Lemon Monkey Bread Cupcakes

These are so easy.  Like super, duper easy.  You could totally make them with your kids, if you had any.  I think my little nieces would die over these.  They are obsessed with anything little and that's "theirs."   Mini: check Inidivdual: check.  Win.Win.  Not to mention they are packed with lemon flavor and a heck of a lot easier to make than my Grapefruit Pull-Apart Bread.  While delicious, the pull-apart bread is pretty time consuming.  So, today is a perfect day to make these.  Do it. 

Okay, before you go out and try to find refrigerated lemon biscuits, these are BUTTER flavored although they look lemon flavored.  I bought these by accident.  Who reads packages these days?  I have no time.  

Anyway, cut them up into little bite sized pieces.  The biscuits I used were jumbo, 8 in a pack, so I think I cut each biscuit into 8 pieces.

Melt some butter.

Zest a lemon into 2 cups of sugar.

Give it a stir.

Set up your assembly line.  Note the muffin tin in the background has been sprayed (heavily--you won't regret it) with cooking spray.

Take a few of the pieces at a time and toss them in the butter

Then the lemon sugar

Place them into the muffin tin like so.  Bake for about 17 minutes or until you press on the middle and they spring back.

While they are baking, whip up the lemon cream cheese glaze.  Yeah, I glazed these.  Start with your cream cheese.  I cheat and pop it in the microwave for about 25 seconds to get it pliable.  I'm sure there is some rule against this but, I'm a BA.

Squeeze the juice of 1/2 of the lemon you zested.

Add a bunch of powdered sugar

And give it a good whisk, until it is thick and combined.  If it is too thick you can always add additional lemon juice or a splash of milk.  If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, it will really depend on how juicy your lemon is.

Soon these lovelies will be out of the oven.  

While perfect just the way they are...

You must find it within yourself to glaze them.

You won't regret it.  Look at that lemon sugar CRUST.  

Pulling them apart is the best part.

I think you should make these for Easter.  That's all.

Lemon Monkey Bread Cupcakes 

1 8 count roll refrigerated biscuits
1 stick butter, melted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 cups sugar
1/2 block cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a microwaveable bowl.   In a separate bowl, add the sugar and zest the lemon into the bowl.  Give it a quick stir.  Cut the biscuits into 8 pieces.

Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray.  Dip each biscuit in the butter then roll in the lemon sugar.  Place in the muffin cups and bake for 17-20 minutes or until you press down in the middle and they spring back.

Make the glaze by combining room temp (or microwaved for a few seconds) cream cheese, juice of 1/2 the lemon and powdered sugar.  Give it a good whisk to combine.  If it is too thick, add a little additional lemon juice or splash of milk.  If it is too thin, add additional powdered sugar.  It depends on how juicy your lemon is. Drizzle the glaze on top of each cupcake.

Enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz