Gooey Gorilla Bread

Normally, one of the first things I have my students make in a foods lab is Monkey Bread. I have this simple and yummy, microwave Monkey Bread, that works perfect to give my kiddos at school a little experience in the kitchen. Well, I have a new class this semester and half of my kiddos have already made that Monkey Bread recipe. So, I had to find something new to make.

I came across this Gorilla Monkey Bread recipe, and thought it would be perfect for the first kitchen lab. It is simple to make, but has a few more steps, more ingredients to measure and you use the oven instead of the microwave. Plus, it is rich and delicious. So delicious, that NONE of my kiddos even offered me a bite when they made theirs.

That was fine by me, it gave me an excuse to come home and make my own. I thought this morning would be the perfect morning to make it for my family. I was thinking, I would make them a piece of ooey gooey Gorilla Monkey Bread, and they would be ready to shovel the driveway with that 8 to 10 inches of snow we were suppose to get.

Although we did not get the snow, (and that is ok with me), my kiddos inhaled these warm cinnamon nuggets of cream cheesiness.

By the time I finally got a decent picture of the finished bread, it was already half gone. (I hid a couple of nuggets for me for later..shhhhh)

Anywho, if you are looking for a special breakfast or brunch treat, you should give this one a try.

Here is what you need to make this recipe:

You will need two cans of biscuits, some cream cheese, butter, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans or walnuts if you want.

The first thing to do is mix the sugar and the cinnamon together in a medium bowl.

Here is the cinnamon and sugar all mixed up. Now, take the cream cheese and cut the block into 20 equal squares.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and brown sugar together until melted. (you can do this on the stove top too in a sauce pan)

With a rolling pin or with you hands, flatten out and make each biscuit larger. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar in the middle of each flatten biscuits.

Put a square of cream cheese on top of the cinnamon sugar. Take the biscuits and seal up the edges, making sure the cream cheese is in the middle.

I rolled the biscuits into a somewhat ball after I sealed the edges. Take your bundt cake pan and spray it with vegetable spray. Sprinkle some nuts in the bottom of the pan.

Layer 10 cream cheese filled biscuits on top of the nuts. Sprinkle half of the left over cinnamon sugar on top of the biscuits.

Sprinkle a few nuts on top of the biscuits in the pan. Drizzle half of the melted butter and brown sugar mixture over the top of the biscuits.

Place the rest of the cream cheese filled biscuits on top of the ones already in the pan. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar on top of the biscuits.

Drizzle the rest of the butter brown sugar mixture on top of the biscuits. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until completely done.

Here is the recipe:

Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 cans of 12 ounce refrigerator biscuits (10 count)

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup brown sugar

1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt cake pan with vegetable spray. Set aside.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar together. Cut the cream cheese into 20 pieces. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and the brown sugar together to make a sauce. (you can also melt the butter and brown sugar together in a sauce pan on the stove top).

With your hands or with a rolling pin, press out the biscuits to make them larger. Put in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar mixture in the center of each biscuits. Place a piece of cream cheese on top of the cinnamon. Seal the cream cheese and cinnamon inside the biscuits, by pressing the edges of the biscuit together. Sprinkle half of the nuts in the bottom of the bundt pan. Place 10 of the cream cheese filled biscuits in the bottom of the bundt pan on top of the nuts. Sprinkle half of the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the biscuits. Pour half of the brown sugar butter mixture on top of the biscuits. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts on top. Layer the next 10 cream cheese filled biscuits on top of brown sugar covered biscuits. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar on top of the biscuits. Pour the rest of the brown sugar butter mixture on top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through. Let the gorilla bread cool for 5 minutes before turning the pan upside down to release from pan.