Ingredients

1. 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2. 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3. 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
4. 2 Tbsp milk
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients (except vanilla) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
3. Whisk the sauce for 30 seconds.
4. Let cool to room temperature.
5. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
6. Store in a jar with lid in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
7. Warm up before using if needed.

Notes

Ingredients

for the monkey bread dough:
1. 1 c warm milk (about 100 degrees F)
2. 1/2 c warm water (about 100 degrees F)
3. 1/4 c granulated sugar
4. 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (I used Red Star brand) (1 packet)
5. 2 Tbsp oil (canola or vegetable)
6. 3 to 3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
for the sugar coating:
7. 3/4 c unsalted butter, melted
8. 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
9. 1/4 c granulated sugar
10. 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.
2. Grease a large mixing bowl with a cooking oil. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, milk and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle yeast over the top and stir 3 to 4 times. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
4. Turn the mixer (fitted with a dough hook attachment) on on low speed and start adding flour, 1/2 c at a time. When there is about 1 cup of flour left to be added, pour the oil into the dough and wait till it's all combined and the dough is smoother and shiny.
5. Add the remaining flour.
6. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a ball. Place in greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel.
8. By now, your oven should be preheated to 200 degrees. Turn it off. Place the covered bowl with dough in the turned-off oven and close the door. Let rise until it doubles in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Remove the bowl with dough from the oven.
10. Punch down the dough to release the air.
11. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Now you can cut the dough in half and each half in half and so on until you have as many pieces as you can a size of a quarter, or you can simply tear off teaspoon size pieces of the dough from the whole ball. It's fun for the kids to do it that way.
12. Roll each piece of dough between your palms to form little balls. Dip each ball in melted (cooled to room temperature) butter and shake off the excess. Then roll each piece in cinnamon sugar ad place in muffin pan cavity. Use 5 balls of dough per muffin.
13. When all cavities are filled, cover the pan with kitchen towel and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
14. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
15. When muffins have risen and are all puffed up, place the pan in the preheated oven.
16. bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
17. Let cool in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes and carefully transfer onto a plate.
18. Cool to room temperature before drizzling the sauce over the top.