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Lemon Blueberry Vegan Monkey Bread with Coconut Cream Recipe

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★★★★

4 from 34 reviews

This Lemon Blueberry Vegan Monkey Bread is a delightful, fluffy pull-apart bread bursting with fresh blueberries and bright lemon flavor, topped with a luscious coconut cream glaze. Perfect for a sweet breakfast or brunch treat, it combines a tangy, caramelized crust with a soft, tender crumb.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough

  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (feeds the yeast and adds a touch of sweetness to the base dough)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (balances the sweetness of the dough – don’t skip this)
  • ¾ cup unsweetened oat milk
  • ¼ cup refined coconut oil
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (acts as the egg replacer here – adds moisture and helps bind the dough)

For the Coating

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (this is what creates the caramelized, slightly crunchy exterior on each dough ball)
  • 2 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons. Use a microplane for fine zest – it distributes more evenly through the sugar.)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional but adds warmth that complements the lemon beautifully)
  • 1 ½ cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (brightens the blueberries and prevents them from tasting flat after baking)

For the Glaze

  • ½ cup full-fat coconut cream
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted to avoid lumps)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh, not bottled – it makes a real difference in the brightness of the glaze)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (rounds out the flavor of the glaze)

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a small saucepan, gently warm the oat milk until it reaches about 110°F – it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. If you don’t have a thermometer, dip your finger in: it should feel like a warm bath.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm milk, melted coconut oil, and applesauce. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. It’ll look rough at first – that’s normal.
  3. Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. You’re looking for a smooth, soft, slightly tacky dough that springs back when you poke it. If it’s sticking aggressively to your hands, add flour a teaspoon at a time. Don’t go overboard – a slightly tacky dough makes for softer bread.
  4. First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 60 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. The rising time is included in the prep time here. A good trick: turn your oven on for 2 minutes, then turn it off and place the covered bowl inside – the gentle warmth speeds things up.
  5. Prepare the coating and pan: While the dough rises, make the lemon sugar. In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until the mixture is fragrant and slightly damp. This releases the lemon oils into the sugar and is what gives each piece of bread that incredible lemon flavor – trust me, don’t skip the rubbing step. Toss the blueberries with the tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside. Generously grease your bundt pan with coconut oil or vegan cooking spray, making sure to get into every crevice. Monkey bread is notorious for sticking, so be thorough here.
  6. Assemble the monkey bread: Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently and turn it out onto a clean surface. Divide the dough into roughly 40 small pieces – they don’t need to be perfectly even, but aim for about 1-inch balls. A bench scraper makes this fast, but a knife works too. Roll each piece into a ball between your palms, then drop it into the lemon sugar mixture and roll it around until coated. Place the coated balls into the prepared bundt pan, scattering blueberries between the layers as you go. You want the blueberries distributed throughout, not all sitting on the bottom. Aim for about three layers of dough balls with blueberries tucked in between each layer. Once all the dough balls and blueberries are in the pan, sprinkle any remaining lemon sugar over the top. Cover loosely with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes. This second rise gives the bread a lighter, fluffier texture. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
  7. Bake: Bake the monkey bread on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes. You’re looking for a deep golden-brown top and the bread should sound slightly hollow when you tap it. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. The blueberries will have burst and created gorgeous purple streaks through the bread – that’s exactly what you want.
  8. Cool and invert: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes – no longer, or the caramelized sugar will glue it to the pan. Place a serving plate or cake stand upside down over the bundt pan and flip it confidently in one motion. Lift the pan away. Some blueberry caramel will drip down the sides, and that’s part of the beauty.
  9. Make the glaze and serve: While the bread cools slightly, whisk together the coconut cream, sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. The consistency should be thick but pourable – like a slow drizzle. If it’s too thick, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle the coconut cream glaze generously over the warm monkey bread, letting it cascade down the sides. Serve while still warm – the pieces should pull apart easily with your hands. That’s the whole point of monkey bread, after all.

Notes

  • A good trick for rising dough: turn your oven on for 2 minutes, then turn it off and place the covered bowl inside to speed up the rising process.
  • Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar releases lemon oils, enhancing flavor – don’t skip this step.
  • Be thorough when greasing the bundt pan to prevent sticking.
  • Let the bread cool exactly 10 minutes before inverting to avoid it sticking due to caramelized sugar.
  • If the bread top browns too quickly while baking, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  • Adjust glaze consistency with lemon juice or powdered sugar to get a slow drizzle texture.

Keywords: vegan monkey bread, lemon blueberry bread, vegan brunch recipes, pull apart bread, coconut cream glaze

Find it online: https://foodarohub.com/lemon-blueberry-vegan-monkey-bread-with-coconut-cream-recipe/