Turn a batch of gooey monkey bread into the cutest little homemade gifts! Bake it in mini foil pans, add a lid, and tie on a fork, a little bag of icing, and a gift tag. It's a breakfast treat and a ready-to-give gift all in one!
What You'll Need
- One batch of monkey bread
- Mini foil tins with lids and forks
- Butter Gift Tags Digital Download in my shop (or free in the Crafty Bakers Club!
- A 9x13 pan or rimmed baking sheet: This makes it easier to move the little pans in and out of the oven and catches any sauce overflow.
- Baker's twine or ribbon: For tying everything together.
- Optional finishing touches: Icing in a small tipless piping bag and a printed butter gift tag.
viral video
Watch me make these on Instagram!
Watch me make and package these up!
How to Make Mini Monkey Bread for Gifting
Use the ingredients and mixing instructions in my monkey bread recipe, with these small-pan adjustments:
- Prep the biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters and toss in the pudding, sugar, and cinnamon mixture as directed in the recipe.
- Divide among the tins. Arrange the coated pieces in six small square tins, about 12 dough pieces in each. Spread them out rather than piling them up in the middle.
- Add the sauce. Make the buttery glaze following the original recipe and divide it evenly among the tins. Set the tins on a rimmed baking sheet or inside a 9x13-inch pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. The biscuits should be golden brown and baked through. Let the monkey bread cool completely before adding lids or packaging.
How to Package the Monkey Bread
The little pans do most of the work for you. No transferring sticky pieces into a box or trying to wrap them individually!
- Cool, then cover. Wait until the monkey bread is completely cool so steam doesn't collect under the lid. Wipe any sauce off the rim before closing the container.
- Add icing on the side. Fill a tipless piping bag with a small amount of icing. Tie a knot and trim the excess bag above the knot to make it miniature, keeping the piping tip sealed until the recipient is ready to use it.
- Include a fork. Tuck it under the twine on top of the lid, along with the icing bag.
- Finish with a gift tag. Tie the twine around the closed pan and attach a tag. Keep the tag outside the food container so it stays clean.
Don't forget a reheating note: "Transfer the monkey bread to a microwave-safe plate before warming. Add the icing after heating!" The foil pan, lid, fork, twine, and icing bag should stay out of the microwave.
Add the "Homemade with Love and Butter" Tags
Want to finish yours like the ones in the photo? My printable butter tag download is just $3 in my shop (or free in the Crafty Bakers Club!).
Print on white cardstock at 100% or "actual size," cut them out, punch a hole, and tie one onto each pan. You'll get 16 tags per US Letter sheet.
More Monkey Bread Gifting Ideas
- Neighbor drop-offs: Make a batch of mini tins and package each one separately.
- A holiday breakfast gift: Give a family a few tins to warm up and enjoy together.
- A gift for a baker: Pair a mini monkey bread with my One Crafty Pan cookbook.
- One big gift: Make the full 9x13-inch version instead and bring the whole pan to share. Use the full-size recipe's baking time, not the mini-pan time above.
Can I Make These Ahead?
Yes! Let the baked monkey bread cool completely before covering. The original recipe's storage directions are up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store any icing separately according to the icing recipe's directions.
For the recipient, individual portions of monkey bread can be warmed on a microwave-safe plate for 10-15 seconds to soften them. Add the icing afterward.
Ready to bake a batch? Get the full monkey bread recipe here, then use the mini-pan and packaging directions above to turn it into gifts!