Chocolatey and crunchy, sweet and salty, Chocolate Pretzel Biscuit Monkey Bread is as fun to eat as it is delicious. This easy, crowd-pleasing dessert is perfect when a sweet tooth hits.
Finish with a dusting of powdered sugar and an optional drizzle of chocolate sauce for extra flair and sweetness.
🩵 About This Recipe
This is a favorite dessert because the salty, crunchy pretzels contrast wonderfully with tender, chewy biscuit pieces. The combination of sweet chocolate and a little salt makes this dessert especially memorable.
For extra decadence, dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce. The result is a simple yet impressive dessert that’s great for sharing.
What readers are saying…
I LOVE this! Fast, easy, delicious and NO frosting mess!
– Sandra
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- biscuit dough – store-bought refrigerated biscuits are convenient, but homemade dough works too.
- powdered sugar – use confectioner’s sugar for the coating and finishing dust.
- cocoa powder – adds rich chocolate flavor to the coating.
- pretzels – crushed pretzels bring crunch and a salty contrast to the sweet chocolate.
- chocolate chips – milk chocolate is used here, but dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate all work.
- butter – melted butter binds the layers and creates a gooey texture when baked.
🔪 Let’s Make Biscuit Monkey Bread!
(Scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements and timing.)
Prepare the Coating
Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a large sealable plastic bag and shake to mix.
Cut the Biscuits
Separate each biscuit and cut into quarters, then add the pieces to the bag and shake until coated in the cocoa-sugar mixture.
Arrange in Pan
Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick spray and add about half of the coated biscuit pieces in an even layer.
Add a Middle Layer
Sprinkle about half of the crushed pretzels and half of the chocolate chips over the first layer of biscuit pieces.
Add Butter
Melt the butter and pour half over the pretzels and chips to help bind the layers.
Assemble and Bake
Layer the remaining biscuit pieces, pretzels, and chocolate chips, drizzle the rest of the butter over the top, and press gently to compact. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Cut biscuits with kitchen shears or a sharp knife for consistent pieces—each biscuit makes about four pieces.
- It’s easier to handle chilled dough right out of the fridge.
- Crush pretzels in a plastic bag with a rolling pin; leave some bigger bits for texture.
- Press each layer gently so the finished bread bakes together and holds its shape when inverted.
❔ FAQs
The name comes from how the bread is pulled apart and eaten by hand—easy to grab bite-sized pieces, like a monkey might pull at it.
If the oven is too hot, the outside can brown before the inside finishes. Bake at the recommended temperature and check for doneness by ensuring the interior pieces are set and no raw dough remains.
Monkey bread is made of individual pieces of dough layered with fillings or coatings, which creates a pull-apart dessert with a crisp exterior and soft interior.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Swap milk chocolate chips for dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate—or use a mix.
- Try cinnamon chips or peanut butter chips for a different flavor profile.
- Make a s’mores version by adding mini marshmallows between layers and using graham cracker crumbs with or instead of pretzels.
Kristin’s Kitchen Tip
For even baking, cut the biscuits into similar-sized pieces so layers bake uniformly.
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers wrapped tightly or in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave for a few seconds, or warm the whole bread in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to refresh texture.
Keep It Handy
Save this recipe for later by bookmarking it in your browser or saving the page.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce. A scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it extra indulgent.
😋 More Easy Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls – another easy recipe using store-bought dough.
- Mocha Hazelnut Layer Cake – a rich option for coffee-and-chocolate lovers.
- Cookie Dough Bars – no-bake treats perfect when you want a quick sweet fix.
- Bread Pudding – a comforting, old-fashioned dessert.
- Skillet Monkey Bread – an alternate method for making pull-apart bread.
Pretzel Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread
⭐ Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback. Please rate and review below!
📋 Recipe Card
Chocolate Pretzel Biscuit Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 16 pieces refrigerated biscuit dough (2 tubes)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
- 1.5 cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a large zip-top bag and shake to mix.
- Separate the biscuits and cut each into quarters. Add the pieces to the bag and shake until coated.
- Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Add about half of the coated biscuit pieces to the pan.
- Sprinkle half the crushed pretzels and half the chocolate chips over the biscuit layer.
- Pour half of the melted butter over the layer.
- Top with the remaining biscuit pieces, the rest of the pretzels and chips, and the remaining butter. Press down gently to compact.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Let cool slightly, then invert onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired.
Notes
Prep Tips:
- Use kitchen scissors to quickly cut biscuits into quarters.
- Crush pretzels in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin; avoid crushing them too finely.
- Press layers down so the bread bakes evenly and holds together.
Variation Suggestions:
- Swap chocolate types or add mini marshmallows for a s’mores twist.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve warm and let guests pull apart pieces.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream or extra chocolate sauce.
Storage:
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerated up to 5 days.
- Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or microwave single portions for 15–20 seconds.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 52 g
| Protein: 5 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
Update Notes: Originally published July 2017; updated with photos, tips, and a recipe revision in October 2025.
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