Cream Cheese Pull Apart Bread Recipe

Written by Pam Published on January 22, 2019

Sometimes the best recipes come from combining ingredients to see what will happen. This can also backfire as I’ve had plenty of recipes that ‘could have been better,’ as my family says. This recipe came about one day when I wanted to make monkey bread, but I wanted to give it a twist. I thought about ways to change it. Red velvet? No, my husband is allergic to chocolate. Caramel? Good, but too much like normal monkey bread. Then, I saw a box of cheesecake pudding mix and the rest, as they say, is history. I adapted until I developed this cream cheese pull apart bread recipe the whole family enjoys. As my son told me after tasting it, “I like frosting and I like biscuits. What’s not to like about this recipe?”
cream-cheese-pull-apart-bread

Cream Cheese Pull Apart Bread Recipe

This recipe is so simple to make! The basic bread uses only three ingredients and the frosting only has four ingredients. You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the biscuits for a package of gluten-free biscuits. You could easily double the recipe and use a bundt cake pan, but I preferred a loaf variety. My version makes two loaves of bread or one large bundt cake. Since this recipe is so simple to make it’s perfect for unexpected guests, potlucks, snacks, or anytime you need a quick, last-minute dish.
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Here’s what you’ll need to make the bread:

Biscuits- I like to use Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits because they rise so nicely. Using the generic store brand version of Grands is fine, I usually do.
Cheesecake Pudding Mix
Butter

Here’s what you’ll need to make the frosting:

cream cheese- You can use low-fat or fat-free, but it won’t taste as good in this recipe.
powdered sugar
butter
cream- You can also use milk, or half and half. Although it tastes best with cream, I use whatever I have on hand.
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Printable Recipe

Cream Cheese Pull Apart Bread Recipe

Ingredients

2 cans (8 biscuits each) Grands or other Flaky Layered Biscuits, broken into fourths (can substitute gluten-free biscuits, if needed)
1 package (3 ounces) cheesecake pudding mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
For Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons cream OR half and half OR milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a plastic freezer bag, mix the biscuits and pudding mix until biscuits are coated.
Add the melted butter to the bag and shake until biscuits are coated with butter.
Separate the biscuit mixture into half. Place 1/2 the mixture into a loaf pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat the procedure in another loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake mixture for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the bread comes out with no crumbs.
Allow bread to cool for 10-15 minutes and remove from pan,
How To Make the Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and melted butter. Using a mixer, stir until blended. Add cream a tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until frosting is the desired consistency. Spread frosting over cooled bread.

Here’s a fun fact. I always wondered why pull-apart bread was called ‘monkey bread.’ I did a little research and discovered it’s because it is considered finger food. Since it is pulled apart by our fingers, the same way monkeys would do, it is considered “Monkey Bread.” I think I like my name Cream Cheese Pull Apart Bread better!
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