Buttermilk Monkey Bread

Monkey bread gets an update that makes the pull-apart loaf even better thanks to buttermilk, a little whole-wheat flour and a lighter hand with sugar. The result is more tender and nuanced—and less sweet—than the versions many of us grew up with. Browned butter infused with vanilla and warm spices coats the nuggets of dough before they’re rolled in sugar and piled into the pan. We like the combination of cinnamon and nutmeg because they call to mind freshly fried doughnuts, but feel free to try other sweet spices, such as cardamom, allspice or cloves. Assembly takes a little time but is well worth it. The recipe is designed so the dough can be made in advance, then shaped and baked the day of serving. However, if you want to make the bread start to finish in a single go, after mixing, allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled, about two hours, and prepare the butter for coating during this time. Made this way, the dough will not be cold for shaping, so you may need to use more flour when cutting it into pieces. The optional brush-on glaze gives the monkey bread a lustrous finish and a crackly coating—like a glazed doughnut—but feel free to skip it.