I write recipes for two people: me (to remember how to replicate my favorite dishes), and you (so you can do the same). I have a lot to learn about the intricacies of recipe writing, but for now I’d like to improve the recipes here on RDG by asking you lovely readers a few questions. You are the ones reading them, after all!
If you’d be a dear and fill out this quick anonymous survey (8 questions), you’ll help me write recipes that are are more helpful for you. Thanks bunches!
-RDG
P.S. The pic above is a recipe passed down in Dave’s family: “Gram Allen’s Cinnamon Rolls.” I’m still trying to decode it.
Hi, Jenni. I searched hi and lo for a way to email you on this site, but I couldn’t find one. I took a stab at translating your Grandmother’s cinnamon roll recipe–I did this exact same thing with MY grandmother’s cinnamon roll recipe about 5 years ago, and it looks like they went to the same handwriting school. Here’s what I’ve got:
Gram Allen’s Cinnamon Rolls:
Put 2 tbsp. Crisco, ¼ c. sugar, 3 tsp. salt in bowl and add 1 c. warm milk. Put 1 pkg. yeast in ¼ c. warm water with 1 tsp sugar. When yeast bubbles, add to mixture in bowl. Add flour and stir briskly to mix well. Keep adding flour ‘till too stiff to stir, then turn out on counter and add flour ‘till dough is not sticky. Knead about 8-10 minutes, then put back into greased bowl, cover and let rise to at least double. Take half of dough and, on floured counter, roll out or stretch it into round or oblong sheet. Cover with brown sugar, nuts, and oleo that have been mixed in the baking pan. Roll up dough to long rope-like piece. Cut in 1” slices and put in baking pan. Let rise until a finger pressed into dough stays down. Bake at 350* for 30-50 minutes. Test for doneness on bottom of pan.
**Note: I don’t see any place where your grandmother actually puts cinnamon in these rolls.
You should liberally sprinkle it on to the dough when you brush on the oleo, add the brown sugar, and the nuts. In that order. Good luck!
Oh. My. Goodness. I don’t think a reader has done anything this sweet for me before! I attempted the recipe once but it turned out strangely–I’ll try it again with your translation. Thank you so much!
As you were surfing the site I was playing with the sidebar—my email address is now back in it’s rightful place
Done and done. Wouldn’t change a thing. Looking forward to more recipes!
Thank you, as always, Maggie! xo
I’m curious about the part of the recipe where it says “brown sugar, nuts, and oleo that have been mixed in the baking pan.” Is the idea to mix them in the baking pan so that the pan gets greased, and then is also coated with a layer of brown sugar and nut crumbs which will eventually adhere to the cinnamon roll bottoms? Because that sounds freakin’ delicious. And if that’s the reason, it also seems like a neat time-saving trick, because not only do you not have to grease the pan and mix the filling as separate tasks, but it’s also one less bowl to wash when you’re done.
Hi Jen! So the time I attempted (and failed) to make these, I thought the same thing, so they really turn out more like sticky buns than cinnamon rolls. I’ll have to give them another go, re-write the recipe and report back
xo
Jenny,
I have a minimum of 3 versions of this recipe and I’m sure your father in law has a version or two also. Will send them if you want unless it’s just more fuel for the fire. By the way, the recipe shown was written by David’s grandmother as translated by her mother. To my recollection my mom never made these and if she did they certainly weren’t as memorable as Gram Allen’s. As a child I lived for summer vacation to visit Gram Allen. Cinnamon rolls and doughnuts fried in lard
and all of the other artery clogging delights she baked. Pure heaven.
Thanks, Doug! I’d love to see them. I’m a little less confused now
Hi Jenny,
Re the survey question about the format of your recipes: Truthfully, it’s easier to follow a recipe that is listed in simple numerical steps. But, but, but! A wonderful and compelling part of your blog and your writing is the beautiful way in which you talk your reader through the recipe. It reads like a mom passing a recipe down to her daughter. Not only are your recipes enticing to the palate, but they are also pleasure to “just read” And if the reader is so inspired, your voice gives the reader confidence to actually the recipe. So… don’t change a thing!
Warmly, Bonnie PS: Good luck with Gram’s cinnamon rolls. This is one reader who eagerly awaits your results!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Bonnie. Made my day <3 Thank you for reading!
I liked your survey idea! And also the scanned recipe above..looks like the type of recipe I write for myself