Pretzel Monkey Muffins are the perfect party appetizer or satisfying snack! Filled with sharp cheddar cheese and baked until the center is melty and the exterior is chewy and golden brown.
Oh boy have I got a good one for your today. . . .Pretzel Monkey Muffins. It’s monkey bread meets soft pretzel and it’s a match made in heaven.
These little beauties are incredibly easy to make and taste amazing! Eat them on their own or dip them in your favorite sauce!
These pretzel monkey muffins start with canned biscuit dough which completely simplifies things. Each biscuit is cut into four pieces and then each piece is rolled into a flat circle. It does take a few minutes, so if you can bribe one of your children to grab a rolling pin and help out, I highly recommend that.
What is monkey bread?
Monkey bread can be either sweet or savory. It’s small balls of dough that are baked together typically in a bundt or tube pan and then pulled apart to eat. In this case, we’re making it in muffin tins which makes mini, individualized monkey muffins instead of bread. A lot of recipes start with a homemade dough, some use canned dough which works well too.
Simple lineup of ingredients:
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- refrigerated biscuits
- sharp cheddar cheese
- egg

I took step by step photos, but I must have accidentally deleted them because they are gone, so please forgive me. The instructions are pretty straightforward so I don’t think you’ll have a hard time making these. I will take photos next I make these a and post them when I do.

How to make pretzel monkey muffins.
- Bring the water, baking soda and salt to a boil.
- Separate the biscuits and cut each one into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a roughly 3-inch circle (no need to be perfect!).
- Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the grated cheese into the center of each dough piece. Gather each dough piece around the filling and seal into a little ball.
- Boil the dough balls, flipping once, until slightly puffed, about 30 seconds and transfer to a lined baking sheet.
- Add 3 balls of dough to the bottom of each sprayed muffin cup. Top each with about a teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese, then top with a fourth ball of dough, slightly off center.
- Brush generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 15 to 18 minutes or until dark golden brown.

Just look at that little golden nugget of yumminess!
What should I dip these in?
- Mustard. You could use regular mustard, dijon mustard, honey mustard or whatever your favorite is. My husband and I love these dipped in sweet & spicy mustard (from Trader Joes).
- Ranch dip/dressing. My boys love these dipped in ranch dressing. Homemade is always best, but store bought is fine too.
- Cheese sauce. You could use Queso or nacho cheese sauce. YUM!
You could easily swap out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack, Mozzarella, Monterey jack. etc. Pepper jack would be fantastic and give this a little kick.
If you actually end up having any of these leftover, you can reheat them in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds. You could also place them on a cookie sheet, cover it with foil and put them in a 250 degree oven for about 7 to 8 minutes.
These are a keeper!
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Pretzel Monkey Muffins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 large egg
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling (I use kosher)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spray 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray, set aside.
- Add the baking soda, kosher salt and 8 cups water to a wide pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- While water is coming to a boil, separate the biscuits and cut each one into quarters. Lightly flour your counter and roll each portion of dough into about a 3-inch circle (they don’t have to be perfect!).
- Place 1 heaping teaspoon of grated cheese into the center of each dough piece. Gather each dough piece around the filling and seal into a little ball.
- Working in batches, boil the dough balls, flipping once, until slightly puffed, about 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the lined baking sheet.
- Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add 3 balls of dough to the bottom of each sprayed muffin cup. Top each with about a teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese, then top with a fourth ball of dough, slightly off center. Brush generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with source salt.
- Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 15 to 18 minutes or until dark golden brown. Cool slightly before removing from the tin. Serve with honey mustard, or favorite dipping sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
Recipe Source: Food Network (there is video on their website if you need a visual of how to make these)
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