I used to never consider tin cookies a ‘must have’ during the holidays, but I think I’m getting around to it now. My latest tin adventure is in the form of monkey bread, but not the sweet kind. I have a hard time resisting a savory breakfast, and this is just that: irresistible. For a Christmas breakfast to nibble on between opening presents, try this ham and cheese monkey bread.

Monkey bread is a fun name for a bunch of pull-apart loaves. (The jury is still out on how it got its name—maybe it’s because it looks like a certain tree, or maybe it looks like you’re taking care of it when you eat it.) It’s usually made with scrap dough, but you can use any dough that’s been chopped into small pieces. The pieces are mixed with butter, sugar, and cinnamon and pressed into a pan. After it’s baked, the dough pieces come apart easily. You just grab a piece with your fingers and go. It’s casual, delicious, and the kind of messy fun that only finger food can provide. In this case, I’m substituting the sweet mixture for ham, cheese, and garlic butter.

When it comes to cookies, homemade cookies are better than canned cookies. Period. But when it comes to a soft, salty, tender dough base that’s forgiving enough to flatten and still get fluffy, canned cookies win. This breakfast bake requires a fair amount of rolling and flattening. While homemade cookie dough wouldn’t hold up well without losing its rise, canned cookies are up to the challenge.

This recipe is pretty quick to make. You can even cut the ham and cheese a day in advance if you want to make it even faster.