. If you skip tossing the dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and rely on the sauce alone, the cinnamon won’t be distributed through the bread in the same way.
That order also helps you spot a problem before it reaches the oven. The roll pieces should look evenly dusted, not buried in clumps of cinnamon sugar at the bottom of the bowl. Arrange them evenly in the Bundt pan rather than packing them all into one section. The sauce is smooth when it goes on, and it settles around the dough instead of sitting as a thick puddle on top. Together, those separate layers make the finished bread sticky between the pieces without losing the familiar cinnamon-roll taste.
What the Cinnamon Rolls, Eggnog, and Brown Sugar Bring to the Pan
- Refrigerated cinnamon rolls — The rolls provide the dough and the icing in one package, which keeps this pull-apart bread simple to assemble. Cut each roll into four pieces so the chunks can be coated and tucked around the pan. Keep the icing packets for the finish; they’re meant to go over the baked bread, not into the sauce.
- Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon — Tossing the dough pieces in this mixture puts cinnamon right on their surfaces before the sauce goes on. Break up any cinnamon clumps in the bowl as you mix, so the coating doesn’t collect on only a few pieces. Fresh, fragrant cinnamon makes the coating more aromatic, but there’s no need for an expensive specialty variety.
- Unsalted butter and light brown sugar — These melt together into the rich base of the sauce. Packed brown sugar gives the mixture its caramel-like sweetness, while unsalted butter keeps the final result from tasting saltier than intended. Use butter that’s fresh and smells clean; it’s a main part of the sauce’s flavor.
- Eggnog and ground nutmeg — Eggnog adds a creamy, spiced note to the sauce, and nutmeg reinforces that flavor. Stir both into the melted butter and brown sugar so they’re incorporated before the sauce simmers. A carton of regular eggnog works here; the cinnamon rolls already bring plenty of cinnamon to the finished bread.
Building the Monkey Bread Without Leaving a Doughy Center
Coat the Pieces Before They Go in the Pan
Heat the oven to 350°F and generously coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each cinnamon roll into four pieces, then toss the pieces in a large bowl with the granulated sugar and cinnamon until coated. Arrange the pieces evenly in the prepared pan instead of piling them into one area. An even layer gives the sauce room to run through the dough as the bread bakes.
Simmer the Eggnog Sauce Until Smooth
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the packed light brown sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while stirring; it should look smooth rather than grainy. Cook it for 2 minutes, continuing to stir so the sugar doesn’t settle and scorch on the bottom. If the sauce starts boiling hard, lower the heat rather than letting it bubble aggressively.
Bake Until the Middle Pieces Are Ready
Pour the sauce evenly over the cinnamon roll pieces, then transfer the Bundt pan to the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the outside is deeply golden and the pieces in the center are no longer doughy when pulled apart. Color alone isn’t enough: the middle is the last place to finish, so check a piece from the center before taking the pan out. If it still looks raw inside, give the bread more time in the oven.
Rest, Invert, and Add the Icing
Let the baked monkey bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Keep the plate close to the pan as you turn it so the bread doesn’t have far to fall. Squeeze the icing included with the cinnamon rolls over the warm bread and serve. The icing will soften over the warm surface and run into the crevices.
Three Small Changes for a Different Finish
Leave Out the Nutmeg
Omit the ground nutmeg from the sauce if you prefer a more straightforward eggnog-and-cinnamon flavor. The sauce still has its buttery brown sugar base, but it loses the warm, earthy note that nutmeg brings.
Use a Lighter Icing Finish
Squeeze on only part of the icing packet if you want the eggnog sauce and cinnamon to stand out more. You’ll still get sweet ribbons across the top, with less icing pooling between the warm pieces.
Make a Dairy-Free Version
Use refrigerated cinnamon rolls with dairy-free icing, dairy-free stick butter, and dairy-free eggnog in the same amounts. The cinnamon-sugar coating stays the same, while the sauce will have a different richness depending on the butter and eggnog you choose. The roll dough and icing also need to be dairy-free for this adaptation.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Cover leftovers and refrigerate within 2 hours. They’ll keep for up to 4 days; the chilled sauce firms up and the bread becomes denser.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled portions in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator for more even reheating.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave in short intervals until heated through. Avoid a long blast of heat, which can make the dough tough and the icing runny.
Questions That Come Up Before the First Pull-Apart Piece
Eggnog Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread for Christmas Morning
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Generously coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut each cinnamon roll into 4 pieces.
- Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl, then toss the pieces in the mixture to coat.
- Arrange the coated pieces evenly in the pan.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar, eggnog, and nutmeg; bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, and cook for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the rolls and bake for 40–45 minutes, until deeply golden and the pieces in the center are no longer doughy when pulled apart.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Invert onto a serving plate.
- Squeeze the icing included with the cinnamon rolls over the warm monkey bread and serve.