• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Life Jolie logo
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    The Life Jolie » Main/Entree » Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

    Published: Jul 6, 2018 · Modified: Jun 7, 2022 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. Made with Pillsbury Orange Cinnamon Rolls, orange just and zest, butter and sugar, this pull apart bread can totally be made ahead and is perfect to enjoy at brunch or any family gathering!

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. It can totally be made ahead and is perfect to enjoy at brunch or any family gathering!

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. Made with Pillsbury Orange Cinnamon Rolls, orange just and zest, butter and sugar, this pull apart bread can totally be made ahead and is perfect to enjoy at brunch or any family gathering!

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

    This post contains Affiliate Links. Please see the disclaimer here.

    Pillsbury Monkey Bread is a favorite in many American families, both for it's easy preparation and it's ooey-gooey cinnamon-sugary goodness! Also known as pull apart bread, it's made with cut up refrigerated biscuits and once it's ready you can reach in and pull each sticky delicious piece apart which makes it fun for kids.

    So one day I was daydreaming of food, as you do (or as I do anyway) and I was thinking about the various refrigerated dough/biscuits/cinnamon roll standbys that are out there. More specifically, I was thinking about my husband's penchant for Pillsbury™ Orange Rolls with Orange Icing (please note, this is not a sponsored post, I just really like this product!).

    Though I tend to be more of a traditional cinnamon roll kind of gal, I'm not one to turn down an orange roll. Throwing a can of those puppies in the oven became a quick and easy way to let this man know I love him, particularly in the early part of our relationship when we rarely woke before 10am on a non-work day (and I'm not even talking about the very beginning when we both worked at a restaurant and spent many nights living it up until dawn in NYC- waking before noon was unheard of in those days!).

    Back to my food-filled daydreams, it was at that moment that it occurred to me: why not use Orange Rolls to make an easy monkey bread?! I mean, what usually happens when great things combine forces? The answer is usually great things. This case was no exception.

    You still have the same ooey-gooey goodness, but with the most delicious and distinct orange flavor. Speaking of flavor, I think the addition of the orange zest and the fresh squeezed juice really elevates this and makes it taste extra special, as any good Christmas morning food should!

    pillsbury monkey bread recipe

    pillsbury monkey bread

    Tips for making this recipe for monkey bread with orange rolls

    • If you want, you can totally this together the night before, although it's so quick and easy to make, there's really no need.
    • This is versatile enough to serve as the primary component for a light breakfast or among many delicious dishes if you're planning a more grand brunch with family.
    • I used plastic bags to mix together the sugar mixture and coat the orange roll pieces. This helped eliminate extra mess and dishes.
    • If you have an extreme sweet tooth you can totally drizzle the finished monkey bread with the glaze that comes with the roll. I found it to already be quite sweet so I didn't do this.
    • Be sure to spray the bundt pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking when you invert it.

    pillsbury cinnamon roll recipes

    Helpful tools:

    1. Measuring cups
    2. Measuring spoons
    3. Mixing bowl
    4. Spatula
    5. Bundt pan

    grands monkey bread

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Tutorial Video

    Orange Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. It's so simple to transform refrigerated Orange Cinnamon rolls in to a sweet and gooey pull apart bread. This is a great Christmas morning breakfast and easy enough to make the night before as well!

    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

    Jessy Freimann
    Orange Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. It can totally be made ahead and is perfect to enjoy at brunch or any family gathering!
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Rest time 10 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • Cooking spray
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 orange, you'll use the zest and ½ cup of the juice)
    • 2 cans refrigerated Pillsbury™ Orange Cinnamon Rolls
    • ½ cup salted butter, melted (1 stick)
    • ½ cup brown sugar, packed

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
    • In a plastic zipper bag combine granulated sugar, cinnamon and orange zest. Shake until well combined (I also used my fingers to break up and evenly distribute the orange zest).
    • In a separate bowl whisk together butter, brown sugar and orange juice until fully combined. Set aside (keep the whisk with it because it might separate and you can whisk it again before adding it later).
    • Cut each orange roll into quarters and lightly roll each quarter so that it doesn't fall apart.
    • Place all the orange roll pieces into the zipper bag with the sugar mixture. Seal it well and shake until each piece of dough is fully coated in the sugar mixture.
    • Place the entire contents of the bag into the prepared bundt pan.
    • Pour the butter mixture evenly over the contents of the bundt pan. It will look too liqiud-y but it's not- the dough with absorb all that delicious buttery mixture.
    • Bake for 30-40 minutes. Allow it to cool for around 10-15 minutes and then Turn it onto a plate and serve immediately. If not serving right away, cool completely and cover with plastic wrap until you're ready to serve.

    Notes

    • Freshly squeezed orange juice is best.
    • This can be made or prepped the night before.
    • If you want it to be extra sweet you can drizzle the orange icing over the top once you've plated the Monkey Bread- I find that it doesn't need it. Instead, I opted to stir a little bit of the icing into my coffee!
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

    Other great Brunch recipes options:

    • Grandma Hinz’s Apple Pancakes
    • Egg Stuffed Bread
    • Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash

    You can find a full index of my recipes here.

    Don’t forget to follow The Life Jolie on Pinterest for more recipe inspiration!

    Or if Pinterest isn’t your style, bookmark this post!

    Let’s keep the conversation going- join my Facebook group! 

    Orange Roll Monkey Bread is an easy and delicious twist on a family favorite recipe. It's so simple to transform refrigerated Orange Cinnamon rolls in to a sweet and gooey pull apart bread. This is a great Christmas morning breakfast and easy enough to make the night before as well!
    « Garlic Shrimp with Lemon, Butter and Dill
    Black Cherry Lemonade Bourbon Slush »
    4340 shares
    • Share
    • Flipboard
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Taylor says

      December 05, 2016 at 10:42 am

      I've never had an orange roll before but this looks so delicious! My family's Christmas morning routine is baking Pillsbury cinnamon rolls after we open presents - it's the one time of year I let myself indulge in such a sugary breakfast but the traditions make it worth it haha
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 05, 2016 at 12:15 pm

        Thank you- that sounds similar to my family's routine growing up!
        Reply
    2. Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says

      December 05, 2016 at 10:46 am

      Confession: when I saw the top photo, I thought this was some kind of strange ring of Chinese Orange Chicken, hahaha! Orange rolls sound SO much better! I've never actually heard of orange rolls, though I can imagine exactly what they taste like - a nice change from the expected cinnamon roll. These look like a perfect Christmas breakfast. :)
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 05, 2016 at 12:14 pm

        Bahahaha that's awesome!I mean, I would totally eat a ring of Orange Chicken as well but I think I'd opt for monkey bread!
        Reply
    3. Dannii says

      December 05, 2016 at 11:04 am

      I have never heard of monkey bread before, but anything with orange in it gets the thumbs up from me.
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 05, 2016 at 12:13 pm

        Give it a try- it's dangerously addictive!
        Reply
    4. Sandi (@fearless_dining) says

      December 05, 2016 at 11:13 am

      This looks like an incredible idea for breakfast...love that sticky gooey sweetness.
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 05, 2016 at 12:12 pm

        Nothing like a good glaze :)
        Reply
    5. sue | theviewfromgreatisland says

      December 05, 2016 at 11:44 am

      OMG you had me at that awesome glaze!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 05, 2016 at 12:12 pm

        Nothing like a good glaze :)
        Reply
    6. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

      December 15, 2017 at 12:55 am

      Wonderful looking monkey bread!!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 15, 2017 at 5:23 pm

        Why thank you!
        Reply
    7. Carolyn says

      December 15, 2017 at 9:37 pm

      Monkey bread is so yummy! I can't wait to try this recipe!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        December 15, 2017 at 10:36 pm

        Enjoy!
        Reply
    8. Karen says

      October 29, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      Question: I’m not an early bird and have to have a prepared ‘something breakfasty’ Every other Fri. By 9:00 am 😳 When you say can be made ahead, even with orange buttery glaze? Or add that to sugared pieces before baking??
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        October 29, 2018 at 4:18 pm

        Hi Karen- I would say do the biscuit pieces (cutting, rolling and tossing in the sugar mixture) ahead and put them into the grease pan. Cover it and refrigerate the night before. Then pull it out first thing the next day. Make the butter, brown sugar and orange juice mixture that morning, pour it over and bake it off. I'd say check it at the baking time in the recipe but know that it may need a few extra minutes as it will have been in the fridge all night. I think it'll turn out great! Technically, you could make the whole thing the night before and turn it out onto a plate, cover and leave it on the counter overnight, but it's really best fresh from the oven. Don't hesitate if you have any other questions and I hope you love it :)
        Reply
    9. Shelley says

      January 12, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      Sounds great. Plan on making. Question - If I cut the recipe in half, do I need to adjust the cooking time?
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        January 13, 2022 at 7:59 pm

        Hi Shelley- I'd encourage you to check it periodically about half way through. Good luck!
        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Jessy in a kitchen holding a white casserole pan and smiling.
    Hi, I'm Jessy!

    Welcome to The Life Jolie! I share simple, delicious recipes and ingredient prep tips to make your weeknight cooking a breeze!

    More about me →

    Fall Recipes

    • Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Fall Apart Slow Cooker Pork Chops
    • Roasted Spatchcock Glazed Turkey with Bourbon
    • Baked Brie Phyllo Cups
    • Candied Pecans

    Popular Recipes

    • How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Kitchen
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats
    • Very Best Shrimp Macaroni Salad Recipe
    • Cheese Sauce for Broccoli Recipe
    • Reader Request: Copycat Cheesecake Factory Thai Lettuce Wraps
    • Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy + Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Video Production

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright 2014-2021 - Jolie Ventures, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.