Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread aka Monkey Bread

To me, Christmas and the holidays means spending time around the ones who are near and dear to your heart. Around this time of year, I love being surrounded by countless relatives as we reminisce and share stories. On Christmas Eve, my mom’s side of the family goes to my parent’s neck of the woods to attend church together and then they all travel back to my parent’s house for an out-of-this-world feast that my mom prepares. This night is filled with laughs, food, drinks and memories. Once all of the presents have been exchanged and opened, everyone leaves in anticipation of Santa’s visit.

My grammy and uncle spend the night and in the morning everyone in my immediate family gathers around the tree for the gift exchange. After the presents have been opened, we all sit down to a breakfast filled with all sorts of goodies to start Christmas Day off on the right foot before we celebrate with my Dad’s side of the family. As I think back on past Christmases, it has been nothing but family, love and laughter.

This year was a bit different in the fact that, due to work and travel schedules, my husband and I weren’t able to make it up to the mitten (aka Michigan) for Christmas with my family. Instead, his parents visited D.C. for the first time during Christmas. I must admit, spending Christmas in D.C. this year away from my immediate and extended families was very difficult. However, with that being said, I was also excited to spend Christmas with the Tilley side…plus, we were able to celebrate in our house which was an added bonus.

On Christmas morning, I woke up and prepared this Monkey Bread to take down to my brother-in-law’s house so that we could enjoy it during the gift exchange. We ate delicious omelets prepared by his fiance, pulled apart this Monkey Bread and washed it all down with coffee before heading back to our house where we would spend the rest of Christmas Day.

All of us snuggled up on the couch, watched a few movies (including The Christmas Story…it’s not Christmas without this movie), snacked on appetizers throughout the day and then sat down to a candlelight dinner as we enjoyed a winter salad followed by Cornish Hens, gravy, green beans, red skin mashed potatoes, and cranberry and apple stuffing. All in all, it was such an enjoyable day and I’m very happy that even though we were not able to be with my side of the family, we were able to spend the day with his side…and it was nothing but family, love and laughter.

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread aka Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

Bread

• 4 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

 Glaze

• 4 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut biscuit dough into quarters with scissors.
3. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
4. Roll dough quarters in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
5. Grease 12-cup tube pan and place half of biscuits into pan.
6. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of melted butter.
7. Top with remaining biscuits.
8. Drizzle with the rest of the remaining butter.
9. Top unbaked loaf with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.
10. Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Take the pan out of the oven and remove the bread from the tube pan.
12. Prepare glaze (Directions: Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until blended. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until you reach the desired consistency). Spoon glaze over warm bread and serve.

How do you typically enjoy the holidays?