Darsie obediently got up, took the sugar bowl and went out to the
kitchen. After a long long time he came back to the breakfast table with
a plate of cinnamon rolls.
"What are these for?" his father said. "And where is the sugar?"
"Sugar?" said Darsie. "What about sugar?"
"I told you to fill the sugar bowl," said Mrs. Burbank.
"Oh," said Darsie, "I thought you said, 'Get the cinnamon roll.'"
from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald
The
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series is full to the brim with references
to classic American foods like sugar cookies, root beer floats, and
peanut butter sandwiches. I read all of the books (multiple times) as I
was growing up, and true to my foodie tendencies, I was often distracted
by the foods described at the characters' mealtimes, parties, or garden
club meetings.
Written in the 1940's and 1950's, it's no surprise that these classics
pop up through all the books. This was a time of economic abundance and
the growing popularity of pre-packaged foods. The most vogue recipes
were the ones that included brand names. So it was a time when a lot of
American classics were born.
And it doesn't get much more classic (or delicious) than cinnamon rolls.
My rolls are stuffed with plenty of cinnamon and pecans, so they are reminiscent of pecan spinwheels.
Made completely with whole wheat flour, I was afraid these would be a
bit too heavy or chewy. But while they're not as cake-y as their white
flour counterparts, the texture is actually really lovely, like a soft
bread.
Um, also?
Vegan.
I couldn't bring myself to make them without real icing and a candied
center though, so you'll find that these call for brown and powdered
sugar. But compared to
a typical recipe,
they require only about half of what's usually used. And if you'd like
to make it even healthier, you could substitute palm sugar for the brown
sugar, and try
this date syrup as icing.
I'm pretty sold on this version though. Even J, who is notorious for his
rejection of sweet snacks, couldn't keep his paws off of these.
Cinnamon Pecan Rolls
Ingredients:
For the dough...
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 packet active yeast
2 tbsp, + 1 tsp brown sugar
3 cups white whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
For the filling...
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp, + 2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup pecans
For the icing...
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
small amount of almond milk
1. Heat the milk in the microwave until 100-110 degrees (about 1 min).
Sprinkle 1 tsp of the brown sugar and the yeast over the milk. Stir,
then set aside to proof for 5-10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine the 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups flour,
baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Form a well in the
mixture, then pour in the yeast and applesauce. Stir until holding
together, then add the rest of the flour a couple of tablespoons at a
time. When stirring is no longer possible, begin kneading the dough,
adding more flour until you have a ball without stickiness. I needed the
full 3 cups of flour...you might even need a bit more.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about a 12" by
18" rectangle, about 1/4" thick. Combine the four filling ingredients in
a food processor and pulse until well blended. Spread evenly over the
dough, leaving about 1" empty on a long edge. From the opposite edge,
roll the dough up, then pinch to seal. You will have a long tube of
dough.
4. Cut the ends off, then cut the dough into 12 pieces. Grease a baking
dish and carefully place the pieces in it, with the cinnamon spirals
facing up. Cover with a warm dishtowel and place in a warm place to
rise, about 45-60 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes. Allow rolls to cool for at least 10 minutes before icing.
6. To the powdered sugar, add a
very small amount of almond milk
(less than 1 tsp). Stir until well combined, and add more milk as
needed, until desired consistency. Stir in the vanilla, then drizzle
over the cinnamon rolls.
!['ღ Aisi Raif ღ
@[311491168873101:274:•*Secret Garden *•] & @[591577984208488:274:ღ Secret Heart ღ]'](https://scontent-fra.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/p526x296/10256234_917243521631193_2965738425994372239_n.jpg?oh=b9e24b73e7ca91c706c0c5300675bcc4&oe=55A3DDCA)
Oh, and as much as I like breakfast, "Fantasy Friday" is a bit of a stretch for cinnamon buns. :)
xo,
nancy
second of all, it has been forever since i've seen your space (i always get/read your email updates) and i LOVE your new design!
third of all, your photography is awesome.
fourth of all, i am so proud of you.
fifth of all, i love you.
xox. t.
Now I'm definitely going to have to make these cinnamon rolls.
These look super yummy ;) xoxo
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes.
There are so many Betty MacDonald and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle fan club fans all over the world.
Did you know that Mrs. Burbank in Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's magic is Betty MacDonald's very witty sister Alison Bard Burnett?
Alison Bard Burnett's son Darsie is a Betty MacDonald fan club honor member.
Thank you so much.
Linde Lund