This Savory Monkey Bread is loaded with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, garlic butter, and plenty of savory seasoning. Made with frozen dinner rolls, it's an easy, cheesy pull-apart bread that's perfect for holidays, parties, or serving alongside your favorite comfort food. No homemade dough required!
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This Savory Monkey Bread is what happens when you take ordinary frozen dinner rolls and give them a serious upgrade.
We're talking buttery, garlicky bread loaded with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and Everything Bagel seasoning. Everything gets tossed together, piled into a Bundt pan, and baked until golden.
It's ridiculously good, looks impressive on the table, and nobody needs to know how little work went into making it.
Why You'll Love This Savory Monkey Bread
- No homemade dough: Frozen dinner rolls do the heavy lifting.
- Loaded with flavor: Bacon, cheddar, garlic butter, and savory seasonings in every bite.
- Perfect for sharing: Pull it apart and let everybody dig in.
- Great for gatherings: Perfect for holidays, game day, or serving with dinner.
What You Need & Why
- Frozen Yeast Dinner Rolls: The easy shortcut—no homemade dough needed.
- Butter: For a rich, golden finish.
- Granulated Garlic + Onion: Plenty of savory flavor.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: Adds salt, crunch, and seasoning.
- Dried Dill: A little herby flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: For melty, cheesy goodness.
- Bacon: Adds smoky, salty flavor.
The Recipe Rundown
Here's the brief overview of how to make this super simple Savory Monkey Bread.
- Prep the dough: Partially thaw the rolls and cut into quarters.
- Make the coating: Combine melted butter, seasonings, cheese, and bacon.
- Toss: Add the dough pieces and coat well.
- Rise: Transfer to a greased Bundt pan and let rise until doubled.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F until golden and cooked through.
- Serve: Cool briefly, turn out, brush with butter, and dig in.
Swaps & Variations
This savory monkey bread is easy to customize while keeping that buttery, cheesy pull-apart texture.
- Switch up the cheese: Try mozzarella, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a combination.
- Add a little heat: Toss in diced jalapeños or red pepper flakes.
- Skip the bacon: Leave it out for a cheesy garlic version.
- Add fresh herbs: Parsley or chives are both great here.
- Skip the rise time: Use canned biscuit dough instead of frozen rolls for an even quicker version.
Tips For The Best Savory Monkey Bread
A few simple tips will help you get perfectly golden, fluffy, pull-apart monkey bread every time.
- Partially thaw the dough: About 30 minutes at room temperature makes the rolls easier to cut.
- Coat it well: Toss the dough thoroughly so the butter and seasonings get into every nook and cranny.
- Let it rise: Plan on roughly 45–90 minutes, but go by the dough—it should be doubled in size before baking.
- Shred your own cheese: It melts better than the pre-shredded stuff.
- Distribute everything evenly: Spread the dough, bacon, and cheese throughout the Bundt pan.
- Tent with foil: If the top gets too brown before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil.
Savory Monkey Bread Recipe
Equipment
- bundt pan
- glass mixing bowls
- kitchen shears
Ingredients
- 24 frozen yeast dinner rolls
- ½ cup butter, melted plus more for topping at the end
- 2 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cups cooked bacon bits
Instructions
Prep the Dough
- Partially thaw the rolls: Let the frozen dinner rolls sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or microwave according to package directions until partially thawed. They should still be slightly frozen and firm enough to cut easily.
- Cut: Cut each roll into quarters, then let the dough pieces finish thawing.
- Make the butter mixture: Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the Everything Bagel seasoning, salt, dill, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper.
- Coat the dough: Stir in the cheddar and bacon. Add the dough pieces and gently toss until evenly coated.
Rise and Bake
- Add to the pan: Lightly grease a 10–12 cup Bundt pan. Add the coated dough pieces, distributing the cheese and bacon evenly throughout.
- Let rise: Cover loosely and place in a warm spot for approximately 1-2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Rising time will vary depending on how thoroughly the dough has thawed and the temperature of your kitchen.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and continue baking for another 5–10 minutes, or until the bread is golden and cooked through in the center.
- Cool and serve: Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Brush with additional melted butter, if desired, and serve warm.
Nutrition
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or a 300°F oven until heated through.
Recipe Testing Notes
Keep these tips in mind when making savory monkey bread, especially if you're preparing it for a gathering.
- Plan for rising: Allow approximately 1–2 hours after assembling, depending on how thawed the dough is. Let it double in size before baking.
- Make it ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let the dough finish rising at room temperature before baking.
- Make individual portions: Divide the dough between greased muffin cups, filling halfway. Watch closely because they'll bake faster.
- Make a smaller batch: Halve the ingredients and use a 6-cup Bundt pan. Start checking for doneness about 10 minutes early.
More Homemade Bread Recipes You'll Love
Keep the bread basket full with a few more of my favorite easy bread recipes:
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread — Crusty on the outside, soft and chewy inside, and ridiculously easy.
- Stuffed Garlic Knots with Ham and Cheese — Soft homemade knots loaded with ham, cheese, and garlic butter.
- Honey Beer Bread — A quick, slightly sweet bread with no yeast or rising time.
- Olive Cheese Bread — Cheesy, savory, and made for sharing.
- Sour Cream Biscuits with Bacon and Cheese — Tender, savory biscuits loaded with bacon and cheese.
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
Hi, I’m Ruth—recipe developer, comfort-food creator, and the voice behind Rufus For Real. I specialize in cozy, doable, flavor-packed meals for real-life kitchens, and I’m a firm believer that breakfast, dinner, and everything in between should be simple, satisfying, and impossible to mess up.
You’ll find me sharing even more comfort-food goodness, kitchen tips, and behind-the-scenes chaos over on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@rufusforreal everywhere).
If you love approachable recipes with a whole lot of personality, pull up a chair—there’s always room at this table.
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus
brenda hill says
delicious for breakfast or anytime.
Rufus says
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!
Margaret says
I have been banned from making this bread. Hubby says it is entirely too delicious!
Rufus says
Haha! You don't know how happy I am to hear it! I'm so glad you guys like it! Have a wonderful day!
Apryl S says
so good and so easy! excellent bread recipe!