Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Breakfast Rolls ~ Gluten Free – Yum!

Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Breakfast Rolls ~ Gluten Free – Yum!

These taste just like the ones I remember from my childhood AND they’re gluten-free! My oldest daughter states that they remind her of a better version of the ones from the can 😉 These GF Cinnamon Rolls truly are yummy and are surprisingly easy to make! Now, our family can have our annual Cinnamon Rolls on Christmas morning (and weekend mornings!)!!! A BIG “Thank You” to Nicole @ glutenfreeonashoestring for sharing this wonderful recipe 🙂

Ingredients for the Rolls:

  • 3 1/4 Cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (I use Better Batter brand and it works beautifully)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum (use ONLY if your GF Flour blend doesn’t already contain it – (Better Batter brand already contains Xanthan Gum, so I skip this ingredeint))
  • 1/2 Cup Nonfat Dry Milk (you can also use cultured buttermilk blend powder)
  • 2 tsp Rapid Rise or Instant Yeast
  • 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (softened to room temperature)
  • 1 Large Egg, lightly beaten (at room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Warm Water (approximately 95 degrees )

Ingredients for the Filling:

  • 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (softened to room temperature; divided)
  • 1 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar (packed & divided)
  • 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon (divided)

Ingredients for the Glaze:

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Milk (I use Whole Milk, but any kind is fine)
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  1. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish; set aside

Making the Dough:

  1. Using a Stand or Handheld Mixer, fitted with the Paddle attachment, combine the GF Flour, Xanthan Gum (only if needed), Nonfat Dry Milk, Yeast, Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda, Brown Sugar and Salt; mix until completely blended.
  2. Next, slowly add the Vinegar, Butter and Egg; mix until thoroughly blended.
  3. Lastly, with the Mixer set on Low, add the Warm Water gradually in a slow, steady stream…let it trickle down the inside of the bowl until all of the Water has been added.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then turn the Mixer up to Med-High and let mix for 3 minutes; dough should be moist and starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  5. Gently scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured working surface; lightly flour the top with more flour and gently knead until smooth.
  6. Divide the dough in half and place half under a towel or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
  7. Lightly flour the working half of the dough and roll into a rectangle, about 9″ x 12″ and 1/2″ thick, with a rolling pin (add flour as needed to prevent sticking).

Adding the Filling:

  1. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, spread 1/2 of the softened butter onto the dough, leaving a 1″ border around the edges.
  2. Next, sprinkle 1/2 of the Brown Sugar on top of the butter and gently pat it down with your fingers; sprinkle 1/2 of the Cinnamon onto the Brown Sugar.
  3. Starting on one of the short sides of the dough, roll tightly into a coil/tube and gently pinch the end of the roll with the body of the roll to seal together.
  4. Using a very sharp knife, slice the dough roll into 2″ wide sections (I know this seems quite large, but you’re going to press them down) and place them into the prepared Baking Dish, about 1″ apart; gently press each roll down by about 1/3.
  5. Repeat these steps with the remaining half of the dough and filling.
  6. Cover the Baking Dish with lightly oiled plastic wrap (I use non-stick cooking spray) and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 1 hour; the dough should double in size.

Baking the Rolls:

  1. Once the dough has almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Remove the plastic wrap and bake on the center rack for about 23-27 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked in the middle.
  3. Let cool to room temperature before adding the glaze.

Making the Glaze:

  1. While the rolls are cooling, combine the Powdered Sugar, Milk and Cinnamon in a small bowl, mixing until smooth; add additional Milk, a little at a time, if needed to reach desired consistency (the glaze should be thick, but able to be drizzled)
  2. Enjoy!!!
Breakfast, Desserts, Snacks




Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

There’s nothing better than a Hot Cup of Cocoa with Homemade Marshmallows, a good Book and a Crackling Fire on a cold Winter’s night! This recipe can be easily tweaked by adding different flavored Gelatins or Extracts, adding hot cocoa powder to the powdered sugar to make chocolate marshmallows and cutting the marshmallows into fun designs using cookie cutters! Let your imagination soar 🙂 Thank you to dinnerthendessert.com for this awesome recipe!

  • 3 1/4 oz. packets Unflavored Gelatin (3/4 oz. Total)
  • 1/2 + 1/2 Cup Water (1 Cup Total)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract (Can substitute different extract flavors)
  • 1/2 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar (Divided)
  • 1 Candy Thermometer (I know this isn’t an ingredient, but please make sure you have one of these before beginning)
  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Sprinkle 1/4 Cup of the Confectioner’s Sugar into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Set aside.
  3. Add the 3 Packets of Gelatin and 1/2 cup Water to the bowl of your Standing Mixer.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium heavy saucepan, fitted with the Candy Thermometer, combine the Sugar, Corn Syrup, Salt and 1/2 Cup Water. Heat over Medium Heat, whisking until all of the Sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking until temperature reaches 240 degrees F. (Note: you do not need to whisk the entire time…let the mixture boil on its own after the sugar has dissolved, but do not leave unattended).
  5. Once the Sugar mixture has reached 240 degrees, turn off heat and leave the pot on the stove while you turn your Standing Mixer on to the Low setting.
  6. Slowly and carefully add the Sugar mixture to the Gelatin mixture in the Standing Mixer and blend for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly mixed.
  7. Next, increase the speed to High and mix for approximately 10 minutes, or until mixture has reached the consistency of Marshmallow Fluff.
  8. Add the Vanilla (or whatever flavor you desire) Extract and mix for another minute to thoroughly blend.
  9. Pour the Marshmallow mixture into the prepared 9″ x 13″ Baking Dish, spreading with a spatula to smooth out the surface.
  10. With the remaining 1/4 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar, sprinkle evenly over the top of the Marshmallow mixture. Place somewhere to let rest and firm up for 24 hours.
  11. Once the Marshmallow has firmed up, remove from the baking dish and place on a cutting surface.
  12. Using a sharp knife, cut into squares or use cookie cutters to make different-themed shapes (dip knife and/or cookie cutters into Confectioner’s Sugar to help prevent sticking).
  13. Enjoy with a Hot Cup of Cocoa, a good book and a roaring fire!
Desserts, Snacks




Hot Chocolate Brownie Bites (Gluten Free)

Hot Chocolate Brownie Bites (Gluten Free)

These little Hot Chocolate Brownie Bites are the BEST Gluten Free cookies that I have ever tasted!!! I thought I would never say this, but I actually prefer these without icing! They are, of course, delicious and quite sinful with or without the icing 🙂

Ingredients for the Cookie

  • 1/2 Cup Butter, Unsalted (1 Stick)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used “Enjoy Life” Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (allergy friendly), but Nestle is just fine!)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (I used “King Arthur” Cup-for-Cup GF All-Purpose Flour)
  • 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey’s Cocoa (100% Cacao))
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Ingredients for the Icing

  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
  • 2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Hershey’s Cocoa)
  • 1/4 Cup Hot Water (Hot Water from the tap…not boiling)
  • 1/2 tsp Vanila Extract
  • Decorative Sprinkles

Making the Cookies

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. In a small heavy pot, melt the 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter on Low. Once the butter is melted, add the 1 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels and continue heating over low until the chocolate is melted. Mixture should be smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients (Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder and Salt). Mix well and set aside.
  4. Either using a Standing or Handheld Mixer, beat the Eggs, Brown Sugar and Vanilla Extract on low until blended.
  5. Add the cooled Chocolate mixture to the Egg mixture and mix on Low until blended.
  6. Next, add the Flour mixture 1/2 Cup at a time to the Wet Mixture and beat on Low until well blended. The dough will be thick, like Brownies. Cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
  7. Once the dough has “hardened” to the consistency of modeling clay, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  8. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  9. Line 1-2 cookie sheets with Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mats and set aside.
  10. Using a Small Cookie Scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls. Place them 2″ apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
  11. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they start to form cracks on their tops.
  12. Let cookies sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Icing

  1. While the cookies are cooling, combine the 4 Tablespoons melted Butter, 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder, 1/4 Cup Hot Water, Vanilla Extract and 2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar. Mix on Low until well blended. If mixture is too thick, add a little bit of water (1 Tablespoon at a time) until icing is a little runny.
  2. Next, keeping the cooled cookies on the cooling rack, place rack on a cookie sheet or paper towels to catch the run-off icing.
  3. Spoon desired amount of icing onto 2-3 cookies at a time and then add sprinkles….icing sets up quickly, so only apply icing to a few cookies at a time.
  4. Continue applying the icing and decorative sprinkles to the rest of the cookies until done.
    Enjoy!

Note: Instead of adding Icing to these cookies, try rolling them in Confectioner’s Sugar before baking or leave plain 🙂

Desserts, Snacks




Baya’s Spicy Holiday Pecans

Baya’s Spicy Holiday Pecans

These spicy, crunchy Pecans bring back the fondest memories of the Holidays with my husband’s Grandmother, Baya. She used to make these delicious Pecan treats during Thanksgiving and Christmas for guests to snack on. I make sure to always have a batch or two baking in the oven during the Holidays to fill the house with warm, spicy fragrances. These Pecans also make the perfect Gifts! I hope you, your friends and family enjoy them as much as we do 🙂

  • 4 Cups Pecan Halves
  • 10 Dashes Tabasco/Hot Sauce (Add more if you REALLY like some heat)
  • 1/3 Cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Salted Butter, Melted
  • Salt (Sprinkle as little or as much as you desire)
  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 270 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce and melted Butter. Mix well.
  4. Next, add the pecans to the Tabasco mix and toss gently with a rubber spatula to thoroughly coat the pecans.
  5. Dump the pecans on a cookie sheet and spread them out evenly. Sprinkle with salt (as much or as little as you desire).
  6. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, stir, salt and return to oven for another 15 minutes or until lightly crispy.
  8. Cool on a paper towel for 10-12 hours (I usually do this in the evening, so I can let them cool/crisp overnight).
  9. If you’re giving these as gifts, pack in a plastic gift bag or tightly sealed container.
  10. Or place them in pretty bowls throughout your house for friends and family to munch 🙂
Snacks