I am always so impressed with the effort that goes into food gifts this time of year. Ellaborate trays of cookies, breads of all kinds, gingerbread houses… bakers are busy in the kitchen cooking up things to give to others. A gift of homemade goodies, in my opinion, is a true gift of love.
I think I am going to do an assortment of pumpkin bread, cookies and something a bit different this year. My closest friends are going to get a pan of Caramel Rolls. I read about this idea last year, but with using your favorite cinnamon roll recipe. Purchase several alumnimum round cake pans and whip up a few batches of your favorite cinnamon roll dough. Roll and slice the dough and place 6 rolls each in the round cake pans. Tightly cover and freeze. When you are ready to gift your cinnamon rolls, take them out of the freezer, wrap in clear plastic wrap, decorate the packaging as you wish and attach instructions for thawing and baking on a card. Your friends will love the idea of having home baked goodness given to them to bake fresh in their own oven. Imagine how nice it would be to wake up to hot cinnamon rolls on Christmas Day without the effort of actually making them.
What food gifts are you giving your friends and neighbors this year? I would love to hear your ideas!
Mom’s Caramel Rolls (from Sidd on Recipezaar)
First, a couple of notes. These are the best caramel rolls I have ever tried! Buttery and delicious and full of sweet ooey gooey caramel flavor. I halved the recipe since it was just for my family and did all of the work in the bread machine. I took out the dough and then followed the rolling and baking instructions from there. I got 10 large rolls.
2½ hours | 2 hours prep
SERVES 18
- 2 cups warm water (not hot)
- 2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast (2 T bulk)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons butter (let sit out until soft)
- 1 egg
- 6 1/2 cups flour
- cinnamon-sugar mixture
Topping
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- Mix water and yeast and wait 5 minutes.
- Stir in sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour.
- Add egg and butter and mix.
- Stir in rest of flour by hand, if dough is still sticky add just enough to make it not sticky anymore.
- Let raise until dough is double in size.
- Sprinkle flour on surface and roll dough out until is approx 18 X 12 inches.
- Spread a very thin layer of soft butter on dough and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on it.
- Roll dough from the long side, it should look like a log.
- Cut into 1 inch pieces.
- Should be 18 pieces.
- Place brown sugar and butter into microwave dish and heat until butter is just melted; stir well.
- Stir in 3 T water.
- Divide mixture into 3 pans (8-inch cake pans).
- Place 6 pieces in each pan.
- Let raise for about 45 minutes.
- Bake for 20 minutes in a 325°F oven.
- When you take out of oven, turn each pan of rolls over on a plate, otherwise you will have a hard time getting them out when they cool.
- If you can, let them cool slightly and enjoy them when they are still warm.
- Orange Pecan Rolls from Culinary Concotions by Peabody
- Crescent Rolls Breakfast Dessert from Cooking with Val
- Copycat Cinnamon Rolls from Dine & Dish
- Sticky Buns from Nook & Pantry
- Bridget from Bake at 350
- Claire from Cooking is Medicine
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh those look like ooey, gooey goodness. YUM! Must try.
Kristen, those look positively fabulous! I would love to get a pan of those rolls, all ready to bake. I don’t think I’ll mind making them myself though, they look worth the work.
Wow, those look amazing! What a great gift idea, too!
That is such a great idea! I wish I could think up things like that!
I also think homemade gifts are the best!
I always do cookie platters and nuts and breads, so fun making them and trying new recipes!
I’m going to borrow my mom’s tradition of giving mini sized loaves of lemon bread with the recipe attached.
Those caramel rolls look divine!
Caramel makes me drool! I love this gift idea!
Duh… I knew I had read this post earlier… didn’t realize I had already commented! Yep, it’s getting late for this tired blogger!
Yay!!! I’m so excited! These look great. I haven’t make cinnamon/sweet rolls in a long time…I think I need to soon!
Can you mail them? It’s pretty cold outside . . . everyone feeling better?
I gave away cinnamon buns as holiday gifts last year, which were very enthusiastically received, so I can only imagine what a great gift these caramel rolls would make. They sound amazing!
Wow..if only I could bake…hmmm, wonder who I can send this to? Who would bake and then send me some? LOL
Those rolls look amazing!
And…I’m so happy that I was one of the winners!!! YAY!
I have never heard of caramel rolls before! I didn’t think anything could be better than cinnamon buns but this might do the trick.
What a fun idea! I love cinnamon rolls… buut then again who doesn’t???
I always do several different types of cookies and fill a basket (this year I’m going to do an empty paint can that i can get at Sherwin Williams).
~Cat
Thanks for the recipe. Sounds terrific!
A little recommendation, I found these to be so delicious and useful in my kitchen: http://bajoseasonedsalts.com/
Cheers.
John
Cinnamon rolls are so Christmas-y! I make them each year for Christmas morning while we’re opening presents.
YUM, these look absolutely divine. the picture reminds me of the cinnamon rolls i whipped up for thanksgiving breakfast this past week
Lucky people on your holiday gift list! These do look delicious, and I love the thought of giving a gift that can be pulled out of the freezer any time.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)s last blog post..Juniper berries (Recipe: lamb stew)
Haven’t even started building my list yet so no ideas yet. Food will definitely be involved
I just found you through, of all things, an email from Viva.
When they mentioned you were one of their favs, I was all over that. 
Love SWEET ROLLS and finding new recipes. YEA!
jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlams last blog post..Merry Sitsmas sistas
Seriously! These are so good. I love the recipe… I am so making this sometime…
anudivyas last blog post..Sweet cinnamon monkey bread – A cinnamon roll wannabe
That is such a great idea!! I was going to go all out, but being 8 months pregnant and going “all out” don’t really go together!!
Deborahs last blog post..Wonton Wonders
Help? You say in your comments to include directions for thawing and baking – what are the directions for thawing? Just leave them in the fridge until they aren’t frozen or is there a better way? Also, in your comments: “Roll and slice the dough and place 6 rolls each in the round cake pans. Tightly cover and freeze.” So am I freezing them after I have added the topping?
Thanks!
Oh, now those look DELICIOUS!! I will definitely have to try those- thank you for another great recipe!!
Amys last blog post..Budget-Friendly Gifts for Younger Kids
I just made cinnamon rolls recently, and looking at your caramel rolls, I wish I had gotten here earlier! Thanks for sharing
Oooh I love the idea of the cinnamon rolls as gifts!
colleens last blog post..Trimming the Tree Dinner
Dang, can I pretend to be one of your closest friends so I can get some of these? I think it’s a great idea. I wish I had some free time to bake up batches of cookies to give away…I miss doing that.
Mrs. Ls last blog post..Cruising Through the Holidays
I love how gooey and sticky they look, Kristen. I’m licking my lips right now.
Mmmmm…. those look really good, I don’t know if I would be able to give them away though!
These look soooo scrumptious! They’re definitely getting a spot on my must-bake holiday list. Love your blog, too!
Stacy J.s last blog post..Peanut Butter filled Chocolate Cookies
These are a great idea! With the cooking directions would you just need to have them thaw them before baking? Thanks!
Loved the photos and your writing style. I should go have lunch you made me hungry
iyads last blog post..What makes a word or a phrase “KEY”?
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