We start our Saturday mornings off in the store by baking fresh cinnamon rolls- they are light and luscious and the smell of fresh bread and cinnamon awakens all our senses!

I wish you were here to take in the aroma.

For this recipe you will need measuring spoons and cups,a 9X13 baking pan, a rolling pin,a sifter or fine mesh strainer, a mixer with dough hook or a strong arm!

Saturday Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:

½ Cup sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) soft butter
¾ Cup powdered milk
2 Cups hot water

1 ½ eggs*
5 Cups unbleached flour
1 Tbsp.active dry yeast
flour for rolling dough

Filling:

2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp (¼ cup) Cinnamon
⅔ Cup sugar

Icing:

4 ounces cream cheese
¼ Cup softened butter
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

yields: 12 rolls

Grease and flour a 9"x13" baking pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand up mixer with a dough hook, place the first four ingredients. and stir until dissolved.

* To yield ½ an egg, break one into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Pour out half into a separate bowl and add your second egg to the bowl . (Save the remaining ½ egg to add to the scrambled eggs you’re going to make for the cook!) Make certain the water is hot enough to completely dissolve the butter. Add 2 Cups of flour and beat. Add 1 Cup of flour and the yeast and combine. Add the remaining 2 Cups of flour and knead for 3-4 minutes with the dough hook- or by hand 4-5 minutes.

NOTE: this dough is very soft and sticky.

Flour your counter and pour the dough out on floured surface.. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with more flour and gently shape into a ball.

Roll the dough out to 14"x18" rectangle.

Spread the dough with 2 Tbsp. softened butter. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle the dough with the mixture. Roll up the dough to form a tight log. Cut the dough in ½ and then cut each ½ into 6 equals pieces.

Place the rolls, cut side up in a greased and floured baking pan. Let rise 20-30 minutes.

While rolls are rising preheat oven to 350.

Combine butter, cream cheese and sift in confectioner’s sugar. Add the vanilla and set aside.

Bake the rolls at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Watch the tops to make certain you do not over bake them. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes. Serve as is or top with icing- you will only need 1/2 the recipe for a batch of rolls- freeze the rest for next Saturday!

Here’s hoping you kitchen smells as great as ours.

Since I had a surprise visit from my son Erik and his fiancee Chiara, I decided today was a good day to make hermits- so they can pack a bag for their trip back to San Francisco. This is a soft cookie and can be made with walnuts (add 2 Cups to the recipe) but we prefer them without nuts. This recipe comes from my dear friend and great baker Rita Rozumek.

To prepare this recipe you’ll need a sturdy cookie sheet,a sheet of parchment*, a mixer, measuring cups and measuring spoons.

Hermits

1 ½ Cups shortening(I use Crisco)

2 Cups brown sugar

½ Cup dark molasses

2 Large eggs

4 ½ Cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 Cups raisins

2 Cups walnuts(optional)

3 Tbsp. raw sugar or regular sugar

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl combine shortening,molasses and eggs.Add dry ingredients and mix completely. Fold in raisins.
Divide dough into three balls and roll out into logs approximately 2” wide by 15”long-(see photo top left) The dough is soft and once you have a basic shape, you can finish shaping them right on the baking sheet.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue with remaining balls.
Flatten the dough to 1/2” thick with your hand and sprinkle each log with 1 Tbsp. raw sugar or regular sugar.
Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be soft when you remove them from the oven. Let cool 15 minutes and cut into bars.(see photo to the right)

*If you do not have parchment, you can bake these cookies on an ungreased sheet-we use parchment to minimize the cleanup.