Refrigerated canned biscuit dough can become either a shareable pull-apart monkey bread or individual apple dumplings. Choose monkey bread for cinnamon-sugar-coated pieces baked in a Bundt or fluted tube pan; choose dumplings for apple slices wrapped in biscuit layers and baked in a casserole dish. Follow each recipe’s specified dough product, pan, temperature, and doneness cue—these recipes are not interchangeable bake-time templates.
Choose a dessert by its shape and dough
| Dessert | Finished format | Dough specified | Pan | Recipe-specific bake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic monkey bread | Pull-apart pieces with cinnamon sugar and a brown-sugar glaze | Two cans of refrigerated Grands! biscuits | See Pillsbury recipe for its pan specification | See the recipe for temperature, timing, and doneness cue |
| Apple-cinnamon monkey bread | Pull-apart pieces layered with apple and cinnamon sugar, finished with icing | Two 17.5-ounce cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing—not ordinary biscuit dough | 12-cup fluted tube pan | 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until golden across the top |
| Cinnamon-sugar monkey bread | Pull-apart biscuit pieces coated in butter and cinnamon sugar | Two 16-ounce tubes of refrigerated biscuit dough | 10-inch nonstick Bundt pan | 350°F, covered for 35 minutes, then uncovered for 10–15 minutes until puffed and golden |
| Apple dumplings | Individual apple slices wrapped in biscuit layers under a sweet cinnamon topping | Eight canned buttermilk biscuits | 9-by-12-inch casserole dish | 375°F for 35 minutes, until golden |
The timings and ingredients above belong to their respective published recipes; they are not a head-to-head test. Check the linked recipe for full ingredient amounts and any additional preparation details.
Monkey bread: three recipe directions
Classic cinnamon-sugar monkey bread
Pillsbury’s Easy Monkey Bread uses two cans of refrigerated Grands! biscuits, cut into quarters and coated in cinnamon sugar. Butter and brown sugar make the glaze; raisins and walnuts are optional. Pillsbury describes it as suitable for dessert, breakfast, or a snack, and advises keeping the dough cold until preparation. Consult the linked recipe for the pan, oven temperature, bake time, and full method.
Apple-cinnamon monkey bread with icing
Pillsbury’s Apple-Cinnamon Monkey Bread is a cinnamon-roll-dough variation, not a biscuit-dough recipe. It calls for two 17.5-ounce cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing, a chopped tart apple, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Cut the rolls into quarters and layer them with cinnamon-sugar-coated apple in a greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until golden across the top; cool briefly, invert, and finish with the reserved icing. The recipe lists 12 servings and a total time of 1 hour 30 minutes.
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#1 Best Overall
- IRRESISTIBLE TASTE: Bake big, Southern homestyle buttermilk biscuits with a crispy outside and fluffy inside using our convenient canned biscuit dough
- EASY TO BAKE: Pop open canned biscuit dough, then place on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown following package directions
- TASTY VERSATILITY: Pillsbury biscuits are great as part of breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, or topped with your favorite spread; An ideal side dish with dinner
- PILLSBURY POSSIBILITIES: Let Pillsbury make all your baking more convenient with crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, cookie dough, and more
- CONTAINS: One 16.3 oz can of Pillsbury Grands! Southern Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits; Makes 8 big biscuits
Cinnamon-sugar monkey bread
Food Network Kitchen’s Cinnamon-Sugar Monkey Bread specifies two 16-ounce tubes of refrigerated biscuit dough and a 10-inch nonstick Bundt pan. Cut the biscuits into quarters, coat them with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, then bake covered at 350°F for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until puffed and golden. The listed yield is 12 servings and total time is 55 minutes.
Apple dumplings: wrapped biscuit layers and baked apples
Trisha Yearwood’s Apple Dumplings use two Granny Smith apples and eight canned buttermilk biscuits, along with cinnamon, sugar, butter, vanilla, and water. Separate each biscuit into layers, wrap a layer around each apple slice, and seal it underneath. Arrange the dumplings in a 9-by-12-inch casserole dish, pour the hot sugar mixture over them, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes, until golden. The recipe lists eight servings and a total time of 55 minutes; Food Network says it was adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (copyright 2010).
Rank #2
- FLAKY LAYERS: Enjoy peeling apart the warm, flaky layers of these biscuits
- READY TO BAKE: Pop open canned biscuit dough, then place on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown
- EVERYDAY VERSATILITY: Use this dough in Pillsbury recipes to create tasty breakfast favorites and dinner entrees; Add comforting biscuits to a baked goods gift or party food spread
- EASY AS PILLSBURY: Beyond biscuits, let Pillsbury make all your baking more convenient with crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, cookie dough, and more
- CONTAINS: One 6 oz can of Pillsbury Flaky Layers Butter Tastin' Biscuits with natural and artificial butter flavor; Makes 5 biscuits
Use the recipe’s own dough and bake cues
- Match the dough product: canned buttermilk biscuits, refrigerated biscuit dough, Grands! biscuits, and refrigerated cinnamon rolls are distinct recipe specifications. Do not assume one can replace another without changing the result.
- Match the pan: monkey bread is baked in a Bundt or fluted tube pan in the cited examples; the dumplings use a casserole dish.
- Use visual doneness cues as well as time: the cited recipes describe golden, golden across the top, or puffed and golden finishes. Keep those cues attached to their recipe rather than treating one timing as universal.
For more ideas using biscuits, see Pillsbury’s quick and easy biscuit recipes.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- FLAKY LAYERS: Enjoy big biscuits with mouthwatering aroma, delicious taste, and delectable flaky layers
- READY TO BAKE: Pop open canned biscuit dough, then place on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown
- EVERYDAY VERSATILITY: Use this dough in Pillsbury recipes to create tasty breakfast favorites and dinner entrees; Add comforting biscuits to a baked goods gift or party food spread
- EASY AS PILLSBURY: Beyond biscuits, let Pillsbury make all your baking more convenient with crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, cookie dough, and more
- CONTAINS: One 16.3 oz can of Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Butter Tastin' Biscuit Dough with natural and artificial butter flavor; Makes 8 big biscuits
Rank #4
- FLAKY LAYERS: Enjoy big biscuits with mouthwatering aroma, delicious taste, and delectable flaky layers
- READY TO BAKE: Pop open canned biscuit dough, then place on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown
- EVERYDAY VERSATILITY: Use this dough in Pillsbury recipes to create tasty breakfast favorites and dinner entrees; Add comforting biscuits to a baked goods gift or party food spread
- EASY AS PILLSBURY: Beyond biscuits, let Pillsbury make all your baking more convenient with crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, cookie dough, and more
- CONTAINS: One 16.3 oz can of Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits, naturally and artificially flavored; Makes 8 big biscuits
Rank #3
- FLAKY LAYERS: Create flaky, buttery, oven-fresh biscuits in minutes
- READY TO BAKE: Pop open canned biscuit dough, then place on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown
- EVERYDAY VERSATILITY: Use this dough in Pillsbury recipes to create tasty breakfast favorites and dinner entrees; Add comforting biscuits to a baked goods gift or party food spread
- EASY AS PILLSBURY: Beyond biscuits, let Pillsbury make all your baking more convenient with crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, pie crusts, cookie dough, and more
- CONTAINS: One 16.3 oz can of Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Original Biscuits; Makes 8 big biscuits
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