Garlic monkey bread is a savory, indulgent twist on traditional monkey bread. It’s made with rich garlic butter, soft dough, and sometimes cheese and herbs, making it a popular choice for parties, side dishes, or even just a tasty snack. But with its delicious flavor comes the inevitable question: how many calories are in garlic monkey bread?
Understanding the calorie content of garlic monkey bread can help you make informed choices, whether you’re watching your caloric intake or just curious about how it fits into your diet. In this article, we’ll dive into the ingredients, calorie breakdown, and nutritional impact of garlic monkey bread. We’ll also explore how to reduce the calorie count, common recipe variations, and answer frequently asked questions (FAQ) about this popular dish.
What is Garlic Monkey Bread?
Garlic monkey bread is a pull-apart bread that’s usually made by rolling dough balls, coating them in garlic butter, and sometimes adding cheese or herbs. These dough balls are then arranged in a bundt pan or baking dish, baked to golden perfection, and served warm. The result is a fluffy, buttery, garlicky bread that can be pulled apart easily, making it a perfect appetizer or side dish for groups.
Unlike its sweet counterpart (traditional monkey bread made with cinnamon and sugar), garlic monkey bread embraces savory flavors. Its calorie content, however, can be significant due to ingredients like butter, cheese, and dough.
Calorie Breakdown of Garlic Monkey Bread
The number of calories in garlic monkey bread depends on the ingredients and serving size. A typical recipe includes dough, butter, garlic, cheese, and sometimes herbs or olive oil. Let’s break down the calorie content of each major component in a traditional garlic monkey bread recipe.
1. Dough
Dough is the main component of garlic monkey bread. Depending on the type of dough used, the calorie count will vary.
- Store-bought Biscuit Dough: A common shortcut for making garlic monkey bread is using canned biscuit dough, such as Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits. One can typically contains 8 biscuits, and each biscuit has around 170 calories, making a total of 1,360 calories for the entire can.
- Homemade Dough: Homemade dough can vary depending on the ingredients, but on average, dough made with flour, yeast, milk, and butter contains around 80-100 calories per ounce. If you use 16 ounces (1 pound) of homemade dough, the total will be about 1,280 to 1,600 calories.
2. Butter
Butter adds richness and flavor but also significantly increases the calorie count.
- Butter: Each tablespoon of butter contains about 100 calories. A garlic monkey bread recipe might use anywhere from 4 to 6 tablespoons, adding 400 to 600 calories in total.
3. Garlic
Garlic provides the signature flavor for this dish, but it’s very low in calories.
- Garlic: Each clove of garlic has roughly 4 calories. A typical recipe might call for 3-4 cloves, adding only 12 to 16 calories.
4. Cheese (Optional)
Many garlic monkey bread recipes include cheese, which adds both flavor and calories.
- Mozzarella Cheese (Shredded): Part-skim mozzarella contains around 80 calories per ounce. If you use 1 cup of shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces), that’s 320 calories.
- Parmesan Cheese (Grated): Parmesan is a popular addition for its sharp flavor. It contains about 110 calories per ounce. Using 1 cup (about 4 ounces) adds 440 calories.
5. Olive Oil (Optional)
Some recipes use olive oil instead of, or in addition to, butter.
- Olive Oil: One tablespoon of olive oil has about 120 calories. If you use 3 tablespoons, that adds 360 calories.
6. Herbs
Herbs like parsley, basil, and oregano add flavor without adding significant calories.
- Fresh Herbs: Most herbs contribute fewer than 10 calories total to the recipe.
Estimated Total Calories for Garlic Monkey Bread
Let’s calculate the total calorie content for a typical garlic monkey bread recipe using store-bought biscuit dough, butter, garlic, and cheese.
Example Recipe (Full Loaf)
- Dough (1 can of Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits): 1,360 calories
- Butter (5 tablespoons): 500 calories
- Garlic (3 cloves): 12 calories
- Mozzarella (1 cup, shredded): 320 calories
- Parmesan (1 cup, grated): 440 calories
- Herbs (parsley, oregano, etc.): Less than 10 calories
Total Calories for the Full Recipe:
2,642 calories
Calories Per Serving:
If you divide the loaf into 8 servings, each serving will contain approximately 330 calories.
How to Lower the Calorie Count of Garlic Monkey Bread
Garlic monkey bread is undoubtedly calorie-dense, but there are ways to reduce the overall calorie content without sacrificing too much flavor. Here are some strategies for making a lighter version:
1. Use Less Butter
Butter is one of the main sources of calories in garlic monkey bread. You can reduce the amount of butter used, or replace some of it with a lower-calorie alternative like olive oil spray or light margarine.
- Use Light Butter or Margarine: Light butter typically contains about 50-60 calories per tablespoon, compared to 100 calories for regular butter.
2. Choose a Lower-Calorie Dough
Using reduced-fat or whole-wheat dough can lower the calorie content:
- Reduced-Fat Biscuit Dough: Reduced-fat or light biscuit dough can save around 20-30 calories per biscuit, significantly reducing the total calorie count for the loaf.
- Whole-Wheat Dough: Whole-wheat dough provides more fiber and nutrients and can make the bread more filling, though the calorie count is roughly the same as regular dough (around 80-100 calories per ounce).
3. Reduce the Cheese
Cheese is another calorie-rich ingredient. By reducing the amount of cheese or using a lower-fat version, you can cut calories:
- Use Less Cheese: Cutting the cheese to ½ cup instead of 1 cup can save 160-220 calories.
- Use Low-Fat Cheese: Opting for low-fat mozzarella or Parmesan can save around 40-60 calories per ounce.
4. Skip or Reduce Olive Oil
If your recipe calls for olive oil, you can reduce or skip it to lower calories.
- Reduce Olive Oil: Reducing the amount of olive oil from 3 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon can save 240 calories.
Lighter Garlic Monkey Bread Recipe Example
Here’s an example of how a lower-calorie version of garlic monkey bread might look:
- Reduced-Fat Dough (1 can): 1,120 calories
- Light Butter (4 tablespoons): 240 calories
- Garlic (3 cloves): 12 calories
- Mozzarella (½ cup, part-skim): 160 calories
- Herbs (parsley, oregano, etc.): 10 calories
Total Calories for the Lighter Version:
1,542 calories
This lighter version saves about 1,100 calories compared to the traditional recipe.
Garlic Monkey Bread and Special Diets
Garlic monkey bread can be adapted to fit various dietary needs, from vegan to keto-friendly versions. Here’s how you can modify the dish for different diets:
1. Vegetarian Diet
Garlic monkey bread is naturally vegetarian, as it contains no meat. You can keep it vegetarian by using regular butter and cheese, or vegan substitutes if preferred.
2. Vegan Diet
To make garlic monkey bread vegan, simply replace the dairy-based butter with vegan butter and use plant-based cheese. You can also skip the cheese altogether and just use garlic and herbs for flavor.
3. Keto Diet
For a keto-friendly version, substitute the traditional dough with almond flour-based dough or another low-carb dough. You can still use plenty of butter, garlic, and cheese to keep it high in fat and low in carbs.
4. Gluten-Free Diet
Gluten-free dough is widely available at grocery stores, making it easy to adapt garlic monkey bread for a gluten-free diet. The calorie content of gluten-free dough is similar to regular dough.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many calories are in Papa Murphy’s garlic monkey bread?
Papa Murphy’s Garlic Monkey Bread contains around 130 calories per serving. A full order typically contains 8 servings, which totals 1,040 calories.
How many calories are in monkey bread?
The calorie count for traditional sweet monkey bread varies depending on the recipe. A typical serving of monkey bread (about 1/8 of a loaf) contains 300-400 calories. The total calories for a full loaf can range from 2,400 to 3,000 calories, depending on ingredients like dough, sugar, and butter.
Why is garlic bread high in calories?
Garlic bread is high in calories because it contains rich, calorie-dense ingredients like butter, cheese, and dough. The combination of carbohydrates from the bread and fats from the butter and cheese leads to a high calorie count, even in small servings.
How many calories are in the average piece of garlic bread?
The average piece of garlic bread contains around 150-200 calories, depending on its size and the ingredients used. Garlic bread made with extra butter or cheese can have more calories, while a plain slice may have fewer.
Conclusion
Garlic monkey bread is a delicious and indulgent treat, but it can be high in calories due to its rich ingredients like dough, butter, and cheese. A typical recipe can contain upwards of 2,600 calories for a full loaf, with each serving containing around 330 calories. If you’re looking to lower the calorie content, you can make simple adjustments like using light butter, reducing the cheese, or opting for lower-calorie dough options.
No matter how you prepare it, garlic monkey bread is versatile and can be adapted to fit various diets, from vegetarian to keto and gluten-free. Enjoy it in moderation, and try the lighter versions if you’re aiming to cut down on calories.
For more information on garlic bread, you can check out this Wikipedia article. If you’re working with frozen bread, learn how to handle it in our guide on breaking apart frozen garlic bread.