I’m happy to report that I survived my week of finals. Whew! What a fun and busy term. I’m super happy to be on winter break for the next couple of weeks:)

My cute friend, Jen from Bakerette is here to share a delicious breakfast or brunch idea…

Surprise Monkey Bread and let me tell you, it looks to-die-for delicious!

Hey, It’s Jen from Bakerette and I’m excited to be back at What’s Cooking With Ruthie and share with you this awesome surprise monkey bread recipe to add to your holiday breakfast menu!

What’s the surprise you ask? Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a I told you. LOL… That would be like telling you the ending of a novel or who got killed on The Walking Dead, or unwrapping your present before Christmas! That just wouldn’t be fair to ruin the surprise for you, now would it?….

Any-who, guess what I’m reading to boost my holiday spirit? The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It’s one of my favorite Christmas books (next to The Return of The Wise Man). Okay, I know that’s not very original, but I read it every year starting the day after Thanksgiving to enhance my spirit and keep everything in perspective. This time of year is about giving, service, gratitude, love, and of course, our Savior’s birth.

I posed a question to my readers on Bakerette’s Facebook Page and they gave some very insightful answers on the spirit of giving. I truly was impressed. You see, I know someone whose child has given them so much grief this past year. It’s been a heartbreak. She asked me “What would you do on Christmas for a child who deserves coal instead of presents?” I know we all want to say we would give coal or give them nothing (at least we might want to), but I asked my readers what would they really do? What are their true feelings? Here’s what a couple of followers said:

Camille A Moyer said: “We all deserve coal on Christmas. I make mistakes daily, as we all do. Christmas isn’t about getting what we deserve, it is about love. God sent Jesus to us as a gift that not one of us here on earth deserves. Christmas is a time for us to demonstrate that same love for others. I give gifts out of love, not as a reward.”

I love, LOVE that answer. Here’s another response that impressed me by Justine Brent:

“Coal and no gifts is like saying Christ’s atonement is for everyone but you because you’re naughty. Christ always loved the sinner. He loves everyone.”

These answers totally put things in perspective for me. My readers are awesome! So make this year a year of giving with full purpose of heart: with love. With Christ’s birth and atonement in mind….

Okay, yes, I was purposely avoiding telling you what the surprise is in this monkey bread recipe. Here’s the surprise: May I have a drum roll please? It’s cream cheese in the center. And I’m telling you what, the cream cheese adds an element that makes this monkey bread recipe awesome! Enjoy it for this season.

Thank you, Ruthie, for allowing me to invade your space this month! I wish each and every one of you a very merry and joyous Christ-mas.

Yield: 10

Surprise Monkey Bread Recipe

Name: Surprise Monkey Bread Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar, packed; 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed; 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided into thirds; 2 tubes, 16.3 ounces each jumbo refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (16 biscuits total); 1/2 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 16 cubes (equivalent of about 2 teaspoons each)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided into thirds
2 tubes, 16.3 ounces each jumbo refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (16 biscuits total)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 16 cubes (equivalent of about 2 teaspoons each)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 10-inch fluted pan with cooking spray.
Combine brown sugar and butter in a microwave safe dish and melt for one minute at 80% heat or until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Stir well and set aside.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup pecans evenly across the bottom of prepared fluted pan. Set aside.
Roll and flatten each biscuit into a 3-inch disc. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon in the center of each disc. Top with a cube of cream cheese (or approx. 2 teaspoons cream cheese). Fold dough edges up and pinch together to seal. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the sealed biscuit until about 1-inch thick.
Layer the bottom of the pan with half of the filled biscuits (8 biscuits), drizzle half of the melted butter/cinnamon mixture over the top, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. Repeat layer.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and center is cooked through. Invert immediately onto a serving platter and serve warm.