Cheesy Garlic Spelt Monkey Bread

Spelt Cheesy Garlic Monkey Bread is a pull-apart loaf made from soft spelt dough balls, each one stuffed with mozzarella and rolled through garlic butter before baking in a bundt pan.

The crumb stays soft and slightly nutty from the spelt flour, and the outside turns deep gold with pockets of melted cheese between the layers. You pull it apart with your hands, no knife needed.

Spelt absorbs less liquid than regular wheat flour, so the dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not stiff. If you add too much flour while kneading, the loaf bakes up dense instead of light.

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You can shape the dough balls ahead and refrigerate them overnight, then let them come to room temperature and rise before baking. It works well for a weekend brunch table or alongside a pot of soup.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pulls apart by hand, no slicing or plating needed
• Mozzarella centers stay melted and stretchy inside each ball
• Spelt dough gives a softer, nuttier crumb than plain white flour
• Shape ahead and refrigerate overnight for a stress-free bake day

Ingredient Notes

• Spelt flour: Use light or white spelt flour for the softest crumb. Whole spelt works too but the loaf will be denser and need slightly more liquid.
• Instant yeast: Instant yeast skips the proofing step and goes straight into the flour. Active dry yeast works if you bloom it in the warm milk first for 8 minutes.
• Milk: Warm milk helps the dough rise faster and gives a softer crumb. Whole milk works best, but a plant milk works if you need dairy-free dough.
• Mozzarella: Low-moisture mozzarella melts cleanly inside each dough ball without leaking too much. Cubed fresh mozzarella works but pat it dry first.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the strongest flavor in the butter coating. Jarred minced garlic works in a pinch, use about 1 teaspoon per clove.
• Parmesan: Grated parmesan scattered between the layers adds a salty crust as it bakes. Pecorino works if you want a sharper edge.

Print Recipe

Comfort Food

Cheesy Garlic Spelt Monkey Bread

Author: Valentina Cooking Method: Oven Cuisine: American Courses: Side Dish Recipe Keys: C comfort food M make-ahead S savoury bake S spelt S spelt baking S spelt flour

Difficulty: Medium Prep Time 25 mins Cook Time 35 mins Rest Time 60 mins Total Time 2 hrs

Cooking Temp: 190  C Servings: 10 Estimated Cost: £ 1.60 Calories: 300

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary:

C Contains dairy and eggs C Contains gluten (spelt) V Vegetarian

Description

Small spelt dough balls get a mozzarella center, a roll through garlic butter, and a bake in a bundt pan until the top turns deep gold and the cheese pulls in long strands.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Servings

Dough

• 400 g Light spelt flour (plus extra for the work surface)
• 7 g Instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 200 ml Warm milk (about 40 C / 105 F)
• 50 g Unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Egg (large, room temperature)

Garlic butter and filling

• 90 g Unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Salt
• 150 g Low-moisture mozzarella (cut into small cubes)
• 50 g Parmesan, grated

Instructions

Make the dough

1. Warm the milk to about 40 C / 105 F, whisk in the yeast and sugar, and let it sit 5 to 8 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the spelt flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg.
3. Mix and knead for 6 to 8 minutes until you get a smooth, slightly tacky dough. Avoid adding extra flour, spelt turns dense fast if over-floured.
4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until roughly doubled.

Assemble the monkey bread

1. Stir the melted butter with the minced garlic, parsley, and salt in a small bowl.
2. Grease a bundt pan well, including the center tube.
3. Punch down the dough and divide into 26 pieces, about 20 g each.
4. Flatten each piece, place a mozzarella cube in the center, and pinch the edges shut tightly so the seam is sealed.
5. Roll each ball through the garlic butter, then arrange them in the pan, scattering parmesan between the layers.
6. Cover loosely and let rise for 15 minutes, until puffy.

Bake

1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F.
2. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden on top and an instant-read thermometer reads 90 C / 195 F at the center. Tent with foil after 20 minutes if it's browning too fast.
3. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate or board. Pull apart and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 10

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 300kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g45%

Cholesterol 48mg16%

Sodium 430mg18%

Potassium 150mg5%

Total Carbohydrate 30g10%

Dietary Fiber 3g12%

Sugars 2g

Protein 10g20%

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Vitamin A 420 IU

Vitamin C 1 mg

Calcium 150 mg

Iron 1.5 mg

Vitamin D 10 IU

Vitamin E 0.5 mg

Vitamin K 3 mcg

Thiamin 0.15 mg

Riboflavin 0.15 mg

Niacin 2 mg

Vitamin B6 0.1 mg

Folate 30 mcg

Vitamin B12 0.2 mcg

Phosphorus 150 mg

Magnesium 28 mg

Zinc 1.1 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

• Keep dough balls uniform in size so they bake and rise at the same rate.
• Pinch seams shut firmly, loose seams let the mozzarella leak into the pan.
• Grease the bundt pan center tube well, it's the spot most likely to stick.
• Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer, look for 90 C / 195 F at the center.

Keywords: spelt monkey bread, cheesy garlic monkey bread, spelt pull apart bread, mozzarella stuffed bread