Homemade chocolate biscuit dough (or use store bought) is coated in a chocolate sugar mixture, baked and drizzled with a white chocolate ganache — this Double Chocolate Monkey Bread is for true chocolate lovers!
So I had a fail this week.
I tried a new citrus chicken recipe in the slow cooker, and I think I’ve just come to the realization that I do not like orange in my savory dishes. I’ve tried it a few times now, and every time I think it’s pretty much the worst thing I’ve ever tried.
The first couple of times I thought it was me. I tend not to stick to recipes well, and I thought I must have changed something and made it horrible. But I kept trying, and trying, because it looks so good.
Now, no offense if orange chicken is your most favoritest thing. I think it just must not be for me.
My husband put it in the same category as peanut butter chicken for us. I tried it once, and it’s just something we’ll never try again. I know it’s totally Thai and everybody loves Thai food but, well, we must not like Thai food because it is known to this day (and I made it when we were first married, over 8 years ago, as the worst thing I’ve ever made.
So you will never see a peanut anything chicken recipe here on The Recipe Rebel. And apparently, you will never see an orange chicken recipe either.
When I have a fail, I go straight for the chocolate and sugar. I can’t even help myself, I just need something to stuff my face with and make me feel better. I am super obsessive about everything being on track and suddenly having an open spot in my editorial calendar doesn’t go over well with me.
So I fill it with chocolate. Two kinds. Sound good?
I knew because of the success of these Cinnamon Roll Bites that this Double Chocolate Monkey Bread would be a big hit — I used the same biscuit dough recipe (plus a little cocoa), and I used pretty much the same method but baked it in a bundt pan. If you’re not feeling too fancy, you could bake these in a 9×13″ pan no problem.
Recipe Notes:
You’re not going to want to overbake this monkey bread. The first time I made it, I overbaked it a bit and the sugar on the edge got a little crunchy and it had a bit of a burnt taste. You want the biscuits just to be baked through so that the outside is still gooey — and then you want to drench it in white chocolate ganache. If you don’t love white chocolate, simple swap it for a chocolate of your choice!
I sent the second round with my husband to work to test out on his coworkers and they seemed to like it, but in the end I decided I didn’t like those photos so I decided to make it a third time and try something different. The third time I made this monkey bread, I didn’t dunk the biscuit balls into butter before the sugar mixture. What I found was that it worked all right, but the cocoa stuck and the sugar didn’t… really… so the biscuits themselves weren’t that sweet. With the two kinds of chocolate glaze, it was fine, but without it wouldn’t be very sweet at all.
So if you’re looking to cut back on butter and sugar, that is an option (I used MUCH less of the sugar mixture because it just didn’t stick that much), that’s an option, and that is actually how this one in the photos was made. I still think I prefer the melted butter technique, but I’ll leave that up to you!
Double Chocolate Monkey Bread
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Biscuit Dough
- 4 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter cold, cubed
- 1 ¼ – 1 1/2 cups milk
Monkey Bread
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons cocoa
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons cream or milk divided
Instructions
- Biscuit Dough:Grease a large bundt pan with non stick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Add cold butter and mix in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Stir in just enough milk to make the dough come together — not too much!
- Monkey Bread:Put the butter in a small bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons into the bottom of the bundt pan.
- Stir together the sugar and cocoa.
- Tear the biscuit dough into small pieces (about 1″) and dip in butter, then roll in sugar and cocoa mixture and place in the bundt pan. Repeat until all dough is used.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes until no longer jiggly. Let sit 10 minutes before running a knife around the outside and inverting onto a plate.
- For the glaze, melt together the white chocolate and 2 tablespoons cream in a small pot over low heat until smooth. Drizzle over monkey bread.
- Repeat with semisweet chocolate chips and remaining 2 tablespoons cream.
- (*Tip: if you want the glaze to be thick, you need to let it cool to room temperature).
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Wendy Darling-Good says
Hi … I’m confused about the last ingredient. It’s says 4 tablespoons cup of cream or milk. Is that 4 tablespoons plus 1 cup of milk or cream?
Thus looks wonderful! I’m making it tomorrow for a birthday brunch for my daughter
Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Once again, thanks for the heads up Wendy! All fixed 🙂
Katie @The Semisweet Sisters says
Oh my Chocolate monkey bread! This looks to die for! Yum!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
Wow this monkey bread looks amazing!! I agree! I tried to make orange chicken once and yuck. It was nasty, but I love it at panda express. Yum!! This monkey bread is calling to me. I want some now. Mmmm.
Ashley Fehr says
And see, we don’t have Panda Express here so maybe if I knew how good it could be I would keep trying! Lol. Thanks Cyndi!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Lol, kitchen fails happen to the best of us, but it doesn’t sound like you really had a fail… more like a realization. 😉 Overpowering orange in savory dishes isn’t my thang either, but if it’s muted I like it. Anyways, this monkey bread is crazy, Ashley!! My mother makes monkey bread every year for Christmas morning and I’m totally sending her this link so she can take it up a few notches this year! This looks beyond delish, girlfriend! Cheers!
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
Looks so good. I never had chocolate monkey bread before, thanks for sharing
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Orange chicken has never really been my favorite either, but my hubby LOVES it so I have to indulge him once in a while haha. Now… double chocolate? That’s definitely something I can get behind! This monkey bread sounds soooo good! You can never go wrong with chocolate. 😉
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
Okay, am I the only one who was glad you had a recipe fail? Because I’m not going to lie… this chocolate monkey bread looks awesome! And, chocolate makes everything better, right? And, some people don’t even like chocolate! I just can’t wrap my brain around that one. My mom was a gourmet cook and made a Dill Soup one time – WORST MEAL EVER! She’s never lived it down – it’s been 30 years. Thanks for sharing your fail and your consolation dish!
Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient says
Each bite looks perfect! I haven’t tried orange chicken at home per se but did coat some chicken breasts in a tangerine marmalade recently that turned out delish!!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Love all the chocolate you packed into this monkey bread! Wish I had a couple pieces to go with my coffee!
Melanie @ Gather for Bread says
You had me at chocolate. This looks divine!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I don’t make money bread as often as I should. And double the chocolate? Yes, please! I love that you make homemade biscuit dough and added extra chocolate.
cakespy says
SWEET LORD why am I not eating this right now.
Heather says
I am so glad I came across this recipe today because I have been craving chocolate in the worst way. This monkey bread looks like it will solve my cravings 🙂 Love your blog and excited about your new e-book.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Heather! I am craving chocolate way TOO often! Lol
Heather says
I am so glad I came across this recipe today because I have been craving chocolate in the worst way. This monkey bread looks like it will solve my cravings 🙂 Love your blog and excited about your new e-book.
Medha says
This was exactly the pick me up my tuesday needed! So yum 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Medha!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Mmm I love peanut chicken, but I’m with you on orange – not my favorite! This chocolate monkey bread though…well everyone can definitely get behind this beauty! I want to rip off a big chunk 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! See, I think my problem is I don’t even like peanut butter enough to have it just on toast. But my husband loves peanut butter and even he didn’t like the one recipe I tried! Maybe it was just the recipe 🙂 But, yes, chocolate?! We always agree on that!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! I so agree with you about orange and chicken! When I roast a whole chicken I put lemon halves and rosemary inside and I love it! Oranges are for juice by itself or a screwdriver! I would have to make this when I have another chocoholic over, otherwise I can see myself munching away and all of a sudden it would be gone! 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Haha, yes that’s the problem! It’s too easy to grab a bite or two…. or five here and there! You never know, I might get brave and try another Orange Chicken recipe someday but for now I’m going to put that one to the side! 😉
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
Girlfriend, this is exactly how we should start Tuesdays. This double chocolate ooey-gooey monkey bread is calling my name!!
Ashley Fehr says
Right?! Thanks Jen!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
I tried to make a slow cooker beef recipe with orange and holy smokes, it was not good. Edible thankfully so we powered through, but I shelved that idea real quick lol. Maybe someday I’ll work up the courage to try again! But yes – chocolate and sugar to the rescue. This monkey bread is so fun!
Ashley Fehr says
I don’t know what it is! I have tried and tried but man, I just can’t seem to find a good recipe! Thanks Alyssa!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
So I love orange chicken from restaurants, but for some reason, I do not like orange dishes when I make it myself! It just tastes too orangey, like it came right from an oj carton! But this bread, I think I could devour this all in one sitting. Monkey bread is one of those dishes that I hardly ever make because I lose all self-control and eat it ALL! But I might just have to try this out, because after all, it’s chocolate!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! I couldn’t resist a chocolate version! But I am the same way — it is so much better right out of the oven so I tell myself it’s okay if I eat it ALL. Lol. Probably a bad idea!