Comfort Me with Offal

Rise and shine for a cold weather brunch dish that makes you happy! You will have some leftover pumpkin filling with this, but you can pour it into a buttered baking dish and bake it along with the rolls until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake these in batches, and nibble as you go.

PAN SAUCE:

Cooking spray

PUMPKIN FILLING:

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 large egg

CINNAMON-PECAN STREUSEL:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough)

1. For the pan sauce, spray six 6-cup muffin tins with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. For the filling, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.

2. For the streusel, combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and pecans in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture forms crumbs.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Cut the dough into fourths. Roll each fourth to a 9-inch square. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Arrange each square in a prepared muffin tin. Add 1 tablespoon pumpkin filling and 2 teaspoons streusel. Cover with tea towels and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the crust has lightly browned and the filling is firm.

If you love carrot cake and you love cinnamon rolls, this recipe could become your favorite. I like to make two smaller pans and give one away or save it for later. For an oooey-gooey result, frost the rolls while they’re still warm and eat them right away.

PAN SAUCE:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

CARROT-CINNAMON FILLING:

1 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough)

PINEAPPLE-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 to 8 1/2-ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, or more as necessary

1. For the pan sauce, spread the butter in a 9 by 13-inch pan. For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and stir again. Cover and let come to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Have the softened butter ready.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll out the dough to a 12 by 16-inch rectangle. Spread the butter over the dough, then the cooled filling. Starting with a short end, roll up the dough and form into a tight 12-inch cylinder. Cut the cylinder into 12 slices. Place each slice, spiral side up, in the prepared pan. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the rolls have risen and are just starting to brown. Let cool for 15 minutes.

4. For the frosting, mix all the ingredients together in a food processor or in a bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread over the rolls.

Black walnuts and apple are a taste marriage made in heaven. Black walnuts can be difficult to pry out of their shells, so they’re more readily available chopped. You’ll find them in the baking aisle. You can also use pecans. To toast chopped black walnuts, place them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven.

PAN SAUCE:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough)

CINNAMON FILLING:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups grated fresh apple

1/2 cup toasted, chopped black walnuts

APPLE GLAZE:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice or cider

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. For the pan sauce, spread the butter in two 9-inch square pans.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half out to an 8 by 12-inch rectangle.

3. For the filling, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread each dough rectangle with half the butter. Sprinkle each with half the cinnamon mixture, grated apple, and black walnuts. Press the filling into the dough. Starting with the short side, roll the dough up and form into a tight 12-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into 9 slices and place, spiral side up, in the prepared pans. Cover with tea towels and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until the rolls have risen and browned.

5. For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Drizzle over the warm rolls.

These rolls feature a feathery crumb, a deeply delicious cinnamon flavor, and an orange frosting that makes you feel happy.

PAN SAUCE:

6 tablespoons vegan buttery- flavored sticks, such as Earth Balance, softened

DOUGH:

Flour for dusting

1 recipe Vegan Whole Wheat Cinnamon Roll Dough (variation)

FILLING:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

6 tablespoons vegan buttery- flavored sticks, such as Earth Balance, softened

VEGAN ORANGE FROSTING:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup vegan buttery-flavored sticks, such as Earth Balance, softened

1/3 cup vegan cream cheese, such as Tofutti, softened

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. For the pan sauce, spread the buttery sticks in two 9 by 13-inch pans.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half out to an 8 by 12-inch rectangle.

3. For the filling, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Spread each dough rectangle with half the buttery stick and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar. Starting with the long side, roll the dough up and form into a tight 12-inch cylinder. Cut each cylinder into 12 slices and place, spiral side up, in the prepared pans. Cover with tea towels and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the rolls have risen and browned. Let cool in the pan.

5. For the frosting, combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Spread over the cooled rolls.