Recipe: Overnight Monkey Bread

Serves 10 to 12.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. To toast pecans, place the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring (or shaking the pan frequently) until they just begin to release their fragrance, about 3 to 4 minutes. Alternately, preheat oven to 325 degrees, spread the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes. Adapted from Rhodes Bake-N-Serve.

• 24 frozen unbaked, commercially made white yeast dinner rolls (such as Rhodes)

• 1 c. dark brown sugar, packed

• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 c. chopped pecans, toasted (see Note)

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Spread rolls about an inch apart on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and thaw until slightly soft, about 45 to 60 minutes. Using a sharp kitchen scissors, cut rolls in half.

Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan or angel-food tube cake pan.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans.

Stir vanilla extract into melted butter. Dip rolls in the melted butter mixture to coat, then roll them in the brown sugar mixture until thoroughly coated. Place rolls in prepared pan, arranging them to evenly fill the pan. Pour any remaining butter mixture and brown sugar mixture over the top of the dough.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.