This easy Crockpot cinnamon roll monkey bread casserole is perfect for dessert or breakfast! Use any pie filling you like and with 3 ingredients it’s done! You can even make as a frozen bread dough recipe with rolls thawed and cut into pieces.
This crockpot cinnamon roll monkey bread with cherry pie filling is so yummy. Add canned apple pie filling if you’d rather for an easy Crockpot recipe you’ll love. Just 3 ingredients for a morning treat! One of our favorite dessert recipes that never lasts long in this house! ๐ (affiliate links present)
Slow Cooker Monkey Bread with Cinnamon Rolls
I mean you can make our 5 ingredient easy monkey bread in the oven all day long with frozen cinnamon rolls that you had thawed, but this is even easier. If you have never tried “baking” in your slow cooker you are in for a real treat. You can use biscuits too but these are sweeter. Let us show you how and then you can tweak it all different ways with different fruits.
I started with cherries, because who doesn’t love those. The first few times I used those rolls in the refrigerated sections but then I went into my freezer. I had a few bags of the frozen types so I attempted to make this with those. With some defrosting that was a success too.
Table of contents
Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….
- This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
- I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.
Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. ๐
Yes just 3 ingredients to make Crockpot monkey bread recipe! Use your favorite pie filling to make it just the way you want. We chose cherry but blueberry or apple monkey bread would be fabulous too.
If you wanted to use canned fruit you would have to go another route. I’d opt for our Crockpot Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix in that regard which works well with just the juices in the can vs. the ooey gooey sauce that this provides.
Ingredients
- 2 pkg. refrigerated cinnamon rolls
- or frozen rolls that are slightly defrosted so they can be sliced
- biscuits work but aren’t as sweet
- 1 can pie filling
- or use homemade apple pie filling
- 1/2 cup of Vanilla frosting – optional to add to the top when done
- Cooking spray is helpful inside your slow cooker insert for cleanup purposes
I love an easy Christmas morning breakfast recipe. We usually make this easy crockpot breakfast casserole recipe too and since I have several slow cookers I can make both. Then we are set for not only the morning but into the early afternoon if someone gets a little hungry later.
Can you make monkey bread with frozen rolls?
Yes you can!! I have made Rhodes monkey bread all the time, it just takes more time to prep. You will need to lay each one out on some parchment paper for 30-45 minutes to thaw enough to slice into fourths. You don’t want them super ooey gooey as that can be messy but enough to slice with a knife.
How to Make Crockpot Monkey Bread
Time needed: 2 hours
Crockpot monkey bread
- Prepare slow cooker
Spray the inside of your crockpot with non stick spray (I used my 6 qt). If using frozen Rhodes cinnamon rolls lay them on a piece of parchment paper to defrost for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add ingredients
Cut 1 pkg. of your cinnamon rolls into 6 pcs. each roll and lay them flat on the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour your can of pie filling on top of that layer, spread out evenly. Cut the remaining biscuits / rolls into 6 pcs. each cinnamon roll and spread evenly on top of your pie filling. Pour the 2 containers of frosting that came in your cinnamon roll tubes on top of your top layer of the dough pcs.
- Cook
Close your lid and cook for 3 hrs on low or until the middle pcs are no longer sticky (outside pcs will be more done than the middle, low setting is better than high for 2 hours).
- Serve
Scoop out on to plates and serve with drizzle of frosting if desired.
If you’re making it for dessert just pop it in just before you are beginning to cook dinner and since it only takes 2-3 hrs cook time it will be ready when you’re done. Make sure you spray the inside with non stick spray so it slides out, if not it will be hard to get off. I feel it turns out better on low vs. if you cook on high.
You can add vanilla or cream cheese frosting to the top if you want or just eat as is and it’s a sweet treat that is inexpensive to make and you can change it up with different flavors. Sprinkle the top with a cinnamon sugar mixture to make it taste like a sweet french toast bake.
Can you add fruit to monkey bread?
Yes we do that here with canned fruit, pie filling style. Cherry is wonderful as you can see but apple is amazing! That is also yummy with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. We’ve made this in muffin tins too which is fun and easy to pick up.
- If you don’t have a few hours to make this just use our apple monkey bread muffins recipe and get the same taste in just 20 minutes!
- Serve with a large roll of paper towels since they’re sticky.
This is the perfect holiday breakfast or brunch option. In this post there is a video showing you how we make it but you can also bake a version of this cinnamon roll breakfast casserole in the oven too.
How Long to Cook Monkey Bread in Slow Cooker
2-3 hours depending on whether you set it to high or low is about right. Remember that the center will be more sticky and wet than the outsides that will be stiffer. If you place a few paper towels under the lid the top will brown a lot more if you prefer that.
Best if served immediately, just scoop out on to a plate and you can pick it apart easily with your fingers since it’s monkey bread. To make an monkey bread in the oven, follow these directions instead. Our apple monkey bread is amazing too.
This one does need 5 ingredients, but still a super easy recipe. You just cut each biscuit into 4-6 pieces each and dip into a melted butter brown sugar mixture. Shaking pieces in a bag with cinnamon and sugar works too. Throw them into a bundt pan and bake!
If you do have leftovers you can keep it in a sealed container once it has cooled. Keep on the countertop, doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and will harden if you put it into the fridge. Wonderful easy dessert recipe, or treat yourself at breakfast. Below is the printable recipe to follow including nutritional information.
Crockpot Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pkg. cinnamon rolls, refrigerated in cans
- 1 can pie filling, any flavor
- 1 c vanilla frosting
Instructions
- Spray the inside of your crockpot with non stick spray (I used my 6 qt)
- Cut 1 pkg. of your cinnamon rolls into 6 pcs. each roll and lay them flat on the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Pour your can of pie filling on top of that layer, spread out evenly.
- Cut the last pkg. of your cinnamon rolls into 6 pcs. each cinnamon roll and spread evenly on top of your pie filling.
- Pour the 2 containers of frosting that came in your cinnamon roll tubes on top of your top layer of cinn. roll pcs.
- Close your lid and cook for 2 hrs on high or 3 hrs on low or until the middle pcs are no longer sticky (outside pcs will be more done than the middle, low setting is better).
- Scoop out on to plates and serve with drizzle of frosting if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve never made Monkey bread before. Was easy.
This was such an easy and delicious recipe that does not disappoint! Cooking this in the crockpot is the way to go; easily, a new favorite recipe!
It’s made effortlessly in the crockpot, allowing you to enjoy the heavenly aroma as it cooks. Thank you for sharing, will definitely try this
This recipe is great! Soft, yet chewy and sweet – it’s one of our favorite desserts!
Sorry, I just reread the recipe, and you did mention a 6 quart size. I must have missed that.
Jeanne
You probably need to specify the size of crock pot to use. I have several crock pots, and I tried the recipe with one that was too small. The bottom was hard and burnt, and the top was gooey and under-cooked.
I have an oval medium sized crock pot that I will use the next time. ๐ Jeanne