Sweets For My Sweetie: EXACTLY TWO CINNAMON ROLLS
A few months ago I made the horrifying realization that I have never made cinnamon rolls. I wanted to remedy this situation, but what will Mr. Food It Yourself and I do with a pan full of cinnamon rolls? We both need to watch our consumption of sweets. Right around Valentines Day I discovered a small-batch cinnamon roll recipe. I made them for my dearest husband, and we were both very happy with the result. I made them again this weekend so I could share this delight with all of my fellow DIYeters!
The recipe is from one of my favorite recipe sites- King Arthur Baking. They are really good at explaining how to make stuff. Most breads and bread-adjacent baked goods are all about the technique, and these treats are no exception. There are a few extra steps, but the ingredients are all pantry staples. Well, maybe you do not always have yeast in the house, but if you start keeping yeast as a pantry staple, then the recipe is nothing but pantry staples. You can even swap the milk in the recipe for whatever non-cow milk substitute you like. I used almond milk the second time I made these (I did not realize we were out of cow milk when I commited to baking the cinnamon rolls) and they turned out just fine.
I have to admit, small batch baking is a foreign concept to me. I always felt that it is not much more work to make 15 dozen cookies than 5 dozen, so just make the big batch. If I had a large freezer I would certainly make large batches of brown-and-serve dinner rolls, pie crust, pizza dough, and other baked goods to thaw as needed. But right now I do not have a large freezer. Thankfully, there is a large variety of small-batch recipes on the World Wide Web. Check this out-
- King Arthur Baking also has a recipe for four chocolate chip cookies. (I told you their site was awesome.)
- The site Scientifically Sweet has a collection of small-batch recipes, including lemon bars and flourless brownie cookies.
- They need a little planning for time, Food Network has a recipe for small-batch dinner rolls.
- Like Mother Like Daughter has a small batch oatmeal cookie recipe. You can always leave the raisins out, because raisins are always optional.
- Not all heroes wear capes. Melissa from No.2 Pencil posted this microwaved single-serve “crispy-rice” cereal treat. Yes, it is made in a microwave, so share this with the college student in your life who can not cook on a propper range.
I baked my two cinnamon rolls the next day and topped them with icing. I used half the icing called for in the recipe; about one quarter cup powdered sugar and two teaspoons milk. I also added a few drops of vanilla extract to the icing before the milk, for flavor.
Sometimes, efficiency is key. Breakfast is not always that time. In deed, food preparation is not always about the most efficient thing, but about the thing that gives you what you want. I fully admit there is a place for lowered efficiency if it brings greater satisfaction. You are worthy-turn that oven on!
What discoveries have you made cooking and baking small batches? Or, what are your tips for storing regular or large batches of food in a safe manor? Share in the comments!
