Best Nutty Caramel Monkey Balls Recipes

CARAMEL-PECAN MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Melt 5 tablespoons butter. Add milk, eggs and melted butter; stir in 1/4 cup sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Punch dough down; shape into 40 balls (about 1-1/4 in. diameter). Melt remaining butter. In a shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. Dip balls in butter, then roll in sugar mixture., For caramel, bring brown sugar, butter and cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Pour half of the caramel into a greased 10-in. fluted tube pan; layer with half the pecans and half the dough balls; repeat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil for last 10 minutes if top browns too quickly.) Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate., For optional glaze, beat cream cheese and butter until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm bread.

CARAMEL MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and half of the flour (2 1/2 cups) Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until it forms a firm dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 7-8 minutes).
• Place in greased bowl and turn over to get the whole dough ball greasy. Cover and let rise for about an hour or until dough doubles in size.
• In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and cream and bring to a boil. Stir for about 3 minutes until it's nice and melted together. Pour half of the caramel sauce into a greased fluted pan. If you are using pecans, add half of them to the pan as well.
• When dough is done, punch it down and form into 35-40 balls. In a pie pan or shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Place melted butter in another bowl. Dip balls in butter, then roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Arrange dough balls into the fluted pan.
• Pour the remaining caramel sauce evenly on top of the dough balls.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown (if they are browning too fast you can loosely cover it with tin foil). Cool for 10 minutes, then turn up-side down onto a serving plate.

CARAMEL-NUT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Chop the nuts fairly finely and mix with the sugar, cayenne and lemon zest.
• Roll a caramel in your hand until round, then roll in the nut mixture, pressing to coat. Set aside and repeat with the remaining caramels.

MONKEY BALLS

Steps:

• Knead dough.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
• Pinch off dough into walnut-size balls.
• Roll in melted butter, then in sugar-cinnamon mixture.
• Place in butter-greased bundt or angel food pan, in layers.
• Sprinkle nuts over each layer, if desired.
• Pour remaining butter and sugar over top.
• Let rise, about 10 minutes.
• Bake in 325 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes.
• Invert onto plate while still warm.

CINNAMON MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces; shape into balls. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar. Arrange evenly in a generously greased 9- or 10-in. fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar., Combine butter and brown sugar; pour over the top. Place tube pan on baking sheet; bake until dough is golden brown and cooked through, 35-45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting bread onto a serving platter.

CARAMEL-NUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheet, and line with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on long sides; set aside. Spread nuts on another rimmed baking sheet. Toast until nuts are fragrant and lightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer nuts to a clean surface; spread evenly, and let cool completely. Coarsely chop, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 sticks of butter with the brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With mixer on low speed, add flour and a pinch of salt; mix until just combined.
• Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet, and cover with parchment paper. Using a wine bottle or small rolling pin, roll along the length of pan to smooth dough. (Alternatively, press the dough into the pan with the back of a large spoon.) Bake until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Combine granulated sugar, cream of tartar, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 cupwater in a wide, heavy-bottom saucepan. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until some sugar begins to melt and turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar is completely melted, mixture is deep golden, and a candy thermometer registers 300 degrees (hard-crack stage). Stirring constantly, carefully pour cream slowly down the side of the pan (it will spatter) until fully combined. Remove from heat; add remaining 1/4 stick butter and stirto combine.Transfer caramel to a heatproof bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
• Stir in nuts; spread caramel mixture over cooled crust. Bake until caramel is set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 3-by-2-inch bars. Bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

MONKEY BREAD

Steps:

• Beat 1 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed until butter is smooth and pliable but still cold, about 1 minute. Scrape into a medium bowl; set aside. Save mixer bowl because you're going to use it again in a minute (no need to wash).
• Gently heat milk in a small saucepan over low until warm to the touch but not steaming hot. It should be 110°F-115°F. Whisk milk and yeast in a small bowl to dissolve yeast, then let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, and salt in reserved mixer bowl to combine. Add yeast mixture and eggs, fit bowl back onto mixer, and beat on low speed with dough hook, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium as dry ingredients are incorporated, until dough comes together around hook. Continue to mix on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Add more flour by the tablespoonful as needed if dough isn't pulling away from bowl cleanly.
• With motor running, gradually add reserved butter about a tablespoonful at a time, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more. This process can take several minutes, so be patient. When you're done adding the butter, the dough will be extremely smooth, soft, and supple but not sticky. Place dough in a large buttered bowl and cover. Let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until nearly doubled in size, 55-65 minutes.
• Uncover dough and punch down several times to deflate. Line a 13x9" baking dish with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang on all sides. Place dough in pan and press into an even layer, working all the way to the sides of the pan. Fold plastic up and over dough, eliminating air pockets between dough and plastic. Chill dough in freezer until firm to the touch, 20-30 minutes.
• Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine. Lightly brush tube pan with butter. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, tapping out excess; set aside. Remove dough from freezer and peel back plastic. Brush entire surface with melted butter and sprinkle generously with some cinnamon sugar. Shake excess sugar back into bowl, then invert baking pan and turn out dough onto work surface sugar side down. Remove plastic; discard. Brush other side of dough with butter and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Use a pizza cutter or a chef's knife to cut dough into a 12x6 grid.
• Working relatively quickly so dough doesn't become too soft, separate pieces and, working one at a time, roll lightly between your palms into balls, dusting with more cinnamon sugar as needed to prevent sticking. Place in prepared tube pan as you go. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until pieces have swelled to nearly doubled in size, 40-50 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° a little before monkey bread is ready to bake.
• Remove plastic from pan and bake monkey bread until golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then use a small offset spatula to loosen monkey bread from sides of pan. Pull bottom out from pan and use spatula to loosen bread from bottom. Slide bread back into pan; invert onto a plate and remove pan. Place a wire rack over bread and invert right side up onto rack. If using a Bundt pan, just invert directly onto wire rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
• Pour about 1/2 cup caramel sauce over monkey bread if desired. Serve with more sauce alongside for dipping.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 1 day ahead. After punching down, pat into plastic-lined pan and chill in refrigerator instead of freezer.

CARAMEL NUT ROLLS (CANDY)

Steps:

• Put the caramels, butter and and half and half in a 2 quart casserole dish or mixing bowl.
• Microwave on medium 3-5 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes, then every minute after.
• Stir in the sugar until smooth, then add nuts.
• Stir in the marshmallows, using only a few strokes.
• Sprinkle 2 large sheets of waxed paaper with coconut.
• Split mixture in half and spoon onto coconut.
• Shape into logs, coating well with coconut.
• Chill til hard, then slice.