Cranberry Sauce Cinnamon Rolls

Special equipment: stand mixer, 9- by 13-inch pan, or two 8-inch cake pans, rolling pin, saucepan

Ingredients

serves Makes 12 cinnamon rolls, active time 30 minutes, total time 2 hours, 30 minutes

• For the Rolls
• 2 cups all purpose (about 8 ounces) flour
• 3 cups (about 24 ounces) whole wheat flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (about 10 ounces) milk
• 1/3 cup (about 2.33 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (14 or 15 ounces) cranberry sauce, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (about 3 3/4 ounces) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
•  
• For the Glaze
• 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups (about 12 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Procedures

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or paddle attachment, combine the flour and yeast. Set to the side for the moment.
   
2. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, milk, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce. Stir over medium heat until the butter is melted and the milk is warm.
   
3. Add the warm milk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on low speed for just about a minute, until incorporated. Add the eggs. Continue to mix on low for about 6 minutes, or until the dough is shiny and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
   
4. Transfer the dough to an oiled or buttered large bowl, and cover with a towel. Allow to rise in a warm spot for an hour.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan, or two 8-inch cake pans.
   
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 18- by 14- inches).
   
7. Remove the remaining cranberry sauce from the can. Separate 2 tablespoons (you'll use that for the glaze). Now, spread all the rest (most of the can) on top of the dough.
   
8. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly on top of the cranberry sauce.
   
9. Carefully roll the dough into a long roulade type log, starting on the long end.
   
10. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Place the dough into the greased pan or pans.
    
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the buns are browned on top and not sticky in the center. If you're in doubt, either insert a wooden skewer to test, or remove one pan from the oven and lift one of the rolls using a small spatula. It shouldn't be sticky on the bottom.
    
12. Remove from the oven. While the buns cool, make the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, milk, and butter. Once the butter is melted, remove from heat. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar.
    
13. Once the buns have cooled, add the glaze. Serve lightly warm.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch® Coated Apple Stuffed French Toast

Notes:Challah bread or regular white bread can also be used. If using Challah, since the slices will be larger, make a total of 4 1-inch slices, and serve one piece per person. Don't coat the pieces of French toast with the topping in advance or it will get soggy.

Special equipment: 12-inch nonstick skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 45 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, divided
• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/8-thick slices
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal, lightly crushed, divided
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, crushed
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese), softened
• 1 French baguette (not too dense), (see note)

Procedures

1. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the foaming subsides, add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples have softened and are beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon over apples. Cook until apples are golden, about 2 minutes more. Transfer apples to bowl and let cool.
   
2. Whisk milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla in shallow bowl until combined. Toss 2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal and almonds in pie plate to combine. Stir mascarpone with remaining 4 teaspoons granulated sugar until smooth.
   
3. Cut 1 inch slices of French bread on the bias. Carefully slice a deep pocket into each piece. Spread cream cheese mixture into each pocket, then fill with cooked apples.
   
4. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large clean nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Dip each filled French toast into egg-milk mixture (soaking well) and then coat well with Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal mixture, pressing to adhere. Place 4 pieces in pan and cook until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, pressing gently with spatula and adding extra butter as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining pieces of bread. Serve with powdered sugar and remaining Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal sprinkled over the top.

Mini Muffin Tin Cinnamon Rolls

Special equipment

24-cup mini muffin tin, whisk

Ingredients

serves makes 24 mini rolls

• For the Cinnamon Rolls
• 1/2 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
•  
• For Glaze
• 2/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream, plus more if needed

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 24 cup mini muffin tin with butter. In a small bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon; set aside.
   
2. For the Cinnamon Rolls: Place puff pastry, long side facing you, on a lightly floured surface. Brush with butter. Top pastry with cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch border around all sides. Roll pastry up, jellyroll style, into a log. Brush top with butter and cut into 1/2-inch rolls. Place a roll cut-side down in each muffin tin. Bake until pastries are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool then run a sharp knifE around sides of pastries and release from pan.
   
3. For the Glaze: Whisk together confections sugar and heavy cream, adding cream by the teaspoon until a thick yet pourable consistency is reached. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls. Let sit for 15 minutes or until set.

Cinnamon Wedding Cookies

Special equipment

food processor, stand mixer, parchment paper, baking sheets

Ingredients

serves Makes 1 dozen cookies, active time 20 minutes, total time 1 hour 40 minutes

• 1/2 cup toasted almonds
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Procedures

1. Place toasted almonds in bowl of food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, about 10 pulses. Set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until blended. Beat in vanilla. Add flour and salt and beat until just combined, then beat in ground almonds. Cover dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
   
3. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar and cinnamon. Take dough from fridge and roll into walnut-sized balls, then place on baking sheet. Bake cookies until golden on top, 15-18 minutes. When cool enough to touch, roll balls in confectioners sugar mix, then place on cooling racks. When cooled completely, roll again in sugar to coat.

Easy Apple Cinnamon Cake

Special equipment

9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

serves makes one 9-inch cake, active time 15 minutes, total time 1 hour 30 minutes

• For Cake:
• 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounce) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 3/4 cup (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pound Cortland, Macintosh, or Gala baking apples (about 4), peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
•  
• For Topping:
• 2 tablespoons butter, very soft (see note)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Procedures

1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
   
2. Whisk butter, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until creamy. Whisk in eggs, one by one, then yogurt and applesauce until combined.
   
3. Add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon to bowl and stir with whisk until just combined. Spread batter into pan and smooth the top.
   
4. Fan apples out on top of batter. Brush softened butter on top of apples. In the same unwashed bowl that contained the batter, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle over apples.
   
5. Bake until edges are golden, apples have softened and center is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool in pan 20 minutes, then remove sides of pan to cool.