Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread

This Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread is buttery, sweet, nutty, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious… perfect for breakfast or dessert!

My Word for 2019

I’ll be honest, January can be a hard month. It’s usually cold and dreary and I’m still mourning the loss of Christmas decorations and music.

But this year, I feel different. I am EXCITED for the new year and all that it has to offer. Last year, I shared my resolutions for 2018, but this year, I’m sharing my “word” for 2019.

Joy.

I wasn’t really planning to choose a “word” for the year. I’ve always liked the idea, but choosing one word felt a little overwhelming. That was until I realized “joy” has been popping up all over the place the last few months. I won’t bore you with all of the instances I’ve seen or heard a message about joy recently, but the one that really hit home was when our church started a new series called “Choosing Joy” earlier this year.

It immediately tugged at my heart. I consider myself a happy and joyful person, but to be completely honest, I’ve been struggling with joy in a few areas of my life recently. I knew my heart needed a change. You can listen to the complete sermon here, but my biggest takeaway is that I have a CHOICE on whether or not I am full of joy, and I have to LOOK for the opportunities God has placed before me every. single. day.

So that’s what I’ll be doing this year! 🙂 Being intentional about looking for joy. Even in messy situations. And especially on the hard days.

Okay enough about me, THIS is what you are really here for… Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread. This buttery, sweet, nutty, melt-in-your-mouth bread, also known as “monkey bread”, is slightly crispy on top, with a soft and doughy inside.

HEAVEN. ON. EARTH.

Working with Yeast

Don’t be nervous about working with yeast! Follow these tips and it will turn out great.

• Be careful not to overheat the milk. If you have a thermometer, it should read 100-110 degrees F.  If not, don’t sweat it- it just needs to be WARM to the touch.
• Yeast loves a warm, moist environment to activate. I like to turn my oven on the lowest degree (like 150) for two minutes then turn it OFF. Grease your bowl with vegetable oil, add your dough to the bowl, turning it once or twice to grease the top. Place the bowl in the oven (make sure it is off) and cover with a dish towel. Fill a 9×13 dish with hot water and place it in the oven on the bottom rack under your bowl. Close the door and let it rise!
• Here are a few more tips when working with yeast.

I would love to know if you chose a word for 2019… if so, please share it with me in the comments below! Also, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread!

Be sure to pin the image below so you can save this recipe!

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Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread

This Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread is buttery, sweet, nutty, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious… perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Maple Pecan Pull-Apart Bread, Monkey Bread, Pull-Apart Bread

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Rising Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 10 people

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• ¾ cup milk
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling:

• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the Glaze:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan or microwave, heat the milk until warm, about 100-110 degrees F if you have a thermometer (should only be warm to the touch, it should not to be hot). In a small bowl, add warm milk and package of yeast (do not stir), cover with a towel, and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
2. Stir to dissolve the yeast and add to mixing bowl of electric mixer (fitted with whisk attachment). Add the beaten egg, melted butter, maple syrup, and salt. Beat on medium speed until combined.
3. Add half of the flour (1.5 cups) and beat on medium for 1 minute. Stir in remaining flour by hand. Shape into a ball (will be pretty sticky and not smooth).
4. Grease a mixing bowl with canola or vegetable oil, and add ball of dough, turning it a few times to ensure the dough is greased. Cover the bowl with a towel and set in a warm place until dough is doubled in size (45 minutes to 1 hour). Note: Yeast loves a wet, warm environment, so I like to place a 9×13 pan of hot water on the bottom rack of my oven and place the covered bowl on the middle rack and close the door.
5. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides of the pan. Lightly flour a clean countertop and roll out the dough into a rectangle (roughly 20 x 12 inches). Brush dough with melted butter. Evenly distribute the brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon on top.
6. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise to make two long strips. Cut each strip into 5 sections (10 total). Gently stack 5 strips on top of one another (you will have two stacks of 5). Cut each stack into 4 sections (8 total). Some of the pecans may fall off in the process- simply add them back to your dough if needed.
7. Place each stack on their side into the prepared loaf pan, staggering them so that they all fit into the pan. Cover again and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
8. If your dough is rising in the oven, remove the pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the center looks done (you can take a fork and gently pull a section of the bread apart to check). Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, make the maple glaze. Combine powdered sugar, melted butter, and maple syrup and stir until smooth. Transfer bread to a serving plate and drizzle glaze on top. Best enjoyed warm!