Name: Easy Garlic Monkey Bread
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided, plus extra for counter; 1 pound pizza dough; Flake sea salt (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

Monkey bread—consisting of balls of sweet, cinnamon flavored dough baked into a round or a ring‐shaped loaf meant for pulling apart and eating with your hands—may be a favorite with kids, but that doesn’t mean it has to be sticky and tooth‐achingly sweet. This version keeps the crowd‐friendly pull‐apart shape but replaces the sweet stuff with the simple flavors of butter and garlic. The dead‐simple approach starts with pizza dough: Divide it evenly into individual portions, roll the portions into balls, and arrange them in a round cake pan. Just before serving, the rolls are drizzled with a melted garlic butter and sprinkled with a little flake sea salt (if desired).

Before You Begin

We like to use our Classic Pizza Dough, but you can use 1 pound of ready‐made pizza dough from your local pizzeria or supermarket.

Instructions

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and set aside.

Brush 8‐inch round cake pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer pizza dough to lightly oiled counter and pat into 6‐inch square. Divide dough into 32 equal pieces (about ½ ounce each) and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), form into rough ball by stretching dough around your thumbs and pinching edges together so that top is smooth. Place ball seam side down on clean counter and, using your cupped hand, drag in small circles until dough feels taut and round. Place dough balls in prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until dough balls are puffy and have risen slightly (about ½ inch), 1 to 2 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush tops of dough balls with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Slide rolls onto platter, drizzle with garlic-parsley butter, and sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if using. Serve warm.