This Ham and Cheese Monkey Bread is the ultimate easy breakfast recipe, which makes it perfect for those of us that need all the extra help we can get in the morning! We’re all about overnight breakfast casseroles around here, and once you taste this one, you will be too!
Thanks to my friends at Rhodes Rolls for sponsoring today’s post! As always all opinions are my own! #frozendough #Rhodes
Raise your hand if you’re in love with make-ahead breakfast recipes? Me too! This recipe is AMAZING because you can hit the snooze button and still feed your family a hearty breakfast!
This is also a great recipe for using up leftover ham, bacon, or sausage. Heck, if throw all three in there…it will only make it better!
We eat leftovers a couple of nights a week and my kids were literally FIGHTING over this monkey bread! When you have three boys there’s no shortage of fighting, and now they’re fighting over leftovers!
So whip this recipe up, and watch your kids gather around and fight over it!
What you’ll find in this post!
Table of contents
Reader’s favorite things about Ham and Cheese Monkey Bread!
There is so much to love about Breakfast Monkey Bread because it solves so many of my problems!
- Overnight – Assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning
- Inexpensive – This recipe uses simple ingredients
- Leftover Ham – Dice leftover ham and use it up
- On the Go Breakfast – Perfect for grabbing on your way out the door.
- Freezes well– Take these muffins out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave for a quick breakfast
Mornings are hectic and that’s why my family survives on recipes like Make-Ahead Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, Breakfast Calzones, Breakfast Stromboli, and Blueberries and Cream Sweet Rolls. You just can’t beat waking up and having breakfast ready to pop in the oven.
Monkey Bread Ingredients
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make this easy recipe. These ingredients are all typical pantry/fridge ingredients. I bet you have most of them hanging around. Let’s talk about variations, just in case! Since I live 60 miles from the grocery store I’m good at substituting! Here are some ideas!
- Bread – Rhodes frozen rolls are my favorite. You can use biscuits too, but I really think using yeast rolls are worth the little extra effort.
- Meat – Diced ham, fried and crumbled sausage, crumbled bacon, or a combination!
- Cheese – Cheddar, Mexican blend, pepper Jack, Swiss, or Monterey.
- Eggs – Whole eggs
- Milk – Half and half is best. Whole milk, evaporated (not condensed), or heavy cream will work too.
- Spices – Salt and pepper to taste.
How to make monkey bread
Although this is a really easy recipe I’m going to share a few tips that will make you can make this without any snags! Making it in individual muffin tins is a little bit more work than making it in a bundt pan or in a 9×9 baking dish. But I like it better because it’s easier to serve, and it’s easier to freeze if you want to save some for later! It will taste fantastic either way!
How do I assemble monkey bread using frozen rolls?
- Allow about 20-30 minutes for the frozen Rhodes rolls to thaw just enough to be able to cut them.
- I used a jumbo muffin tin and used one and a half roll in each muffin cup. If you’re using a traditional muffin tin try using 3/4 a roll for each muffin cup (you’d need 9 rolls total either way). If you’re using a can of biscuits you won’t need to wait for them to rise.
- Sprinkle diced ham and cheese over the rolls.
Add eggs to monkey bread
- Use a big glass measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout for this next step because it makes it easier to pour into the muffin tins without spilling.
- Mix eggs and half-and-half together. Season with salt and pepper. Pour some into each muffin cup.
- The rolls are going to keep rising as it sits. Be sure to leave a little extra room in the muffin tins to allow for the rising or you could end up with eggs all over your fridge! That wouldn’t make breakfast any easier!
How to make monkey bread overnight and bake in the morning.
- Stick them in the fridge and they’ll be ready for you in the morning.
- All you need to do in the morning is take them out of the fridge and stick them in the oven to bake. Be sure to set the muffin tin on a baking sheet just in case they overflow a bit. I haven’t had this happen before, but it makes me a little nervous every time!
- If you’re using a bundt pan or a 9 x 9 baking dish you’ll need to allow a more time to bake through since it will be thicker. A muffin tin only takes about 20-25 minutes to bake through.
How to freeze and reheat monkey bread.
This is when baking this recipe in muffin tins comes in really handy. I love that they are already baked in individual portions instead of one big pan. After baking, follow these instructions for freezing and reheating.
- Cool baked monkey bread completely.
- Freeze for 30 minutes on a baking sheet.
- Remove from baking sheet and store in an airtight container. They should last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat microwave one for 1 minute. Check to see if it’s heated through. If not, continue microwaving in 30-second increments until heated through. Serve.
NOTE: They will also last for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just microwave to reheat.
What to serve with savory monkey bread.
We love to serve this pull-apart bread for breakfast or brunch. But, it’s also a great recipe if you like breakfast for dinner. Here are a few fruit salad recipes and smoothie recipes that would be delicious served with it!
- Vanilla Fruit Salad – with fresh fruit
- Lime Dressing Fruit Salad – tangy and sweet
- Bacon and Egg Salad – savory green salad
- Grape Salad – creamy
- Apple Salad – with Greek yogurt
- Strawberry Smoothie – like cheesecake
- Orange Banana Smoothie – a blender smoothie
- Peach Smoothie – with carrots
Grab My Ham, Egg, and Cheese Monkey Bread Recipe!
Ham and Cheese Monkey Bread is really similar to an overnight egg and biscuit casserole except it’s in a fun savory monkey bread! This recipe can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning which makes it the perfect breakfast for the holiday company! Of course, the recipe is great for weekdays too!
Egg, Ham, and Cheese Monkey Bread
Ingredients
- 9 rolls
- 6 large eggs
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped parsley optional
Instructions
Assembling Monkey Bread
- Grease jumbo muffin tin with nonstick baking spray.
- Set 9 Rhodes rolls in the muffin tin. Some muffin cups will have 2 rolls and some will have 1 roll. We're going to work that out in a minute. Let rolls sit in muffin tins for about 20 minutes, or until they are thawed enough to cut with scissors.
- Cut rolls in quarters, placing 6 qaurters in each muffin cup.
- Evenly divide diced ham and cheese and sprinkle over rolls in the muffin cups. Use your fingers to toss the rolls, ham, and cheese together a little bit.
- Whisk eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper in a large measuring cup. Pour egg mixture evenly in muffin cups. Be sure to not fill them over 3/4 full. You might have more egg mixture than will fit. If so, discard any extra egg mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.
- Cover muffin tin with greased plastic wrap, set on a rimmed baking sheet just incase it overflows during the night. Refrigerate overnight, or until rolls have doubled.
Baking Monkey Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set muffin tins on a baking sheet just in case they overflow. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from muffin tin and serve immediately!
Stephanie says
These look delicious! I’m wondering 2 things. 1) How long do you think it would take to cook in a 9×13 pan instead of the bundt pan? & 2) I am thinking about cooking them all mixed & layered together in my crockpot & cooking them in it for an hour or so. Do you think this would work & or any thoughts about cooking time? I found a recipe for monkey bread using Rhodes rolls which I recently discovered last year & absolutely LOVE, & the recipe says you can cook them in the crockpot, so I was going to try it. I have a digital crockpot so I can set the temperature at 350 & set it to cook for 30 minutes. I can switch it to the other crockpot though so I can time this one instead. I’m helping cook brunch for my nephew’s graduation in a couple of weeks & trying to get easy ideas that will feed a crowd of hungry boys lol! So thanks for sharing! Any thoughts/ideas appreciated! Blessings!
Amy Engberson says
Hi Stephanie! This recipe will be so fun for your nephew’s graduation party! I have three boys and they DEVOUR this monkey bread so I know it will be a hit! I’ve never made monkey bread in the slow cooker so I don’t have experience with that. It’s a great idea! Most of the recipes I’ve read about slow cooker monkey bread use biscuits, which isn’t my favorite. They also suggest cooking on high anywhere from one hour to 2 1/2 hours. I’d maybe practice before the party just to be sure you have the timing down! Good luck! Sounds like a fun party!
Gina Hamilton says
can this be frozen after baking? then taken out, microwaved to eat? or thawed and then microwaved?
Amy Engberson says
Hi Gina! Those are GREAT ideas! Anything to make mornings easier is a win in my book! I’ve never tried freezing this monkey bread, but I imagine it would work prefectly! I think you could either take them out of the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight then microwave in the morning to warm them up. Or I bet you can take them straight from the freezer, defrost in the microwave, then heat! I’m going to try it out! Thanks for the suggestions!
Taylor W. says
Such a fun idea! These look SO delicious! Need to try!
Amy Engberson says
My kids went crazy over these! They even fought over who go the last one!
Brandy O'Neill says
I would love to start my day with this!
Amy Engberson says
It’s seriously such and easy way to make mornings faster and tastier!
Chrissie Baker says
This is breakfast lunch And dinner winner! Easy and yummy! Love everything about this recipe!
Amy Engberson says
Oh my goodness! Breakfast is the BEST any time of the day!
Melanie Bauer says
Looks so fantastic! This is absolutely a great way to start our day, need to make this!
Amy Engberson says
YES! It really does make mornings better! Rhodes rolls make it so fast and easy to make too!
Krista says
This is a great idea! Love this for breakfast!
Amy Engberson says
Thank you! It’s such a hearty, and easy breakfast! My boys love to warm them up for lunches at school too!
Amy says
I never thought of putting bread with ham and eggs. This looks like a wonderful recipe! I will try it because I love left overs for breakfast, that way I get to sleep in!;)
Amy Engberson says
You and I feel exactly the same way about mornings! Leftovers are the best way to enjoy my mornings a little more!
Sara says
I love this recipe! Going to make it for when my kids have a sleep over this weekend. I’m sure it will be a hit!
Amy Engberson says
You are a good mamma to host a sleepover! This recipe will be perfect for breakfast! It’s so fun to be able to pull the little pieces of bread off and munch them! Let me know how it goes!