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Cheesy Pizza Monkey Bread Recipe

Pizza Monkey Bread Recipe

A fun and cheesy pull-apart bread made with pizza dough, garlic butter, pepperoni, and melted mozzarella. Perfect for sharing as a party appetizer or a fun family meal, served with marinara sauce for dipping.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 602

Ingredients
  

  • 900 g ready-made refrigerated pizza dough
  • 115 g unsalted butter melted
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 150 g sliced pepperoni roughly chopped
  • 250 g block low-moisture mozzarella cheese grated
  • 50 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • Pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping

Method
 

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Generously grease a 2.5-litre (10-cup) Bundt tin with butter or a non-stick cooking spray. Place it on a larger baking tray to catch any potential drips.
  2. Create the Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Dough: Unroll the pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into approximately 40-50 small, bite-sized pieces (around 2-3 cm each).
  4. Coat the Dough: Place the dough pieces into a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic butter mixture over them and gently toss with your hands until every piece is evenly coated. What works best for me is to get my hands in there to make sure no piece is left dry.
  5. Layer the Ingredients: Begin assembling the monkey bread. Scatter about a third of the coated dough pieces into the bottom of the prepared Bundt tin. Top this with a third of the chopped pepperoni, a third of the grated mozzarella, and a third of the grated Parmesan.
  6. Repeat the Layers: Continue layering twice more with the remaining dough, pepperoni, mozzarella, and Parmesan until all ingredients are used up, ending with a final sprinkle of cheese on top.
  7. Bake Until Golden: Transfer the Bundt tin (on its baking tray) to the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown and the dough is cooked through. You can test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre; it should come out clean.
  8. Rest Before Serving: Carefully remove the tin from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This is a crucial step to allow the cheese to set slightly, which helps the bread hold its shape.
  9. Invert and Serve: Place a large serving plate or board over the top of the Bundt tin. With oven gloves on, carefully and confidently flip it over. The monkey bread should release easily. Serve immediately with a bowl of warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Notes

Letting the bread rest in the tin for 10 minutes before inverting is crucial. This step allows the cheese to set slightly, helping the monkey bread hold its shape.