Brandied Spiced Peach Jam

Brandied Spiced Peach Jam is a great "summer meets fall" kind of jam. The sweetness of the peaches and schnapps, combined with the brown sugar and spices, are a match made in heaven.

It is reminiscent of all the flavors of fall, using a sweet summer peach. Use this jam on toast or biscuits, topped on pancakes, waffles and pound cake, or heat some up and pour over vanilla ice cream. Brandied Spiced Peach Jam is also an excellent basting sauce or accompaniment for roasted pork loin, leg of lamb, or ham.

Ohhhhhh laaaaa laaaaaaa!! 

RECIPE
Ingredients
8 cups peeled, chopped peaches
1 box Sure-Jell (powdered pectin)
1 tsp butter (to reduce foaming)
1/2 cup Peach Schnapps + 1 tbls more to add to each jar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
2 cups brown sugar
8 cups granulated sugar

Method
Combine peaches, Sure-Jell, butter, peach schnapps, cinnamon and allspice in a large stock pot. Heat over medium-high to high heat, stirring to prevent sticking, until mixture comes to a boil.

Add sugar all at once and return to a rolling boil (one that doesn't stop while stirring). Boil hard one minute. Remove from heat and ladle into prepared canning jars leaving just slightly less than 1/4-inch head-space. Top each jar with 1 tablespoon Peach Schnapps. Wipe jars and top with lids and bands.

Process jars in boiling water bath or steam canner 10 minutes.

Remove jars and allow to cool 24 hours on a kitchen towel on your counter-top. Jars are sealed when button on top of lid is fully depressed and won't move up or down.

Store in pantry up to one year.

Yield: 10-12 - half-pint jars

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

What could be better than fresh summer berries all mixed up in a delicious cobbler? If you ask me, not much!

Every Spring and summer, I look forward to the abundance of fresh berries available at my local farmers markets from a variety of local farms. I am usually the one you see buying several gallons at a time so I can flash freeze them and store them in food saver bags in my freezer.

Recently when I had a variety of berries at home, I thought a Mixed Berry Cobbler would be awesome with these. Of course, I have always made Blueberry Cobbler or Blackberry Buckle, but I'd never mixed the berries together. I know, right? Why hadn't I ever done this before? I'm so glad the light bulb in my brain went off finally and I mixed them up, along with some sweet strawberries.

You may also like:
Blueberry Dump Cake
Luscious Blueberry Turnovers
Old Fashioned Blueberry Coffee Cake
Blackberry Pudding Cake
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RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Mixed Berry Filling
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the Topping
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled & cut into small pieces
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, optional

Method
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter 9½-inch deep-dish pie plate, 10-inch pie plate or 2-quart baking dish.

Prepare the Mixed Berry Filling: In a large bowl, add all the berries. In a small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Add the flour and whisk until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle mixture evenly over berries and toss gently. Add mixture to pie plate or baking dish.

Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with small pea-sized pieces of butter. In a small bowl, whisk vanilla into beaten egg using a fork. With a fork, gently toss beaten egg and vanilla into flour mixture until moistened and dough starts to hold together. Continue to toss and blend gently with fingertips until well combined yet taking care not to overwork the dough.

Assemble the Cobbler: Sprinkle biscuit crumble topping evenly over fruit filling. Sprinkle biscuit crumble topping with sugar and, if desired, dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Alternatively, dust with cinnamon-sugar combining sugar and cinnamon before sprinkling over topping. 

Bake in preheated oven until topping is golden brown and filling is cooked through and bubbly, about 55 minutes. To prevent over-browning of topping, cover with sheet of aluminum foil after 30 to 35 minutes of baking. Remove foil and carefully transfer to wire rack to cool.

Serve cobbler warm by itself or topped with fresh whipped cream.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Cook's note - you can definitely use frozen berries, but the cobbler will not set up as thick, and will be slightly more runny.

Recipe adapted from Wicked Good Kitchen

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Apple Pie Cake

Apple Pie Cake! Say what? Yep, Apple Pie Cake is exactly that using apple pie filling in a cake. I had one jar left of homemade apple pie filling in the pantry, and thought why not add it to a cake?

Similar to many other cakes with a filling, a little batter goes in the pan first, topped with the apple pie filling, then more batter and lastly an easy crumb topping.

Oh my goodness, so yummy, and so easy! Really easy, and no mixer required. Simply mix the batter in a bowl with a spoon, stirring until batter is smooth. See what I mean? So easy!! Don't just serve it for dessert, this Apple Pie Cake makes a great breakfast treat with a nice cup of coffee or tea.

Don't have any apple pie filling? This would be amazing with any pie filling you like; blueberry, cherry, strawberry, peach and more.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 can apple pie filling (16 oz)

For crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbls softened butter

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and mix to combine.

Pour half of the batter into a greased (or sprayed with baking spray) 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch pan. Spread apple pie filling over the batter. Pour the remainder of the batter on the top of the apple pie filling, covering completely.

For the crumb topping, mix in butter with flour, cinnamon and brown sugar until crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over top of cake.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Yield: 9 servings

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Apples 'n Spiced Rum Sauce

Almost nothing is better than apples in a delicious spiced rum sauce. It just pairs so well with a variety of sweet treats from ice-cream to pound cake;  heat a little up and spoon it on top, AH MAZ ING!

For savory dishes, this would be great with a roasted pork, lamb or baked ham. Mmmmmm yumm.

I chose to make this as a "small batch" but the best part is the recipe is easily doubled. Simply cook the apples and sauce down until the sauce is slightly thickened, add to jars and process.

RECIPE

Ingredients

2-3 large honeycrisp apples (or any firm, crunchy apple), peeled, cored and chopped, approx. 3 cups 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan)

Method

Place prepared apples in a large saucepan with the sugars, cinnamon and spiced rum. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

Reduce heat slightly, but keep mixture at a low boil for approx. 20-30 minutes, stirring often. Sauce will reduce some and thicken slightly.

Ladle apples and sauce mixture into 8 oz canning jars, evenly distributing the apples and sauce between the jars leaving a 1/4" head-space. Top jars with lids and bands and process in a boiling water bath or steam canner 10 minutes.

Remove jars and let cool undisturbed on you kitchen counter top 24 hours. Jars are sealed when button on lid is completely depressed and won't flex up or down. 

Store in pantry up to one year. Opened jars need to be refrigerated.

Yield: 3-4 eight ounce jars, recipe is easily doubled.

Enjoy,

Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pickled Cranberries

Pickled Cranberries, say what? Yes, you heard me right ... pickled cranberries! Oh my goodness, just trust me, these are the next thing you'll want for your holiday table! 

Serve with Brie or other soft cheese on your cheeseboard, with a variety of crackers, nuts and berries. Sweet, tart and tangy, they have a robust flavor that can't be beat. These bad boys would also be awesome with a roast turkey or holiday ham.

Truthfully, I want to know where they've been all my life!

Sweet and Sticky Tomato Jam

I knew as soon as I saw this recipe on Marisa's page, Food in Jars, I wanted to try it. Oh yes, it is amazing! Sticky, sweet with a little kick, it is the perfect condiment for burgers, brats and more.

Serve it over crostini with a savory cheese, or on a cheese board with a variety of hard cheeses or even over cream cheese on crackers. IT is a delicious condiment you can use in a multitude of ways.

RECIPE
Ingredients
5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 tbls lime juice
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tbls salt
1 tbls red chili flakes

Method
Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring often, simmer the jam at a steady low boil/simmer, until it reduces and becomes sticky and jammy.  This will take approx. 2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat.

When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove from heat and fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings.

Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Remove jars and allow them to cool 24 hours undisturbed on a kitchen towel on your kitchen counter top. Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Opened jars must be refrigerated.

Original recipe from Food in Jars

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Cinnamon Roll CAKE

Imagine all the taste of a cinnamon roll in a cake format! Oh my, just close your eyes and imagine a bite with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea. AH MAZ ING!!

What could be easier than this? One large 13 x 9-inch pan full of deliciousness, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an after-school snack. Cinnamon, brown sugar, buttery goodness! Have a crowd coming for the holidays? Whip this up and it'll be ready to serve a crowd.

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

This is one of those old-fashioned vintage recipes, said to be from the 1940's; I love recipes like that. This is the one your grandmother used to make, and said to be an original recipe developed for Quaker Oats.

Tender, moist and delicious, it is a one pan cake, great for after-school snacks, or anytime you want an easy dessert. No fuss or muss, I love it!

RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbls unsalted butter, very soft
1 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon

For the Topping:
6 tbls unsalted butter, very soft
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tbls milk
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Method

Combine oats, boiling water, and milk; let sit 20 minutes. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease,or spray with baking spray, a 9 x 9 -inch pan.

Add salt, butter, sugar, and vanilla to oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in eggs and coconut. Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon to bowl, then stir until completely combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake on middle rack until just set, about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While cake is baking, mix topping in same unwashed bowl: toss butter, brown sugar, milk, coconut, and nuts to form moist crumbs.

As soon as cake is baked, remove from oven and spread topping over the top. Return pan to oven and increase heat to broil. Briefly heat until topping melts and coconut is lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool.

You can also see this recipe at Meal Plan Monday

Also seen on Weekend Potluck

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Blueberry Maple Pecan Conserve

This is probably one of the best conserves I've ever made. The blueberries with the maple syrup is just so darn delicious.

Serve this with baked brie for a nice addition to a cheese platter, or top on vanilla ice-cream or spoon over pancakes and waffles.

Cherry Crumble

When I buy fresh cherries over the summer, I buy a LOT of them. My husband and I then spend a bit of time pitting them all and I flash freeze some so have a few gallon bags in the freezer for use year round. I also make Cherry Pie Filling with them I put up by processing in a water bath or steam canner so I have a few jars at any given time conveniently stored in my pantry.

Putting up your own fresh cherries is so much better tasting that store bought, and buying them seasonally and either freezing or canning them takes a bit of time then, but it's so worth it later when you want this dessert as an example. For me, I pulled out a jar of my pie filling and made the crumble; simple, quick and delicious.

What is a crumble?  
A crumble is a dish of British origin that can be made in a sweet or savory version, although the sweet version is much more common. A sweet variety usually contains stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of fat (usually butter), flour, and sugar. A savory version uses meat, vegetables and a sauce for the filling, with cheese replacing sugar in the crumble mix. The crumble is baked in an oven until the topping is crisp. The dessert variety is often served with custard, cream or ice cream as a hearty, warm dessert after a meal. The savory variety can be served with accompanying vegetables.

Popular fruits used in crumbles include apple, blackberry, peach, rhubarb, gooseberry, and plum. Sometimes, a combination of two or more of these fruits may be used in a crumble, for example, rhubarb and apple may be used in the same crumble. The crumble is typically given the name of the dominant fruit in it: for example, a crumble made with apple would get the name of "apple crumble", while one made with rhubarb would get the name of "rhubarb crumble". The topping may also include rolled oats, ground almonds or other nuts, and sometimes sour milk (e.g. vinegar and milk) is added to give the crumble a more extravagant taste. Brown sugar is often sprinkled over the crumble topping, which caramelizes slightly when baked. In some recipes the topping is made from broken biscuits (cookies in American English) or even breakfast cereals, but this is not traditional.

Crumbles became popular in Britain during World War II, when the crumble topping was an economical alternative to pies due to shortages of pastry ingredients as the result of rationing. To further reduce the use of rationed flour, fat and sugar, breadcrumbs or oatmeal could be added to the crumble mix. The dish was also popular due to its simplicity.

Cinnamon Sugar Candied Pecans

Updated December 2020

We just love pecans in our house, and in fact have several very large, mature pecans trees in our yard, they just don't always produce anywhere near the amount of pecans I will use during baking season.

As a result, each fall a group of us get together and work out a bulk buy deal with a local produce supplier, who can get us shelled pecan halves for a very reasonable cost. I always get several pounds for the freezer and use them throughout the year in a variety of ways.

I love making candied pecans and having them at the holidays. They are perfect for snacking on, or holiday gift giving. While there are many recipes out there, this is my favorite for a cinnamon sugary crunchy pecan treat.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 egg whites
1 tbsp water*
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
5 cups pecan halves

Method
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 13 x 18-inch sheet pan (that has sides) with heavy duty aluminum foil. Pour on melted butter and spread out so that pan is evenly coated.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites and water until stiff peaks just start to form. Blend in sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in pecan halves and spread mixture in a single layer onto prepared pan (it's going to look like a sticky, gooey mess - trust me, it'll all work out).

Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, stirring and flipping pecans every 10 minutes (I use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula). Watch nuts very closely during the last 10 minutes of cooking time, removing them from oven sooner if they are getting too dark. Nuts are done when they are mostly dry and golden brown. The pecan and egg white mixture will be very wet and gooey at first. Do your best to flip the pecans and spread them back out into a single layer the first few times that you stir them. After the first couple of times, you'll see them start to come together and look more like the finished product.

Allow pecans to cool on pan until they are completely dry and crunchy, stirring occasionally to break them up. Store in an airtight container for two to three weeks.

Cooks  note - 

Sugar burns quickly. Be sure to stir every 10 minutes and keep a close eye on them after 30 minutes.

*replace the water with 1 tbsp of bourbon for a little taste boost.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pecan Pie Filling {Canning Recipe}

This recipe totally surprised me! No it's not as dense as regular pecan pie because it doesn't have butter, eggs and corn syrup, but I promise the taste is phenomenal!

I found the original recipe on SB Canning, who is a certified Master Preserver. As it states on her page "she wants to help people who are Canning and Preserving food to become more sustainable. It is a very important way for those who garden, have dietary requirements, or just want to save money on food. SB Canning is dedicated to teaching how this can be accomplished but in the safest, straightforward, and most practical way."

This pecan pie filling would be awesome as a pie, baked in mini-tartlets, or warmed and spooned over vanilla ice-cream or plain pound cake.

Rustic Country Apple Fritter Bread

Updated August 2019

Oh my goodness! Apples, cinnamon, and sugar all mixed up in a delicious quick bread. So darn good and easy to do.

When I first saw this recipe floating around on the internet last year, I knew it was something I wanted to try and make my own.

There are lots of variations out there, some with nuts (pecans or walnuts), some without, some with a glaze, some without. I honestly think you could do just about anything with this recipe and have it turn out well. 

The addition of raisins or cranberries would be amazing (and I'll try that next time). You could also make this with most any fruit, such as cherries or pears, for a delicious twist.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 farm fresh eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk (full fat)
2 apples, peeled and chopped (any kind), mixed with 2 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan (or 2 mini-loaf pans) and spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract. Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add into creamed butter mixture and stir until blended. Mix milk into batter until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apple mixture, then half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Lightly push apple mixture into batter.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apple mixture, then the remaining brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Lightly push apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.

Baking options: For 2 mini loaves bake 30-40 minutes; for muffins bake 15-20 minutes; for large 9" loaf bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I almost always make 2 mini-loaves, one for now and one for later). Baked bread freezes well. Allow to cool, wrap with plastic wrap, and place in zip-top bag to freeze.

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

And Weekend Potluck

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Zucchini Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

When zucchini is in abundance during the summer time, you must make this coffee cake! Moist, tender, and delicious full of brown sugar and cinnamony goodness.

Of course you can also shred some zucchini in the summer, then freeze it in food saver bags, or other system allowing the air to be removed to prevent freezer burn. Then in the middle of winter, you could still enjoy this delicious coffee cake. Sounds like a plan to me!

Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium zucchinis)
3 large farm fresh eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar - packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup pecans or walnuts - chopped

For The Topping:
1/2 cup additional all-purpose flour
1/2 cup additional brown sugar - packed
1/4 cup additional pecans or walnuts - chopped
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 2-inch round baking dish by coating generously with cooking spray. In a small bowl, prepare the topping by simply combining the topping ingredients together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the oil and 1 cup brown sugar and mix well. Stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together the the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just mixed and moistened. Fold in the grated zucchini and nuts.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the topping mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Super Soft Cinnamon Rolls

Updated November 2019

I've been on a quest for the perfect cinnamon rolls for a long time. I've tried all kinds of recipes and, in fact, have a few others on my blog from Caramel Nut Sticky Buns to Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins and Pecans.  

While both of those are very good too, I wanted ooey gooey cinnamon rolls this time. Besides, you can never have too many cinnamon roll recipes, right?!?

This recipe is simple, and easy! Plus it's really, really tasty. Really, really easy, and really, really tasty! The dough is incredibly super-light and fluffy, and the filling uses brown sugar instead of white sugar, which adds more depth of flavor.

You owe it to yourself and your family and friends to try these ... trust me! I know you'll be happy you did.

RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1 package or 2 1/4 tsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbls ground cinnamon
Optional: add 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins and/or chopped pecans

For the Glaze:
3 tbls unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbls milk

Method
For the Dough:
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Pour in yeast mixture. Mix in remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is easy to handle.

Knead dough in your mixer with the dough hook, or by hand on lightly floured surface, for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Once doubled in size, punch down dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.

For the Filling and Baking:
Combine melted butter, cinnamon and sugar, spreading all over dough. Beginning at the longest (15 inch) side, roll up dough and pinch edges together to seal. Cut into 12 to 15 slices.

Coat a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with sugar. Place cinnamon roll slices close together in the pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the Glaze:
Mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whisk in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. (If you like a thinner consistency glaze, add more milk.) Spread over slightly cooled rolls, or drizzle over tops as shown above. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar if desired.

Cook's note - make and bake ahead, then freeze. Simply thaw when ready to serve, frost and eat.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.