Drizzle this 1 mixture over biscuit dough pieces into a slow cooker for a warm weekend treat that's impossibly addictive

 This slow cooker cinnamon swirl monkey bread is the kind of warm weekend treat my kids hover around the kitchen for. It starts with simple refrigerated biscuit dough and one cozy mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla that you drizzle right over the dough pieces in the slow cooker. A few hours later, you’ve got soft, pull-apart bites with gooey cinnamon swirls and a caramel-like sauce at the bottom—perfect for lazy Saturday mornings, sleepovers, or an easy holiday breakfast when you don’t want to fuss with the oven.

Serve this monkey bread warm right out of the slow cooker, spooned into bowls or pulled apart with fingers if you’re with family. It pairs wonderfully with hot coffee for the grown-ups and cold milk or hot cocoa for the kids. A little drizzle of cream, a spoonful of vanilla yogurt, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns it into a cozy dessert. If you want to round out breakfast, add a simple side of scrambled eggs or fresh fruit so you’ve got a balance of sweet and savory on the table.

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Slow Cooker Cinnamon Swirl Monkey Bread

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 (16.3 oz) cans refrigerated biscuit dough (homestyle or buttermilk)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Nonstick cooking spray or butter, for greasing slow cooker
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Optional vanilla glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Optional vanilla glaze: 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
Optional vanilla glaze: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Grease the slow cooker: Lightly coat the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or a thin layer of butter. This helps the monkey bread release easily and keeps the edges from sticking.

Prep the biscuit dough: Open the cans of refrigerated biscuit dough and separate the biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 bite-size pieces. Place all the cut pieces into a large mixing bowl.

Make the 1 mixture: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract until you have a smooth, pourable mixture. It should look like a glossy cinnamon-brown syrup.

Assemble in the slow cooker: Add the biscuit pieces to the greased slow cooker crock. If using nuts, sprinkle them over the dough pieces. Slowly drizzle the entire butter–brown sugar–cinnamon–vanilla mixture evenly over the biscuit dough pieces, making sure to coat as many surfaces as you can. Use a spoon or spatula to gently toss and spread the pieces so the mixture seeps down between them, but don’t pack them too tightly.

Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the biscuits are cooked through in the center and the edges are set and slightly caramelized. Avoid lifting the lid in the first 2 hours so the heat stays consistent.

Check for doneness: Around the 2 1/2 hour mark, gently pull apart a center piece with a fork. If the dough is still raw or very doughy, continue cooking in 15-minute increments until done. The top should look dry and set, while the bottom will be gooey with sauce.

Optional glaze: While the monkey bread finishes, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust with a few extra drops of milk if needed to make it easy to drizzle.

Serve: Once cooked, turn off the slow cooker and let the monkey bread sit, uncovered, for about 5–10 minutes to cool slightly and thicken. Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the top if using. Serve warm, spooned into bowls or pulled apart with clean hands right from the slow cooker.

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Variations & Tips

For picky eaters, you can dial back the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and skip the nuts so the flavor is more like a soft brown sugar pull-apart bread. If your family loves extra cinnamon, sprinkle an additional 1/2 teaspoon over the top right after you drizzle the butter mixture. To make it a little lighter, you can use reduced-fat refrigerated biscuits and cut the brown sugar to 3/4 cup; the texture will still be soft and sticky, just a bit less rich. For a fun fall twist, stir 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice into the butter mixture and serve with sliced apples. Chocolate lovers can scatter 1/4 to 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips over the biscuit pieces before drizzling the mixture, though be aware they’ll melt into the sauce and make it extra gooey. If you need to keep it dairy-free, use plant-based butter and check that your biscuit dough is dairy-free, then skip the glaze or make it with a non-dairy milk. To prevent sogginess, avoid overfilling the slow cooker; if your slow cooker runs hot or you’re using a smaller size, check at the 2-hour mark and line the lid with a clean kitchen towel under the rim to catch condensation. Leftovers reheat nicely in the microwave in 15–20 second bursts; if you know you’ll have extra, store it in an airtight container and warm just what you need so the texture stays soft.