Growing up, one of the great things about meals was the bread. I don’t just mean sliced bread, I mean the gluten-based delicacies that look like dessert to anyone else, but which pass for “dinner rolls” in my family. One of my favorites were — are — yeast rolls with caramel nut (pecan) topping.
My mom made these for some friends in San Francisco once, and was a little distressed when nearly everyone passed them up. She picked up the tray, circling my friends, prepared to serve them herself. “Doesn’t anyone want bread?” she asked, a little anxiously.
“Oh, I’m waiting to get dessert until I finish everything else,” they said.
Mom tilted her head to the side a little, indicating that the excuse sounded flimsy. “Oh, well we have apple pie and lemon pan dessert when you’re done; this is just some bread!” Everyone’s eyes lit up as they pulled the cinnamon pecan rolls apart, and no one described them as “just bread”.
I’ve made the recipe a few times since then, and while I wouldn’t exactly call it “easy”, it’s well worth the effort. I made this batch when Alex visited us earlier this month; I think he liked them.
Easy Yeast Rolls with Caramel Nut Topping
Rolls
- 1 16 oz box, Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix
Prepare as directed on package, adding 2 Tbsp sugar to the flour and yeast. Knead as directed. While dough is resting, prepare topping.
Topping
- 1 C firmly packed brown sugar
- 3⁄4 C butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp half & half or cream
- 1 or 2 C pecans, chopped or whole, as preferred
In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat until it bubbles gently, stir in dairy and gently bubble again. Pour into greased 9×13 pan, or two 8″ pans. Sprinkle with pecans (as many as you like).
Filling
- 1⁄4 C. butter
- 1⁄3 C. sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Roll out dough and spread with mixture. Roll the dough up and pinch seam shut. With kitchen scissors, cut into 12 even pieces and place on topping in prepared pan. Allow the dough to rise and bake 18-25 minutes at 375°. Let set 1 minute, then invert onto tray.
The topping is in the bottom of the pan, the rolls are cut, just waiting to rise.
I think the thing about this recipe that makes it “easy” is fact that it starts with a “mix”, and it’s broken into steps. I’ve found that if I set out and pre-measure my ingredients, I can basically follow it start to finish without any problems. Note that I don’t really think the mix is cheating — as I noted when I made Sugar Créme Küchen, which also starts with Hot Roll Mix, it’s really just pre-measured flour, baking powder, and yeast.
And you can play with it a little, too. When I made these for Alex, I chopped up some extra pecans and spread them on the dough with the cinnamon, sugar, and butter, before I rolled them up.
These are best enjoyed warm from the oven, or for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
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