Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

The ultimate snack for any occasion

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/29/21
pepperoni pizza monkey bread baked
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Yield: 1 large loaf
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
301 Calories
16g Fat
30g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 301
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 935mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 115mg 9%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 168mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Monkey bread, also known as pull-apart bread, is made for sharing, and this pepperoni pizza monkey bread is the ultimate shareable snack. Add some of your favorite pizza toppings, or swap out the pepperoni with browned sausage, diced ham, or browned ground beef. For a vegetarian-friendly pizza monkey bread, omit the pepperoni and add extra cheese, TVP, mushrooms, or more vegetables.

All you need to make this yummy, versatile pull-apart loaf is a couple of tubes of refrigerated biscuits, cheese, seasonings, and pepperoni. The included pizza sauce is an excellent dip for the bread, but feel free to use store-bought pizza sauce or your favorite commercial or homemade marinara sauce. Warm it up for serving, and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Pizza Sauce:

  • 15 ounces tomato sauce

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • Dash kosher salt, or to taste

For the Monkey Bread

  • Cooking spray

  • 2 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits, separated and cut into quarters

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • Dash crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese

  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 6 ounces pepperoni, halved or cut into quarters (or mini pepperoni)

  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives, optional

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Pizza Sauce

  1. Gather the pizza sauce ingredients.

    quick pizza sauce ingredients
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and add a dash of salt, if desired.

    the pizza sauce in a saucepan
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Assemble and Bake the Pizza Monkey Bread

  1. Gather the ingredients for the pizza monkey bread. Heat the oven to 350 F and spray a 9-inch or 10-inch tube cake pan with baking spray or grease the pan and dust it with flour. 

    ingredients for the pepperoni pizza monkey bread
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Place the refrigerated biscuit quarters—you should have 64 pieces—into a large bowl. Combine the olive oil, butter, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Drizzle the seasoned oil over the biscuit pieces, tossing gently to coat. 

    biscuit pieces coated with seasonings and oil
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. Add the mozzarella and parmesan cheese, pepperoni, and olives, if using. Toss gently to combine.

    mix the biscuits, cheese, and pepperoni
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. Arrange the biscuit mixture in the prepared pan.

    tube pan with pizza monkey bread ready to bake
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Bake the monkey bread for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick or skewer comes out clean when inserted into the loaf.

    baked pepperoni pizza monkey bread in a tube cake pan
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. Remove the bread from the oven and invert onto a large plate. 

    pepperoni pizza monkey bread baked
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Serve the pepperoni pizza monkey bread with the warmed pizza sauce, or your favorite store-bought marinara or pizza sauce.

    pepperoni pizza monkey bread with some pieces missing
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tips

  • Make sure your pan is well greased, preferably with shortening or butter and flour or baking spray with flour. A nonstick pan is a plus, especially if you are using a fluted tube cake pan.
  • Try to avoid packing the biscuits too tightly. The top of the loaf should be even but not squished. If too tightly packed, the bread may take longer to bake.

How to Store

  • Pizza monkey bread is best enjoyed fresh from the oven. If you do have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container or wrap them with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • Monkey bread may be frozen for longer storage. Wrap the cooled leftover bread in foil, transfer it to an airtight container or zip-close bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat, wrap the cold or frozen monkey bread in foil and heat in a preheated 325 F oven for about 10 to 18 minutes, or until it is hot.

Can I Use a Different Pan to Make Monkey Bread?

Yes, feel free to arrange the biscuit mixture in two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans, a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan, or a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure the pan is well-greased and line with parchment paper if possible.

How Do You Know When the Monkey Bread is Fully Cooked?

The monkey bread should be golden brown. A skewer inserted into the loaf should come out clean. Or you may use an instant-read thermometer to check the monkey bread. Insert the thermometer in several places and look for a temperature of about 195 F to 200 F.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the pepperoni with two thinly sliced cooked Italian sausages or about 8 ounces of browned bulk sausage. Alternatively, use a combination of 3 ounces of pepperoni and about 4 ounces of browned sausage.
  • Replace the pepperoni with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of diced ham.
  • Add 1/2 cup of thinly sliced or finely chopped bell pepper to the biscuit mixture.
  • Replace the pepperoni with a 5-ounce package of pepperoni minis.
  • Add a handful of chopped or sliced fresh basil leaves (chiffonade) for extra color and flavor.