Menu

Buttery Bubble Bread

24 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 25 min. + rising Bake: 30 min.

Makes

16 servings

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
Homemade bread can be time-consuming, difficult and tricky to make. But this fun-to-eat monkey bread, baked in a fluted tube pan, is easy and almost foolproof. If I'm serving it for breakfast, I add some cinnamon and drizzle it with icing. —Pat Stevens, Granbury, Texas
Next Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Dip the balls in butter and arrange evenly in a greased 9-in. fluted tube pan. Drizzle with remaining butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
  4. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

Buttery Bubble Bread Tips

How do you make bread moist and fluffy?

To ensure perfectly moist and fluffy bread, carefully keep track of the time the unbaked dough rests and is exposed to air. During this step, called proofing, the resting dough is losing moisture, even if covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap. For optimal results, bread should be proofed in a warm, humid environment. If you faithfully follow the recipe’s suggested time for proofing to prevent under- or over-proofing your dough, you should yield a wonderful fluffy texture and nice crust on your bread when it comes out of the oven. For further tips and details on bread baking, check out our guide.

What's the difference between bubble bread and monkey bread?

The only difference between bubble bread and monkey bread is in the name! Both are breads typically eaten by pulling apart the separate pieces by hand, served either at breakfast or as an appetizer.


What goes well with this bubble bread?

This bubble bread would be perfect sided with a dipping sauce such as a warm or spicy marinara, Ranch dressing or even garlic and herb-infused olive oil.
Research contributed by Mark Neufang, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 237 calories, 11g fat (4g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 122mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.