She thought of us when she saw it in a magazine and cut it out for me. It’s been laying on my desk patiently waiting.

The ingredients are quite basic, most well stocked pantries could handle. The instructions are straight forward, albeit there is yeast and resting/rising involved. However I’m certain most modest cooks could tackle this recipe.

Yet day after day, week after week, I avoided eye contact. What was it about this recipe that I was avoiding?

Oh I knew. Deep down I knew. And I’m here to admit to you.

I’VE NEVER MADE A CINNAMON ROLL.

Nope, not one.

Like you, I’ve seen hundreds of cinnamon roll recipes floating around the internet. I’m fairly sure there are Pinterest boards entirely dedicated to this delicacy. Yet I have managed to avoid making them until now.

Fear of failure is the only thing I can think of that has kept me from attempting this family favorite breakfast treat. But on this day I’m going in!

Making the Dough

Step 1 of the instructions is to “dissolve yeast in warm water and cream until foamy.” Sounds simple enough. The picture above is the 3rd attempt at foamy, which also included sending my husband to the grocery store to buy more heavy cream. That’s how committed I was to making this Giant Cinnamon Roll.

As it turns out the problem was not the temperature of my water and cream. Remember last year when covid first hit and everyone was home. We were all working on our honey-do lists, organizing closets, and baking bread. All that bread baking created a yeast shortage. Not sure the exact facts but my grocery stores were out for weeks, maybe longer. I finally broke down and ordered a 1 pound package of instant dry yeast online. That’s a lot of yeast and the same yeast I was using for this recipe, some 15 months later. There was no foamy action happening.

I thought about backing out. I mean this was part of why I have avoided making cinnamon rolls in the past. He must have seen the look in my eyes when he said “I’m going back to the grocery store to buy you fresh yeast.”

Bless him!

The moral of the story….face your fears & use fresh yeast.

As you can see in the above pictures I achieved “smooth and elastic dough” as Step 2 instructed. The dough also doubled in size and rolled out nicely into a 12″ x 15″ rectangle. The pizza cutter trick was brilliant too. Things were going my way. Confidence filled the air.

I rolled each 2-inch strip around the previous, creating a beautiful giant cinnamon roll, which doubled in size again! The magic that only fresh yeast can deliver (and an hour in a warm spot).

Making the Homemade Caramel Sauce

But then came the homemade caramel sauce. Good God. “Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat until it turns light amber.” Amber was no where to be seen. My sugar crystalized and turned to sugar concrete. Two batches in and we’re going with homemade “golden” syrup. It was buttery, sweet and delicious. One day caramel I’ll get you, but not today!

Recipe Note: because this recipe calls for caramel sauce I didn’t want to leave you hanging. But clearly I’m no expert. Here is a great link on how to make Quick and Easy Caramel Sauce. The trick….resist the urge to stir.

The Results

This iconic cinnamon bun, also known as a cinnamon swirl or danish was a giant hit with the whole family, including Ms. Pat. The dough was buttery crisp on the edges with a light center and a wonderful cinnamon flavor swirled throughout. I’m already thinking about my next attempt and how I’ll approach it with conviction.

Today marks what would have been my mom’s 90th birthday. Without question she would have loved this cinnamon roll. I have a folder of recipes cut, torn, rewritten from magazines and newspapers that mom knew I would like. It’s time for me to tackle the next one!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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How To Make a Giant Cinnamon Roll

This Giant Cinnamon Roll was a hit with the entire family. The dough was buttery crisp on the edges with a light center and a wonderful cinnamon flavor swirled throughout.

Course Breads, Breakfast, Brunch

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Rise Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, WI

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 pkg. (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast be sure yeast is fresh
• 1/2 cup warm water 110° – 115° F.
• 1/2 cup warm heavy whipping cream 110° – 115° F.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg beaten
• 3 Tablespoons butter melted

For the Cinnamon Filling

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Caramel Topping

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

For the Cinnamon Roll

• Dissolve yeast in warm (110° – 115° F.) water and cream until foamy. I verified the temperature with my instant read thermometer. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Stir in yeast mixture, beaten egg and melted butter. Add enough remaining flour to create a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour if mixture is too sticky. Place in a greased bowl, turn once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-inch x 15-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into (6) 2-inch wide strips. Roll one strip and place in center of greased 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Wrap remaining strips around center. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake until golden brown about 35-40 minutes.

For the Caramel Sauce

• To prepare the topping, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook undisturbed until it turns light amber, about 8-9 minutes. Resist the urge to stir. Add butter, stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat, add cream and continue to stir vigorously. Cool slightly. Pour 3/4 cup over cinnamon roll. Serve with remaining caramel sauce.

The post How To Make a Giant Cinnamon Roll appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

First and foremost, Happy New Year!! We are looking forward to a delicious year ahead.  New Year’s Day may seem like an odd time to post a recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits.  I’m guessing a good number of you (and me) are launching resolutions today, likely containing at least one involving health and wellness. Am I right?

It’s just that I have been really working to perfect homemade biscuits over the past year.  On Christmas Eve, my work mates and I had the most incredible brunch.  We all decided the day before that we would bring in some ingredient from our fridge or pantry. No one needed to go to the grocery store, just bring what you have.  We had homemade crepes with Nutella and strawberries, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cheesy grits casserole, home fries, toast, cantaloupe, homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, and the biggest veggie frittata you could imagine.  All prepared in our office break room.

A work family that cooks together, sticks together.

Did I mention we wore our pj’s to work that day too?  Ho, ho, ho!!

So after this Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits recipe passed the test at the office and this morning’s batch sealed the deal, I knew I was ready to put it out there.  These are buttery biscuits, with crispy bottoms & edges, and flaky insides.  They are incredible under sausage or bacon gravy.  Make one heck of a vehicle for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.  And my personal favorite, those flaky nooks are begging for soft butter and a drizzle of honey.  Oh my my!!

I think the key to making great biscuits is your ingredients and mixing bowl must be cold.  In fact your butter needs to be frozen, as in over night in the freezer, frozen.  Keeping your ingredients cold makes for nice flaky biscuits, instead of those dry ones.  You know the ones.

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Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 Tbl. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 stick frozen butter
• 1 cup buttermilk very cold
• 1/4 cup heavy cream very cold
• melted butter for brushing tops

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place buttermilk, cream and medium sized metal bowl in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Using a box grater, grate frozen butter onto a paper plate. Remove bowl from freezer, add flour, brown sugar and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add grated butter to flour. Using a pastry cutter, combine butter with flour until mixture appears crumbly. Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in buttermilk and cream. Using pastry cutter, gently fold flour into cream until just combined. Don’t overwork the dough.
• Generously flour your work surface. Turn dough out onto counter and sprinkle with a little flour. Turn edges of dough in toward center just a few times. Pat into a rectangle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut into the dough and lift without twisting. Place onto prepared baking sheet one-inch apart.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.

Notes

Butter should be frozen overnight. I also put the mixing bowl, buttermilk and cream in the freezer for 10 minutes before beginning.

The post Buttermilk Biscuits appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It has been an entire month since our last Adventures in Chocolate recipe.  Overdue in my book.  After seeing this recipe on a friend’s fb timeline, it took me 3 seconds flat to know we were going in.  It’s no coincidence that she posted it either.  I’m pretty sure it was a subtle hint, hint, nudge, nudge, in hopes that I’d make a batch of White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Fudge and Share the Love. 

A couple of years ago, for this same friend’s birthday, I made her a batch of White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.  Heaven I’m telling you.

It was with that enthusiasm in mind that I cut up white peanut butter cups and folded them into this fudge.  Every sweet bite is worth savoring and of course sharing.

Everyone who has tried this fudge has had the same reaction.  Oh.  Myyyy.  Yum!!  So creamy and sweet.

Recipe via Lil’ Luna

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White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 18

Ingredients

• 1 batch white chocolate peanut butter cups see recipe link in post or 1 bag white chocolate mini Reeses cups (about 40)
• 1 12- ounce bag white chocolate chips
• 1 7- ounce tub marshmallow crème
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

• Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper.
• Cut peanut butter cups into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve.
• Place white chips and marshmallow crème in a medium bowl. Reserve.
• Place sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until combined. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and pour over chips and marshmallow crème. Use a hand mixer to blend mixture until completely smooth. Fold in half of the peanut butter cups. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining peanut butter cup pieces over top.
• Refrigerate 3-5 hours before cutting.

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