Amish Rolls and Buns

Baking rolls and buns in the PA Dutch kitchen

There’s nothing like a fresh roll or delicious bun right out of the oven. Sweet rolls, butter rolls, sticky buns and cinnamon rolls are a few of the more popular varieties favored by Amish bakers.  Try some of these Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch bun and roll recipes for a tasty treat.

Rolls and Buns recipes

 
 
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CINNAMON ROLLS

To make the dough you’ll need:

• 1 ½ c. Occident flour
• 1 ½ tbsp, yeast
• ¾ c. milk
• ½ c. water
• ¼ c. butter
• ¼ c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 ¾ c. Occident flour

In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups flour and yeast, and set aside. Heat milk, water, sugar, salt and butter in a pan until warm. Pour into the yeast mixture you made in step 1, and add a beaten egg. Mix together thoroughly. Stir in 1 ¼ cups flour. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. While dough is rising, make the topping as described below.

To make the topping you’ll need:

• ¾ c. chopped pecans
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 c. brown sugar
• ¾ c. butter
• 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp. water
• cream cheese frosting (optional)

Heat topping ingredients in a saucepan until melted. Pour into the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking pan. After the dough has risen punch it down and roll it out on a heavily floured surface. Roll dough out into a large rectangle.  Spread dough with ample amounts of melted butter.  Next, sprinkle dough with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll dough into a tight log and cut into 1 ½ “ slices. Place slices on top of topping. Allow this to rise for 5 minutes.  Next, bake for 5 min at 350 degrees.  Then flip onto a serving platter and serve.   Alternate version: leave out the syrup topping and instead spread the rolls with cream cheese frosting when they’ve finished baking. (adapted from Ladies Journal, Mrs. Allen Smucker, Jan/Feb 2011)

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SPEEDY ROLLS

• 2 c. lukewarm water
• ½ c. sugar
• 1 pkg. dry yeast
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c. melted shortening
• 6 ½ c. sifted flour

Place water, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add salt and 2 cups of the sifted flour. Using an egg beater, beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Add eggs and melted shortening. Beat for another minute. Gradually add 4 ½ c. flour, stirring until dough is formed. Allow dough to rise for 20 minutes or more if necessary. Roll out the dough and then spread with melted butter.  Next sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll and cut into roll-sized slices. Place cut rolls into greased pans. Let rise about half in double size. Bake for 25-30 minutes at a temperature of 375 degrees. For faster rising you may use 2 packages of yeast. (adapted from The Connection magazine, August 2011)

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PA DUTCH STICKY BUNS

Roll ⅓ of the sweet dough (see below for recipe) onto an oblong sheet, to a thickness of ¼ inch. Brush with butter and  then sprinkle with cinammon and brown sugar. Roll up and cut into 1 inch slices. Place the cut side down in a greased pan. Brush the tops of the rolls with butter. Let rise until double. Sprinkle with cinnamon, chopped pecans, and brown sugar, or pour corn syrup in the bottom of the pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

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DOUGH for SWEET ROLLS

• 2 cakes yeast
• 2 cups lukewarm milk
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• ⅔ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ lemon grated ring and juice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 cups flour

Break and soak yeast in water until soft. Scald and then cool milk. Cream together butter, sugar and salt. Add well beaten eggs, lemon and spice. Add lukewarm milk to yeast and mix with half the flour. Work in butter and sugar mixture and enough flour to knead into a smooth dough. Keep it as soft as can be handled readily. Let rise over night at about 80 degrees. As soon as dough is fully doubled in bulk, knead down and let rise again for an hour. This recipe will make enough dough for three dozen rolls.

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BUTTER ROLLS

These buttery rolls are also known as “Butter Semmels”.

• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• ¾ cup shortening, ½ butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 yeast cake
• 1 cup warm water
• 6 cups flour

In a mixing bowl put warm mashed potatoes, shortening, sugar and salt. Beat to a cream and add 2 eggs, the yeast cake dissolved in cup of lukewarm water. Use about 2 cups of the flour to make a thin batter. Cover and let it raise over night. When well risen add 4 cups of flour to make as stiff a dough as can be stirred well with a mixing spoon. Roll out dough to ½ inch thickness on a floured board. Cut into squares about the size of a soda cracker. Bring each of the 4 corners, of each square, to the center and pinch together. Place a small piece of butter on top of each. Put on greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart and stand in warm place to rise until very light. Bake for 15-20 min at 400 degrees.  While still hot, brush with melted butter, and dust with powdered sugar (or sugar and cinnamon mixed together).

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Amish cinnamon rolls: Jon Swanson/flickr
Unless otherwise noted, recipes adapted from Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking.

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