A Southern Grace: have i told you lately...

January 22, 2010

have i told you lately...

Yum

...that i'm lazy?

I drool.
'Cause I am.

Case in point: Cinnamon rolls. They're one of my favorite things for breakfast, if not the tippy-top dog (which should come as no surprise, since about 90% of my posts involve that enchanting, and soothing spice), but I rarely find the motivation to make them for myself.

The layers, people!  The layers!
Fortunately, I've found a local bakery that makes a sensational sampling. Each roll has just the right amount of flakiness, a wonderful balance of cinnamon and butter, and the perfect dose of sugary glaze. This discovery is dangerous, for the place is right down the road and very reasonably-priced...

So beautious.
Dang it. How can I resist?

Do you have a go-to cinnamon roll recipe? Better yet, one that requires little effort? Do tell! And while you're at it, what makes a cinnamon roll different from a cinnamon bun? I've always wondered.

74 comments:

Julia said...

The recipe I used for cinnamon rolls was quite delightful, but I can't say they require little effort. On the bright side, you can make them the night before, leave them in the fridge, and then bake them first thing in the morning -- which, if you're like me, is a god-send, since I'm totally non-functional first thing.
http://www.growcookeat.com/2009/02/inspiration-cinnamon.html

Sinful Southern Sweets said...

This is one of my favorite simple cinnamon rolls: http://tiny.cc/tKlyZ

Oh, how I love cinnamon rolls!

Kate at Serendipity said...

I wish I could buy these near me. It's probably just as well that I can't, though. I'm too lazy to make them. I just like to eat them! Gorgeous photo, Grace.

Jennifer said...

I'm embarrassed to say I've never made cinnamon rolls. But then, I've only started working with yeasted things in the past couple of years and I've stuck with bread because it's forgiving.

The recipe I've always wanted to try is Pioneer Woman's- they look sooo good. But for Christmas I got the KA flour whole grain baking book and there is a good recipe in there (by one of my favorite writers, Jodi Picoult which is kind of weird but I digress)and now I think that should be my first attempt...hey, I think I see a blog post in my future :)

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

I would have to just move.

Gloria Baker said...

I love cinnamon rolls!! gloria

Anonymous said...

Looks yummy! I bake cinnamon rolls with yeast that are labor intentsive,but also have quickies that satisfy the craving:) Use the can bisquits, quarter each one, dip in melted butter, then roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Lay in a glass pan, and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Drizzle with frosting (powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla) Or another option: Use crescents (from a can) roll out, press seams together, and spread with melted butter,sprinkle with white sugar and cinnamon, roll up and cut into small slices. Bake at 350 until light brown. Drizzle with same frosting as before. These are only good the same day you make them, not like the "real" ones that can be frozen. I wish you lived closer Grace, I would deliver my homemade ones to your door:)

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

I don't have one for I too am lazy! I think a bun has nuts?????

George Gaston said...

Grace, I'm like you ~ it is hard to resist a good cinnamon roll.

Here is something I do:
1 sheet puff pastry, cold but not frozen
1 cup cinnamon-brown sugar (2 Tbsp + 1 cup)
1 cup pecans, chopped

Take puff pastry and roll it out on a parchment papper covered counter. Spread cinnamon-brown sugar pecans across puff pastry - leaving an inch from one long side. Roll puff pastry toward that long side.

Put the roll into fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. Then cut into 2 -inch slices. place face down on parchment paper baking sheet.

Bake them in the preheated 375 degrees F oven for 30 minutes or until gold brown.

Let them cool about 10 minutes and drizzle with a loose royal icing (confectioners' sugar-and-milk)

Then try to only eat one.....

♥peachkins♥ said...

i buy my cinnamon rolls..heehee.. until I learn how to bake...or you can send me yours...

shaz said...

Oooh these look good Grace. I tried making cinnamon rolls once - except they were called scrolls and contained raisins (which I left out). It was pretty tasty but unfortunately involved a bit of work - explains why I haven't made them since :) Good luck and do share if you find a super easy one.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I am sure I couldn't resist either. The best place here in these parts is about an hours drive and I don't want poor substitues, so, cinnamon rolls are a very special treat:D

Robin said...

I like to make quick cinnamon rolls, pretty instant gratification and no yeast. I do like a good cinnabon now and again but I stay away since they are so fattening!

Mireya said...

Hey, lazy or not - that cinnamon roll looks daaaang good and I don't think I'd be able to pass it up either!

kat said...

We love these too but don't make them either cuz they are too much work in the morning. I have though taken the buttermilk bread recipe from ABin5 & made it into mini cinnamon rolls like Zoe showed on her blog. They were exactly the same but mighty tasty

Kathy Walker said...

I hate to admit this but I have never made cinnamon rolls. I think it is the fear of eating them all then wearing it! These look quite tasty...I think the gals at work need to sample them...it is time for me to venture out!

Barbara said...

This recipe comes from Fine Cooking and has been receiving raves while floating around the internet recently. I was going to fix it over the holidays, but decided that we were in baked goodie overkill.
http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/fastest-cinnamon-buns.aspx

Donna-FFW said...

They do look like the perfect roll. When I make cinnamon rolls, I use Pioneer Womans recipe because it makes 7 pan fulls and they freeze beautifully. I dont use her maple glaze however, I use a cream cheese frosting glaze or a simple confectioners sgar one.

TKW said...

Anyone who makes cinnamon rolls that don't have "Pop'n Fresh" on the can is NOT lazy, in my book.

Lindsey@pickyeatings said...

Well you know how I feel about cinnamon buns, as I totally just wrote about them, and love them.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Your rolls looks so scrumptious! I love that yeasty treat!

cheers,

Rosa

Hungry Dog said...

OMG. Those look awesome. I love cinnamon rolls too, although I wouldn't ever bother to make them. Why bother when someone else can do the work? Have a great weekend, Grace!

Josie said...

This is a perfect example of a pastry that I have zero interest in learning to make at home. A whole tray of warm cinnamon rolls is just dangerous.

Mini Baker said...

wow!!! your cinnamon rolls look so flaky!!

Anonymous said...

That looks like one perfect cinnamon roll! I'm also too lazy to make them myself but haven't found a place that makes really good cinnamon rolls yet.

Marjie said...

Bun, roll...same thing with a different name. I've made cinnamon rolls with yeast raised dough, and I just love them. They are labor intensive, though.

noble pig said...

I make Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls becuase the glaze is the best I've had.

lisaiscooking said...

We have a strange trend among our local bakeries' cinnamon rolls. Several bakeries are doing it now. They're not topping them with a white, sugary frosting. Instead, they sprinkle on more cinnamon sugar. Still delicious, but I sometimes miss the frosting.

Habbala said...

Cinnamon rolls definitely take effort, but I will tell you the one trick that I learned that makes it easier! FLOSS.

Once you roll up the dough/sugar&cinnamon goodness instead of cutting the roll with a knife, use floss. Slide it under and cinch of the rolls... it makes perfect rolls.

Emily said...

You've hit one of my soft-spots. I LOVE cinnamon rolls. I can't have them around me because I'll eat them. This one looks perfect! Good cinnamon rolls are hard to come by. And hard to make.

Pam said...

They are my favorite treat too. The only reason why I make them is so I can put EXTRA cinnamon and sugar in them...mine are dripping with it. Mmmmm.

vanillasugarblog said...

gracie I am going to make some bacon-cinna rolls from scratch soon. put I'm lazy at times too, well, impatient is more the word and I have to admit those rolls at Starbucks weren't that bad. I dive right into the middle part and it was pretty damn good.

oneordinaryday said...

Not too surprised that you love cinnamon rolls, Grace! haha I found a couple recipes I want to try. One of them is one Ingrid made a while back. Hope you find a great recipe and share it asap!!!

Melanie said...

Wow, those rolls look fantastic, bakery-bought or not. Everyone deserves a little laziness now and then. And as for me, I have no idea the difference between a cinnamon roll and a cinnamon bun. Hope someone will enlighten me soon.

Sook said...

I usually make the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll recipe but heck, that takes about 3 1/2 hours!! :) We used to go to Great Harvest for a yummy cinnamon roll. Theirs is huge and flavorful! These cinnamon rolls look amazing, too.

pam said...

I don't have cinnamon roll recipe, which is why I wished that I lived near your fabulous source!

Julie said...

How convenient! They do look awesome. I'm also a PW cinnamon roll fan. But they're hardly effortless :)

foodhoe said...

oof... that looks magnificently crispy and flaky, gooey and delicious!

Anonymous said...

I have no idea what makes a cinnamon bun different from a cinnamon roll. But roll always sounds plain while buns sound cute! hahaha, I love eating these layer by layer, each crusted with it's own sprinkle of cinnamony sugary goodness.

Lucie said...

Mmmm those look good!!! I make my American grandma's recipe--they get smothered in so much cinnamon buttery goodness that you can't even tell that they're rolled up. I guess that's why we call them sticky buns! Her recipe is quite simple, but the America's Test Kitchen one also seems nice.

Kitchen Butterfly said...

Oh it looks lovely...though I have a love-hate-love relationship with cinnamon. Why doesnt someone somwher try orange and vanilla rolls................. Maybe you?? Please????

Barbara said...

Boy do I have a recipe.
Ina Garten's. Made with puff pastry. I served them Christmas morning and there were moans all around.

Mimi said...

I use my mom's 1950's Betty Crocker recipe. I let them rise over night in the fridge and bake them fresh in the morning. The key to good cinnamon rolls is to eat them when they are fresh out of the oven. So you need to finish off that pan of rolls right away, no left overs!
Mimi

Erica said...

Those look fantastic! I love cinnamon rolls!

Faith said...

A cinnamon roll as delicious as that is dangerous around me! Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite guilty pleasures. ;)

pigpigscorner said...

Oh man..we are alike! Cinnamon rolls have been on my to-cook list for like FOREVER.

The Teacher Cooks said...

Why make cinnamon rolls when you can buy these?

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Grace, I have an awesome recipe which I blogged about a couple of months ago and it involves no yeast. Is light and tender much like ones made with yeast. The dough is easy to work with and they don't take much longer than anything else to make and bake. I have since made several different yeast filled ones and my children always mention that one as being their favorite. I'd be happy to send you the link if you're interested.
~ingrid

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Hehe I'm lazy too! lol But yes the Nigella Lawson Norwegian cinnamon bun recipe is incredible but should come with a word of warning as it's freakishly good and you may find yourself downing 5 as I did :P http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/03/19/nigella-lawson-norwegian-cinnamon-buns-from-how-to-be-a-domestic-goddess/

Chef Aimee said...

I steer clear of cinnamon buns, rolls, all of it! Its just too good and I would eat the entire tray. :)

Unknown said...

oooh that looks dangerous! I've only made cinnamon rolls once and they were good. not great but good. I did see a recipe somewhere (damn...where was that ) that allowed the dough to rest in the fridge over night so you don't have to get up at 3:00am to have fresh rolls for breakfast. And I have no idea what the difference it between the buns and rolls. Now i have to go find out. See what you've done? LOL

Lynn said...

Yum. Love to make (and eat) cinnamon rolls, but they do require a bit of time. I cheat by using the bread machine, but still, they definitely take some effort.

Velva said...

I have no idea the difference between a "bun" or a 'roll". I know they taste so wonderful. Honestly, if the place down the road sold good coffee too-I would be there every morning for a cinnamon roll or bun and I would be in heaven.

megan said...

I'm also looking for a good cinnamon roll recipe. I've never made them from scratch. I plan to try the pioneer woman's cinnamon rolls sometime soon. i just need the time/reason to do it.

Kathleen said...

These look divine! I've never made them from scratch!

marla {Family Fresh Cooking} said...

Um, tempting photos, hello!! Thank goodness I do not seek out the cinnamon roll because I would devour them, many of them! The smell of a freshly baked cinnamon roll is unlike any other. If I were to seek one out, first choice would be homemade. Second choice would come from the Blackmarket Bakery in Irvine, CA.

Amanda said...

I am with you girl... there is a place in Fargo, ND that had the BEST cinnamon rolls... I dont even try to compete!

Maria said...

If this is lazy, sign me up:)

Juliana said...

I too love cinnamon rolls, specially the smell of it when in the oven baking...so irresiteble! Please share with me whenever you find an effortless cinnamon bun recipe :-)

Jennifer said...

I use the cooks country cinnamon roll recipe, and it is the best, truly! Those rolls look pretty tempting to me!

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Cinnamon roll recipes do require a little bit of work. It's a yeast dough, so if I had a great place near me making them, I might just be buying them too!

LillSis said...

Unfortunately, I don't have a great cinnamon roll recipe, but these look great! They might even tempt me even though I don't have a sweet tooth.

I hate to admit it, but if my family ever gets cinnamon rolls, which is rare, they probably came from a refrigerated can of dough.

Lori said...

Funny I just posted a cinnamon roll recipe. I wish it were quick. But it is pretty simple and in my opinion pretty delicious.

Bunny said...

Grace if were only so that we could find a cinnamon roll recipe that didn't take all that much work,but they're sooooooo worth it! I make cinnamon rolls with a potato bread recipe, I use a cinnamon filling recipe from Carol and a cream cheese icing that just tops it of nicely. Now you've gone and made me hungry for them!

Albany Jane said...

Oh man, for a second I thought you had a recipe for these! Where's your source?

The last batch I made I really liked, mainly because they were slathered in caramel goodness. The only down side is they're baked together in one pan, so it's more like pull-apart buns and they don't look like traditional rolls. Otherwise I'm not a big fan of cinnamon rolls - usually they're too big, dry, and not sweet enough for me. It's really the dryness that's offputting to me.

I have no idea about buns V. rolls. To me a bun doesn't really look like anything but a bun, and the roll is, well, roll shaped?

kimberleyblue said...

I'm a little too lazy to make my own cinnabon buns as well, but absolutely adore them. I would love a place close by my house that made delicious ones...though I'm sure my waistline wouldn't!

I like how light and airy these one look.

Sophie said...

My cinnamon roll recipe is kind of a pain lol. But man I would love to sample these!! :)

Thanks for dropping by the blog, Grace! Hope life's been treating you well :).

MJOS42 said...

What local bakery do you get them from? They look amazing. My mouth is watering already...

Y said...

Dang, that looks good. Nay, amazing. One of those times I'm actually glad I live too far away!

Laura said...

My dad makes them and they are amazing. My grandma's were excellent (mom's mom) and she was famous for them and needless to say she was miffed when she tried my dad's (and he is a not a cook). He deep fries them and they are TO DIE FOR.

Deborah said...

Yeah, I love cinnamon rolls, but rarely make them because of the time and effort involved...

Lisa said...

Oh my. That's gorgeous! I want one.

Eve said...

Good cinnamon rolls don't exsist in the UK... My heart is still mending from this break.

Maybe I should have a go at making them. Or the easier option, move back state side!

Carolyn Jung said...

I vote for having cinnamon rolls for dinner instead. In the morning, I'm just too bleary-eyed to be making yeasted dough, letting it rise, rolling the darn thing, cutting it, and arranging it in the pan. But in the afternoon, I'd be more than energized to do it. Anyone with me? Who likes cinnamon rolls for dinner instead? ;)