Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Welcome to day #4 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita’s Cocina. Today’s theme for Christmas Week is “Gingerbread Surprise”. Make sure you visit all the participating bloggers today to see what special dish they whipped up for you.

This time I thought I was being really unique. Certainly, no one has done a Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll...right? Wrong. Better Homes and Gardens beat me to it....but they didn't put Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting on theirs. So there.

The Eggnog Frosting sets these rolls apart, but I did use BHG's idea of garnishing with sugared cranberries...I can't get enough of those things.

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

Printable Recipe

Rolls:

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup light molasses

2 tablespoons instant yeast

2 eggs, slightly beaten (room temperature)

3 ½ to 4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

Filling:

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Heat the milk, butter, sugar, and molasses over medium/low heat until the butter begins to melt and the temperature is about 115 degrees F. (bathwater warm). Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the yeast into the milk mixture and let it stand for 5-10 minutes, or until it starts to foam.

It's important not to overheat the milk mixture...if it gets too hot, let it cool to "bathwater" warm.

In the mean time, whisk together 3 ½ cups of the flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and, using the paddle attachment, beat for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is shaggy. Switch the paddle out for the dough hook and continue to knead the dough, adding additional flour as needed, for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

When the dough is a bit shaggy, it's time to switch to the dough hook.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a greased bowl, turning it over once. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about an hour or until double in size.

Yum...look at that molasses-y dough...

Gently deflate the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. While the dough is resting, grease a 13X9 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.

Roll the dough into a 12X8 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough to within an inch of the edges. From the long side, roll up the dough jelly roll style. Cut into 12 even slices and arrange into prepared pan. Allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before frosting. Garnish with sugared cranberries, if desired.

Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons eggnog

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add enough eggnog until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the nutmeg.

I just knew I wasn't done with the sugared cranberries.....

Don't forget to check out all of the other awesome recipes and stay tuned for the grand finale---tomorrow we are having a giveaway!

Ginger Horse Cookies from Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic
Mini Gingerbread Donuts from Jen of Juanita's Cocina
Gingerbread Biscotti from Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Drizzle from Anuradha of Baker Street
Gingerbread Donuts with Lemon Glaze from Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Mini Holiday Gingerbread Loaves from Isabelle of Crumb
Gingerbread Biscoff Truffles from Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Gingerbread Dip from Erin of The Spiffy Cookie
Gingerbread Milkshake from Ramona of Curry and Comfort
Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars from Heather of Girlichef
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls from Cathy of The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling from Chung-Ah of Damn Delicious

Valentine Cookies

The holidays seemed crazy busy this year. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was because we had a software change at work...very intense stuff. At any rate, I didn't make near the amount of baked goods that I usually do. It was my family that suffered for it. They didn't get their cut-out cookies....

The good thing about cut-outs is that they can adapt to any time of the year. July? Make them red, white and blue. September? Some lovely autumn shaped cookies will do. Late-January? I think it's time for Valentine's Day cookies.

Awhile back, my good friend, Julie, asked me for a good oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. I happily obliged. She paid me back with her family recipe for Sour Cream Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting. It was a good trade. :)

Sour Cream Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting (Linsmeyer Family Recipe)

Printable Recipe

2c. Sugar
1c. Softened Butter
1c. Sour Cream
1tsp. Baking Soda
2 Eggs
4 1/2c. Flour
1/2tsp. Salt
2tsp. Baking Powder
1tsp. Vanilla

Dissolve baking soda in sour cream. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add sour cream/soda mixture. Mix well. Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour and the remaining dry ingredients. Stir into batter. Stir in remaining 2c. flour. Chill, Roll, Cut. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz. Softened Cream Cheese
1/2c. Softened Butter
1tsp. Vanilla
4c. Powdered Sugar

Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy. Frost cooled, cut-out cookies.

 

You've probably noticed that I didn't use the cream cheese frosting on these. I love cream cheese frosting, but I was in a hurry and needed something that would dry fast. Besides, I was out of cream cheese. So, I simply blended 1 cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon of milk and a tablespoon of corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Then I divided it into two bowls and dropped a little food coloring in one of them. Since, I'm no artist, I drizzled and dripped my way along the tops of the cookies. 

Great cookies! Now, I need to go buy some green food coloring and shamrock cutters. St. Paddy's day is right around the corner. :)

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"Holy Moly Guacamole" Avocado Cupcakes

 I can't seem to leave well enough alone. There was another avocado beckoning me. I had to do it. I had to make a sweet treat out of it. The trouble was, I was running out of time....deadlines were looming. Aaack---the pressure! I reached for a cake mix.....

All the while I was thinking and dreaming about Avocados from Mexico, I couldn't help but notice how really adaptable this tasty, green fruit is. Sweet, savory---it really didn't matter----the avocado seems to compliment many flavors. I was especially interested in trying out some citrus flavors with it. How apropos, then, that the cake mix in my hand was lemon flavored. Since avocados have the good fat, I omitted the oil from the recipe and thought to replace the water with some tangy buttermilk. Then, to top things off, a good dose of orange cream cheese icing. Oh. My. Goodness. Easy and delish. And cute, too! Just have a look see:

"Holy Moly Guacamole" Avocado Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Cupcakes:

1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
¾ cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 box (18.25 oz) lemon flavored cake mix

Orange Cream Cheese Icing:

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with liners.

Combine the avocado and the buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until mixture is nearly smooth. Add the eggs and the cake mix and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes. Spoon batter into 24 cupcake liners; bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, orange peel and vanilla in a medium sized bowl. With a hand mixer, beat until smooth. Add the orange juice, blending well. Stir the powdered sugar into the mixture and then beat until smooth, adding additional sugar until desired consistency is reached. If icing becomes too thick, add more orange juice, a teaspoon at a time. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Seriously good. Seriously easy to make. Do it.

Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns!

Hot cross buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot cross buns!

If you have no daughters,

Give them to your sons

One a penny,

Two a penny,

Hot Cross Buns!

   

I’ll be honest—I don’t know the origin of Hot Cross Buns. By some accounts, they pre-date Christianity. I do know this: In modern times, Hot Cross Buns are traditionally served on Good Friday and, for the most part, they start showing up in bakeries as soon as Lent starts. I know this because my mother-in-law, Alice, starts asking for them as soon as the ashes show up on foreheads. 

Now, I can’t say that I’ve ever been a huge fan of the Hot Cross Bun. We scour the bakeries for them every year and it is hit or miss on quality. Most are too dry, skimpy on the raisins, or full of that awful candied fruit. So this year I have decided to make my own. I looked at several recipes, jotted down what I liked about each one, and came up with this version:

Hot Cross Buns

Printable Version

1 cup milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (one envelope)

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour (I used bread flour, but all-purpose will work)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 cup golden raisins

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter and sugar until the butter is almost melted and the temperature is about 110 ° F. (bathwater warm). If you accidentally heat the milk too much, just let it cool down.

Stir together 2 cups of the flour, the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. Set aside.

Combine the warmed milk and the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the flour/spice mixture to the milk and beat on medium/high speed for about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and stir in the orange peel, lemon peel and the raisins. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of flour and knead for about 5 minutes, or until a soft dough forms, adding more flour as needed.

I used the zest of one orange and one lemon. Be careful not to grate the white part of the lemon--it's very bitter.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently by hand briefly until no longer sticky (be careful not to add too much flour). Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it so that both sides are lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft free area for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to375 ° F. Punch down the dough, let it rest for 5 minutes. Form the dough into 18 rolls and place on two large cookie sheet (I like to line them with silicone baking mats). Brush each roll with a little melted butter and let rise again until doubled, about 35 minutes. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool for ten minutes and pipe icing* in a cross form on each bun.

*Icing: Stir together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and enough orange juice to make a spreadable frosting.

                            

Alice and I were very happy with the outcome.

                           

I actually only made 9 Hot Cross Buns. For variety, I cut the remaining dough into three pieces, rolled them into ropes, braided them and made a beautiful raisin egg bread. It looks a little like a German Stollen, but that's the wrong season so we'll call it an Iced Raisin Braid. This I baked for 25 minutes. 

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