This Pumpkin Brioche Whiskey Caramel Monkey Bread is made with pumpkin brioche mixed with a whiskey caramel sauce to make monkey bread.
This Pumpkin Brioche Whiskey Caramel Monkey Bread is definitely a show stopper.
It’s they type of dish you serve when you want to impress someone when hosting brunch.
However, the actual name monkey bread isn’t all that appetizing.
Especially considering the fact that monkey bread gets its name because of monkeys.
More so what monkeys do.
Monkeys groom each other.
Which looks like they are picking things off of their buddy…because they are.
And so someone thought to name a breakfast treat after it.
Because you pull it apart like the monkey’s groom.
So as you can see…it’s a stupid choice to name it after that.
Yet, they did.
This particular monkey bread starts by making a pumpkin brioche.
Which is yummy all by itself.
But you ball up the dough instead.
Throw in some yummy whisky caramel glaze.
Bake it all up.
And get this pumpkin yummy magic.
P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!
Want More Monkey Bread Recipes?
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Monkey Bread
Pumpkin Brioche Whisky Caramel Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 recipe Pumpkin Brioche
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 TBSP honey
- 1 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3 TBSP Whiskey
- Pumpkin Brioche:
- For the Sponge:
- ¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup bread flour
- For the Dough:
- 5 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- For the Sponge:
- Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment ans whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, and flour, forming a thick batter. Cover with plastic film and let rest in a warm environment until bubbles form, 30-40 minutes.
- For the Dough:
- Add the flour and salt to the sponge, then add the eggs. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are absorbed. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will begin to slap around. Hold on to the mixer when necessary.
- On medium-low speed, add the butter, 2 TBSP at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.(Recipe did not say to, but I switched to the dough hook at this point). Knead until the dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape out the dough, wash and dry the bowl, and coat it lightly with oil.
- Place dough in the oiled bowl and turn it so that the top is coated with oil. Cover with plastic film and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
- After the dough has doubled in volume, press down to deflate, folding one half into the other. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This is the second rise.
- Remove brioche dough (that has chilled overnight) from the fridge.
- Divide evenly into 20 pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball and allow to proof on the bench for 1-2 hours in a warm place, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
- Make the caramel:
- Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk the mixture as the butter melts completely.
- Continue whisking until the sugar has melted and the caramel is homogenous. Remove from heat and add whiskey.
- Grease a loaf pan with butter and pour about 1/3 of the caramel into the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Once the dough has proofed (the pieces should feel light, like soft, fragile pillows filled with air), combine sugar, spice, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl.
- Gently toss the balls of dough, a few at a time, in the sugar mixture.
- Place 10 of them gently into the bottom of the prepared pan, taking care not to squeeze them too close together.
- Sprinkle about 1/2 of the sugar mixture over the tops, then pour 1/3 of the caramel over them. Repeat to form a second layer of dough balls and top with any remaining sugar mixture and caramel.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven on a sheet tray to catch any overflowing caramel.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes, until the top crust is nicely browned, and a thermometer inserted in the center reads 210 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, and invert only a plate to serve.
- This bread is at its best if consumed shortly after baking, and may need to be placed in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes if it has cooled too much, to loosen the caramel.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Great post and a great challenge as well! Totally want to dive into that bread.
Heather says
This sounds great. I’m trying to find a world of balance between feeling good and healthy, and enjoying food and cooking…my true passions. This sounds like a great start to finding real world solutions. Thanks!
Gwyn says
Wow, this recipe sounds amazing!!! I will add to my list of to try some day!! I really loved your post, keep up the good work.
Alice says
That monkey bread looks divine – you had me at whiskey!
I, too, can relate to the poor body image of the 20s to gradually coming to a better acceptance now that I’m about to leave my 30s. I don’t think I could really explain how I got here other than learning that life goes on regardless of how good I look in a bikini. I joined the challenge because it sounds like fun and I think it’s important to always remember to love yourself – regardless of where we fall on the body image spectrum.
KB says
Monkey bread is so delicious I didn’t think it could get better…until now. And monkey bread is breakfast food, right? Right?? 😉
Honestly, it’s not self-consciousness that makes me doubt anyone would want to see me naked. I don’t even want to see me naked. I look a lot more normal with clothes on! 🙂 I’m going to look into the Live More Weigh Less challenge, though. I don’t need the weigh less, but living more and learning to love myself more are both something I’ll learn whatever I can about. Thanks for sharing it, Peabody. And thanks for not being afraid of TMI on a public blog!
Carrie says
You kick so much ass Peabody. Thanks for the challenge suggestion and the kick ass recipe. xoxox
Sarah C says
Love the post, drooling over the monkey bread, joined the challenge.
Rachel says
I’ve been following your Love Your Body posts on Pinterest and the blog and the Live More Weigh Less campaign sounds like a great idea! I’ve never particularly had very good body image, though not totally hating on myself, I could always improve. On a second note, that bread looks so awesome, I think even my pumpkin-hating husband would eat it.
Peabody says
@rachel- it does not have a strong pumpkin flavor at all…it just makes for the BEST brioche. So soft.
stephanie says
Great post!
Zazzy says
I’ve been reading your love your body posts and I wish I could be like that. I think that I accept who I am but my friends say that my acceptance is really negative, and I suppose it is. I’m trying to approach eating from a different angle. I’ve been afraid of food for so long that I binge/starve and probably end up eating more than I would naturally. So, I’m cooking again.
Your pumpkin brioche looks wonderful and made into monkey bread? Oh my. Anything with pumpkin is good.
Peabody says
@Zazzy- such a hard cycle that we get into. And I hear you about eating more than if you just ate normal. You trigger something in your brain.
It’s like the study of Fun Sized candy bars. They found that a woman wont eat a regular sized Snickers…but will eat on average 5 Fun Sized Snickers…which equals ALMOST 2 FULL Snickers.
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
My youngest daughter has had such struggles with body image yet I’ve always thought her so beautiful; guess that’s the way moms are. AT 5’10” tall, she still felt FAT when she weighed 175 pounds. Look at a height and weight chart; she was anything but, however, hearing 110 and 120 as somehow ideal weights always made an impression. She finally quit eating her sorrows and started to simply walk her dog every day. Which turned to running once a week. Winter came and she thought a gym membership would be a good idea. Fast forward 3 years? She is in great shape and it wasn’t about sacrifice, it was learning more about her own body and her body metabolism and how movement was the key. How much does she weigh now? I think about 155. Which still is not 110 but now I think she has started to realize that at her height those cited weights will never be ideal for her body.
Sadly she was diagnosed with breast cancer this past March. Far too young, yes, but amazing how she has handled it and everyone, including her doctors credit her overall good health with how she has fought this monster. She just finished chemo and yes, her gorgeous long hair is gone but so is the cancer…this fight for her life has put so much into perspective for Lauren and she more clearly sees what really matters. 110 is no longer one of those things and for that I am so grateful.
Megan P. says
Sounds awesome! Just a thought for the whiskey part of the recipe… Maple Crown Royal. I picked up a bottle for my dad as a gift only to discover that he had already tried it and didn’t like it as a drinking item, so I turned it into walnut chocolate chip cookies and they are phenomenal. I bet it would add a nice twist to the already autumny feel of the dish and one of the mini bottles would be more than enough!
Becca from Cookie Jar Treats says
The challenge sounds interesting, so I think I will definitely be checking it out 🙂 Also because of you and your pins and just the way you talk about self-love on your blog I feel as if I love my body a tinsy bit more each day. So I thank you for that 🙂
I can’t wait t try this pumpkin bread thing! It looks so delicious! I just hope I will have time to work with yeast while still in school for the fall. Maybe during my fall break I will attempt it!
Loren says
I realize this post is a year old..but found you searching for recipes. Thanks love the monkey bread and your post. I am a new follower:). Yikes though !! The Live More Weigh Less thing however made me look cross eyed and hit a raw nerve. I took the “challenge” last year and I have to say it was quite silly, however, i suppose it was “fun”. I really didn’t need anyone to tell me to buy myself flowers or go out with my girl friends. Maybe some people do, so it’s a good thing. I “get ” the concept but really ?? If you want to lose weight buying yourself flowers , drinking wine, wearing red lipstick ( I look like a vampire in red ) just wont cut it. It takes hard work, sacrifice, determination, proper nutrition information to lose weight. I noticed that Sarah changed her tune since putting on weight. I guess that the “be happy” ,”be rich” , “hire lots of help” part isn’t working for her either . It doesn’t matter to me how much she weighs. If she happy than she is happy and that’s what her program is about , isn’t it? I do resent that she charges $1500 for her program to tell me to “have a life” . What the hell is the $1500 for that i cannot find in a magazine ?
Cinny says
I think this looks yummy! Do you have a recipe for the pumpkin brioche it requires?
Peabody says
@Cinny the recipe for the brioche is in the recipe, if you read through the whole thing you can see it.