Canned Crescent Rolls Are Your Ticket To Shortcut Monkey Bread

Monkey bread is, in my opinion, the best version of pull-apart bread that exists. Each sweet piece is the perfect balance of a caramelized crust and soft, pillowy dough with flavors of cinnamon, sugar, and butter. It's a pity that more fast food chains don't offer this as a side (in a savory format such as garlic and herb as well as sweet variations), but monkey bread isn't too difficult to make — especially when you use canned crescent rolls as a shortcut.

There are a lot of unexpected ways to use canned crescent rolls, and turning them into sweet monkey bread completely avoids the hassle of making dough from scratch. Instead of unrolling your canned rolls, cut them into slices straight from the log, before cutting each slice once more. Once you've coated each piece in some cinnamon sugar, pop them in a bundt pan, pour over your buttery caramel sauce, and bake. 

Once you flip it out of the pan, the result will be sticky, soft, caramelized monkey bread — and nobody will suspect the involvement of a canned good. Top it with cream cheese frosting to make it even more indulgent. Or you could even make personal-sized versions using large muffin cups, if you prefer.

When preparing your bundt pan, make sure to grease it well. This will ensure your monkey bread comes out effortlessly after flipping it. For those without a bundt pan, any pan will work — but your baking time might vary. If you want to contrast this bread's soft texture with some crunch, sprinkle some nuts like pecans or walnuts into the pan before adding your dough pieces. 

Adding the caramel sauce is needed to make this pull apart bread sticky and rich, but it's up to you how you want to make it. Melt some caramels in your slow cooker, or make it from scratch by simmering butter, sugar, and heavy cream.

When cutting your crescent rolls, make sure to cut them into similar sized pieces. This will allow each piece to cook evenly and soak up a consistent amount of caramel. To save time, you also can put your cinnamon mixture and dough pieces in a sandwich bag and shake well to coat them efficiently. Monkey bread has the best texture when served warm, so if you're eating it a while after baking, reheat it in the oven, or use your microwave if working with smaller portions.