Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Leave a Comment / Bread, Breakfast, Cakes

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up tomorrow, I have been thinking about all the things we chalk up to luck: things like the weather, a catch made by our favorite team, or even a good hair day. Over the years, I’ve given luck a whole bunch of credit to luck without really considering if there was more at play. Is the goodness in my life really just an accident, something that happened by chance? Or is it possible that all of the “luck” in my life is actually a gift offered intentionally for me at the very moment I need it? Before we dive into this cinnamon streusel bread, let’s talk about favor.

Favor

A friend of mine from church introduced the concept of favor to me a few years ago. She didn’t throw it on me or force me to accept her version of things as truth; instead she offered up her perspective for my consideration. The idea, basically, is this: God loves us. He wants good things for us. And He’s always at work on our behalf. Could it be possible that every good thing in our life is not just luck or a result of our own actions but, instead, a little sign of love from God? What if that open parking space, the dollar bill in the back of old jeans, or various other happy coincidences are really just nuggets of favor lavished on you by a loving Father? My mind was blown.

The following week, I saw evidence of it all around me. It seemed that the more I looked out for the good things in my life, the more I found them. Perfect weather at a picnic I planned for friends? A last-minute opening at a restaurant I’ve been dying to go to? Even a single afternoon in my home where everyone is content and joyful and kind to one another. I began to look at each one of those things as a gift and the end result was a whole lot of love and gratitude.

Now, I’m all in. At times, I forget to look for signs of grace and love at work in my life, but the second I open my eyes again, it’s all around me. My kids, new opportunities, the magnolia tree blooming outside of my room, or even just a wildly pink streak of clouds in a dusky sunset- it’s all favor, all love. Anyways.. just for for thought. 🙂

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Now, onto the main event: cinnamon streusel brad. I’ve continued my venture to bake more breakfast items, and this cinnamon streusel bread is serious. Honestly guys, I love it so much. Soft cakey insides, a swirl of brown sugar and cinnamon throughout, and a crumbly topping. It’s truly so delicious and the perfect thing to enjoy for breakfast (or dessert??) this weekend. Let me tell you how to make it.

First we start with the batter. Butter, oil, and two kinds of sugar come together with eggs and vanilla. Flour and leavening come next with a splash of buttermilk. Next comes the topping. Flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter stir together until dry clumps form. We layer the batter in a prepared pan and swirl in the cinnamon sugar filling. Finish it off with the crumble and bake for an hour or until a clean toothpick comes out. Voila!

Give this cinnamon streusel bread a try and lmk what you think! Happy Thursday, Happy St. Patty’s and Happy Baking!

If you like this cinnamon streusel bread you should try:

Coffee Cake Muffins
Banana Bread Cake
Banana Zucchini Bread
Mom’s Homemade Bread
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Print Recipe

This cinnamon streusel bread is a fluffy coffee cake swirled with a cinnamon sugar filling and topped with brown sugar crumble!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 Loaf
Category: Breakfast Bread

Ingredients

For the batter:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup full-fat buttermilk

For the filling:

½ cup brown sugar, packed
1–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the streusel:

½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5” loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low just until almost combined. Add the buttermilk, stir, and then mix in the remaining flour. Beat on low until the batter is smooth and uniform, but do not over-mix. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling in a small bowl. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth. Top with the streusel. Add the remaining batter and smooth. Finally, prepare the streusel. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Stir in the melted butter, just until clumps form. Sprinkle on top. Bake in the pre-heated oven about 50-60 minutes or until the top is domed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits (& A Gift guide!)

A Gift List for You(rself) or Your Galentine!

1. Puff Sleeve Top from J.Crew Soft cotton and accented sleeves come at an easy price for this top.
2. Faux Orchid Real orchids are wonderful, but these faux ones stay pretty all year long with little effort.
3. HER DAILY BREAD My first book, Her Daily Bread, stays in style all year long.
4. Alpaca Beanie These beanies are so soft and scrumptious that I bought some for a few friends too.
5. Je T’aime Frame This frame is backordered, and you better believe I’m on the waiting list.
6. Wrap Pajamas These kimono style pjs from LAKE are silky soft and pretty too.
7. Rose Gold Photo Locket These lockets offer engraving and etching of inner photos as well.
8. Williams-Sonoma Dish Towels My favorite dish towels come in pink, just in time for February!
9. Recycled Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater These sustainable cashmere sweaters from Reformation are at the top of my list!
10. Salt and Pepper Mills I fell in love with these petite mills while in NYC. I may or may not have already gifted them twice since.
11. Hyaluronic Acid Lipstick My favorite lip shade now comes in a silky smooth moisturizing stick!
12. AT THE ARTISAN’S TABLE I’m dying to get my hands on this beautiful book that features tablescapes prepared by artists.

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Now, onto the cozy stuff.

You know I love biscuits. An adaptable starchy treat that serves as an option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Sign me up. But sometimes, making fresh biscuits first thing in the morning isn’t in the cards. For those kind of days, these overnight buttermilk biscuits are the ticket. Here, a butter-packed dough comes together hours in advance so that you can bake and serve them at your leisure. It’s the morning convenience of the refrigerated can biscuits but without that greasy mouthfeel. Truly, these are awesome.

Making the Biscuits

To make these overnight buttermilk biscuits, we start with the dry ingredients. Stir together all-purpose flour, leavening and loads of salt. Next, cut ice cold butter into the dry mixture until the mixture has uniform clumps throughout. Finally, stir in the buttermilk until a shaggy dough comes together.

I pat the dough together, knead slightly, and then begin trimming out rounds of dough with a floured round cutter. Be sure not to overwork the dough- this will yield a tough, chewy biscuit. Place the dough rounds on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and cover the entire thing with plastic wrap. When you’re ready to bake them the next morning, preheat the oven and pop them in for about 12-15 minutes!

I hope you give these overnight buttermilk biscuits a try and let me know how you enjoy them. Happy (almost!) February and happy baking!

If you like these overnight buttermilk biscuits you should try:

Funfetti Biscuits
Mini Garlic Herb Biscuits
Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
Mini Buttermilk Biscuits
Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

Overnight Buttermilk Biscuits

Print Recipe

These overnight buttermilk biscuits feature flaky layers and can be made a night in advance!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 18
Category: Bread

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
1 ¼ cups buttermilk, cold
Extra butter for brushing, if desired

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking pan with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, powder, and soda. Use a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks to cut in the butter until evenly dispersed with pea-sized clumps throughout. Gently stir in the buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms, being careful to NOT OVERWORK. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour out onto a clean work surface and dump the crumbly dough on to the flour. Gently and quickly work the dough together, kneading a few times, before patting out into a 1” rectangle. Use a 2” round biscuit cutter to trim out rounds of dough. Flour the cutter well and press down straight being careful not to twist the cutter at all. Re-flour and continue cutting out until all the dough has been used. You can gather leftover piece and gently form back together to trim out more circles. Place the biscuits about 1” apart on the baking sheet or dish. Brush with a bit of the melted butter and bake in the preheated oven for about 17 minutes or until the tops are golden and the biscuits have risen. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying and reheat in the toaster oven as needed.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

On Family Breakfast

In the hay day of this website, there was no shortage of breakfast pastries to enjoy in the morning. You needn’t look farther than my kitchen counter or the freezer drawer to find stacks of danishes, homemade pop-tarts, and slices of quick bread. I was constantly testing recipes, and, as a result, I had the leftovers to show for it. As you can imagine, my family got used to these kind of things, and mornings were actually quite pleasant.

But then something called “REAL LIFE” happened, and as much as I would have loved to keep up with our stock of sugary breakfast treats, it just wasn’t happening. Instead, I offered easy stuff: Toast. Dry cereal. The occasional scrambled egg. You know, normal American breakfast foods.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This quick and easy muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate chips to make a fluffy, moist muffin. each is topped with a simple streusel. For a healthy spin on a chocolate lover's breakfast favorite, try these muffins! Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

Unrealistic Expectations

So last week, when I pulled out a Tupperware of chocolate chip muffins, my kids lost their mind. I mean, seriously, head over heels. It was all, “MOM, YOU MAKE THE BEST BREAKFAST,” and, “THESE MUFFINS ARE INCREDIBLE,” and (my personal favorite), “SERIOUSLY, YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER!” Truly, in that moment, the clouds parted and I heard *actual* angels singing.

Here’s what I decided: I showed my hand too quickly. By having a surplus of homemade treats for a good portion of their life, they haven’t figured out that this isn’t normal in most houses. What kind of 8-year-old knows they prefer croissant over pain au chocolat? What average 6-year-old complains because there’s no more funfetti biscuits in the freezer? I’ll tell you: ones that haven’t been fed enough Fruity Pebbles, that’s who.

The good news for them is that I’m testing loads of breakfast recipes this month, so there’s bound to be a few stragglers to munch in the coming weeks. The bad news is that I’m on to them and there will definitely be some granola bars and Cheerios in their very near future.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

While they were inhaling the muffins, I kept one little secret from them: these are almost kinda sorta healthy! I mean, sure, there’s sugar and chocolate involved, but doesn’t that addition of whole wheat flour make all of us feel a smidge better? Plus, these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are really good. So good that I ate a whole one during the photo shoot while trying to “get the perfect shot” of a bitten muffin. I won’t even lie- one bite would have been a fine photo.

To make these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins, we start with the wet ingredients. Sour cream, oil, an egg, and some vanilla stir together before adding in a mixture of brown and white sugar. Next comes the dry ingredients. Equal parts all-purpose and whole wheat flour stir in with leavening and salt. Finally, the chocolate chips fold in and the streusel sprinkles on top. Voila!

The muffins bake up into soft, slightly chewy treats with rounded, chocolate-studded top. They taste even better on day 2, although I recommend rewarming. If you are in need of a new treat to wow your family and friends- these are it! Happy Friday and happy baking to you!

If you like these whole wheat chocolate chip muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Blueberry muffins
Banana Nutella Muffins
Healthyish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits
Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Print Recipe

These whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are simple and fluffy, loaded with semisweet chips and topped with a streusel!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 18
Total Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the streusel (optional):

1–1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup chocolate chips

For the muffins:

¾ cup sour cream
1/3 cup (80 gm) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
1/2 cup (100 gm) brown sugar packed
3/4 cup (105 gm) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (105 gm) 100% whole wheat flour (see notes)
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and put paper muffin lines in a 12-compartment tin.
First, make the streusel. Stir together the flour and sugar and use the back of a fork to cut in the butter until the mixture consists of moist clumps. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
Next, make the muffins. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, oil, egg, and extract until smooth. Stir in the sugars. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt, stirring just till barely combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter among the 12-muffin compartment. Mine usually end up about 2/3- 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool briefly before consuming!

Notes

As an option, you can use 1-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and only ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In this instance, use ½ cup brown sugar and only ¼ cup of white sugar. This will help to keep the muffins moist.
If you don’t plan to consume the muffins on the day of preparing them, seal them in a Tupperware or large plastic bag and freeze until ready to consume. This will help to keep the muffins moist and fresh!

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Butter

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread

The idea for this banana zucchini bread came from a recent trip to Atlanta. My mom, nana, sister, and I traveled east to do some antique shopping. Thankfully, our hotel had a delightful breakfast spot that served delicious breakfast breads. My favorite was their zucchini bread that came with a whipped cream cheese spread. I immediately knew this was a recipe to recreate at home.

My version of the quick bread is slightly different due to the addition of banana. We have an endless supply of bananas in our house, and they’re rarely yellow and prime for eating. Instead, the green bananas collect dust and the brown ones get even more brown. So I decided to create an outlet for all the dying fruits of the world. Bananas, meet zucchini, your new BFF.

Easy Zucchini Banana Bread by Wood and Spoon blog. My favorite way to use up ripe bananas and summer zucchini is this quick bread! Served with a simple whipped cream cheese butter and loaded with pecans, bananas, cinnamon, and fresh zucchini, this bread is a delicious breakfast or snack treat! find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Bread

Making this banana zucchini bread is pretty simple. In a single bowl, mash together the bananas and oil. Add the sugar, eggs, and extract, stirring all the while. Next comes the dry ingredients which, for this recipe, includes cinnamon; I just love the subtle addition of spice. The shredded zucchini and optional pecans add in last before two loaves bake in the oven.

The cream cheese spread is optional but really yummy. Slightly sugared and more buttercream than buttery, it really take this bread over the top. Make it or don’t, but certainly it’s worth trying once.

I hope you all get to bake this easy banana zucchini bread soon. If you do, let me know what you think! Happy Saturday and happy baking!

If you like this easy banana zucchini bread you should try:

Carrot Pound Cake
Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins
Vanilla Butter Loaf
Banana Bread Cake
Banana Crumb Cake

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread

Print Recipe

This banana zucchini bread is an easy, no-frills recipe that makes for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Quick Bread

Ingredients

For the bread:

1 cup mashed ripe banana (from about 3 medium-sized bananas)
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3–1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1–1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the cream cheese butter:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Instructions

To make the loaves:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray two 8”x4” loaf pans with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the banana, oil, sugar, eggs, and extract. Add in the flour cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and fold to combine. Add in the shredded zucchini and pecans, folding just until combined. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.
In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese butter. In a medium-sized bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese and butter, beating until smooth, about 1 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and optional cinnamon, stirring to combine. If you wish to smooth out the mixture a bit, add a tablespoon of water or milk. Otherwise, pop the spread in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it on slices of the zucchini bread.

Family Waffle

17 Comments / Breakfast

I want to write a book. There. I said it. Now the world (aka, approximately 25 readers, if you include my Mom) knows my lifelong goal, my purpose for starting this blog. It’s the reason I spend my weekends baking 14 varieties of cinnamon bread. I am set on being an author and that’s that.

When I was growing up, my Nana would take me to Joseph Beth Booksellers. We perused the store for hours (no joke), and I’d get lost, both in the literal and proverbial sense, flipping through pages and roaming the aisles. In the end, I’d carry my little stack of books to the register, and Nana, without fail, bought me each and every one of them. She taught me to treasure the fresh pages of a good book, and it was there that my interest in reading began.

Even now as an adult I love to read, although the content of the stories is different. I read memoirs and cookbooks and pages about faith. My bookshelves are only moderately filled, but seeing the colorful little spines arranged in stacks and rows brings me all kinds of joy because it feels good to revisit the old favorites from years past. I love to feel the worn edges and textured papers in my hands.

“Books are uniquely portable magic. ” -Stephen King

If you can’t tell, I’m dying to write a book. One of these days I will be an author. I can’t say what it will be about, whether it will be worth its salt, or when it will happen, but I’m determined to make a contribution to the craft that has inspired me for so long. Admitting it all out loud, especially here on this site, feels scary, but I think I need to move forward believing it’s possible. Some dreams are worth risking a little face over, and this is one of mine. I’m going to do it.

Everyday is Saturday

When I first saw Sarah Copeland’s new book, Everyday is Saturday, I said out loud, “This is a book I would love to write.” The photos were beautiful. The writing was real. Every recipe looked phenomenal. Even the concept of the book, recipes for cooking well throughout the week, was cheeky and relatable. THIS was the kind of book I wanted to write. Every page had ingredients that made my tummy applause. Flipping through the pages, I felt as if I was in Sarah’s kitchen; every page turn fanned the flame of desire that I had to create my own book.

One look through her book, and you’ll know she’s an adoring mother. Each chapter is freckled with images of her children enjoying her food. I found myself envisioning Aimee, George, and Charlie saddled up to the counter to enjoy her recipes. Sarah’s recipe for this family waffle is precisely the type of thing I love to serve the kids in the morning: a warm and comforting treat, slightly sweet, and healthyish. I knew they were a must-try and messaged Sarah to ask if I could share the recipe.

Family Waffle

These waffles are great for those following a gluten-free or dairy-free diet. They’re also delicious enough to make even an average Joe want to enjoy a few. A few of the out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, like cooked quinoa and chia seeds, are included for texture and create a dish with unique flavor, a bit more complex than you run of the mill eggo. Plus, those healthier ingredients mean I have no problem enjoying a hearty portion. It’s a feel good breakfast option with all the gusto of a Saturday morning meal.

Sarah recommends serving this waffle with a bit of yogurt and a fried egg, but I opted for yogurt and some fruit I had on hand. For the kids, I offered a pat of butter and a generous pour of syrup, and they devoured each bite, seeds and all. Additionally, I could see this waffle being topped with fresh berries and whipped ricotta, baked apples and the cinnamon-flavored run-off juices, or even just schmear of plain Jane peanut butter. Think of this waffle as the vehicle for all of your favorite toppings and enjoy as such. It’s truly a treat.

Give this waffle a try and let me know what you think! Thanks for playing a part in my dreams and joining me here each week. Happy baking!

If you like this family waffle you should try:

Apple Pecan Dutch Baby

Buttermilk Pancakes

Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

Almost Vegan White Chocolate Coconut Pancakes

Sarah Copeland’s Family Waffle

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This family waffle recipe is a dairy and gluten-free breakfast treat. Recipe excerpted from Everyday is Saturday by Sarah Copeland, reprinted with permission from Chronicle Books

Author: Sarah Copeland
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

1 ¹/₂ cups (235 g) gluten-free flour blend or (210 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cooked quinoa, cooled
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons unrefined cane sugar
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons baking powder
¹/₂ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¹/₂ cups (360 ml) real milk
¹/₂ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, plus more for the waffle iron
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Plain yogurt (optional) and fresh berries (or any fruit), for serving
4 eggs, fried, for serving (optional)
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

Preheat a waffle iron (we like a Belgian waffle maker, but any will work). Whisk together the flour, quinoa, chia seeds, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. When your waffle iron is hot and ready to use, stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined; the batter will be loose, the consistency of heavy cream.
Spray or brush the waffle iron very lightly with oil. (If your waffle iron is seasoned or nonstick, you should only need to do this once before you begin, not between every waffle, which makes them taste greasy.) Ladle 1 heaping cup (240 ml) of the batter into the waffle iron and cook until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside on a rack while you cook the remaining waffles to keep them crispy (stacking will make them steam and get soggy). Serve the waffles warm with berries, a dollop of yogurt or a fried egg (if desired), and a drizzle of maple syrup, or anything else you desire.
Keep prepared batter in the refrigerator, covered, up to overnight. Or bake the waffles, cool, and freeze them in batches of two in large resealable freezer bags. To eat, bring to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, and toast to warm through. If you are making them fresh to order, you should know—as my kids and guests do—that waffle cooking is a one-by-one affair; everyone is allowed to eat their waffle hot and fresh off the press, when they’re best, while the rest cook.

Funfetti Rolls

9 Comments / Breakfast

It’s been a while since we’ve included some sprinkles in our lineup here. The sprinkles, birthday cake flavor, and bright colors that make up these funfetti rolls make me feel like we’re celebrating, and you guys know how much I love a party. Our mornings deserve something extra-special, extra-festive, extra-fun, don’t you think? If you ask me, these funfetti rolls are just the ticket.

With all of the breakfast recipes we’ve been sporting on this site this month, mornings have been seriously special in my house lately. The other morning I prepared my kids what is, to use, a normal healthy breakfast and they were appalled. Like, where’s the cinnamon rolls, Mom? Where’s the chocolate bread and pound cake and muffins? WHERE IS THE SUGAR IN THIS BREAKFAST? Clearly I need to send the little sugar junkies to breakfast bootcamp for a little reset.

Funfetti Rolls

These funfetti rolls really do not help the cause. Aimee caught a glimpse of a test round of these buns on the counter and literally lost all chill. Within 3 minutes she had dragged a stool over to the counter, climbed onto the marble, and was nibbling on sprinkles from the sticky tops of these treats. The look on her face was equal parts guilt and delight, because, let’s be honest- there’s not a kid (read: human) in the world that doesn’t get a little bit excited by the site of sprinkles. They’re so special that I really couldn’t blame her.

So these funfetti rolls are maybe the most fun you can have in your morning. Yes, they take time to prepare, and , yes, there’s several steps involved. But are they worth it? Yes. Will they make your kids/roommate/BFF feel like the most special kid on the block? For sure. And do they taste ridiculously close to the funfetti box cake mix you grew up loving? Yep. If you’re tracking with me let’s chat the ins and outs of these rolls. You’re going to love them.

To make these funfetti rolls we start with the dough. I adapted my overnight cinnamon roll dough to work for this recipe. It’s the same fluffy, lightly sweetened yeast dough that I’ve grown to love, and while it does take some time to rise and roll, you can certainly follow the instructions from that original recipe to space out the work overnight. While we wait for the dough to proof we can go ahead and prepare the birthday cake crumb filling.

Making the Rolls

You might remember these crumbs from the funfetti ice cream cake I made a while back, but these little beauties are the same recipe that Christina Tosi made famous at NYC’s Milk Bar. With little more than cake flour, sprinkles, and sugar, we whip up a wet, crumbly dough that bakes into crispy, cake mix-favored crumbles. The essential ingredient here is the clear vanilla extract. Regular vanilla simply will not do if you want to recreate that box cake flavor. You can find the extract at your grocery store, craft stores, or online here. Follow the instructions to create the little crumbles, allow them to cool, and then whiz them in a blender or food processor to grind them to a coarse sand consistency. If you’d like to shorten the day-of baking process, feel free to make and freeze these crumbs in advance.

Rolling and Filling the Rolls

When your dough is ready to roll, use a lightly floured surface and rolling pin to flatten out a large rectangle of dough. Spread your melted butter all over the dough to serve as the glue for your birthday cake crumbs, sugar, and sprinkles. Roll the dough into a long log and slice 1-1/4-1-1/2″ segments to turn out into your pan. For softer, gooier rolls, you can snuggle them into the pan closely, but if you’re looking for those perfect spirals, space them out about 2″ apart in your baking dish. Bake until the tops are barely bronzed and the internal temp reads 180 degrees. Do not overbake! Underbaked cinnamon rolls taste way better than dried out overbaked ones, so if you have a thermometer, now is the time to use it!

These funfetti rolls finish nicely with a sweet cream cheese frosting and a dusting of sprinkles. You can use your extra birthday cake crumbs as a garnish as well, but if you’re anything like me those little guys will already have long been consumed. These breakfast treats put the FUN in FUNfetti and are worth every ounce of the effort they require. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Happy baking, y’all!

If you like these funfetti rolls you should check out:

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Funfetti Rolls

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

These funfetti rolls have all the birthday cake flavor wrapped up in a morning roll. Topped with a sweet cream cheese and sprinkle frosting!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 240
Yield: 14
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
6 tablespoons (85 gm)unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon of clear vanilla extract
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
2–3/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
1–1/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
½ teaspoon salt

For the funfetti crumbs (recipe adapted from Christina Tosi):

½ cup (100 gm) sugar
1–1/2 tablespoons (25 gm) brown sugar, packed
¾ cup (90 gm) cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
¼ cup (50 gm) canola oil
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract

For the rolls:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons sprinkles
2 tablespoons sugar

For the frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
2+ tablespoons of milk

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, clear vanilla extract, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the crumbs.

To prepare the crumbs:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking sheet. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar, cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles on low speed. Add the oil and extract all at once and continue to paddle on low speed until small clumps form throughout. Spread the crumbs out onto the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring twice throughout. Allow to cool completely and then use a food processor (or a plastic bag, rolling pin, and brute strength) to pulverize the clumps into a coarse, sand-like crumb. Set aside while you wait for your dough.

To prepare the rolls:

Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a 10” x 22” rectangle. Spread the melted butter all over the dough and sprinkle on the sprinkles, sugar, and about ¾ of the funfetti crumbs. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into 1-1/2” sections and lay them out 2” apart in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow to rise on the counter for about 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake in the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp is 190 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Sprinkle with remaining funfetti crumbs or sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

Crumbs cake be made in advance! You can even make double and use the rest as an ice cream topping, cake filing, or just to scarf down on your own.
Clear vanilla extract is ESSENTIAL for getting that funfetti/ birthday cake flavor. You can find it at most grocery or craft stores.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

51 Comments / Breakfast, Uncategorized

I’m just going to say it: I’m old. It’s official. While it’s easy for me to cover up the physical manifestations of this aging process (i.e. gray hairs, fine lines, and an increasing willingness to step out in public without makeup on) there are other, less-obvious behaviors I exhibit that let me know I’m no longer 22.

Getting Older

Unsurprisingly, most of this aging can be traced back to the two toddlers that currently rule my house, and every day there are tests of my patience and stamina.

Just this morning, I made a phone call to my own mother to apologize for giving her hell over my clothing choices as a teenager. My 4 (going on 14) year old and I had just duked it out over her outfit for school, and I really thought I was reaching the brink of insanity. Almost immediately, I thought of my mother and all of those years I spent terrorizing her with my dreams of owning crop tops and booty shorts. That same strong will that made me think I was entitled to dress like Britney Spears is similar to the one I see sprouting in my own spicy little gal, and it. is. terrifying. I think those aha moments where we suddenly identify a little bit more with our parents are the rungs of the proverbial ladder that inch up every day in the aging process.

Along with the parenting stuff and gray hairs, there’s also this change in my perception of my own health as I age. I suddenly know way too much about multivitamins and antacids, and most of the cabinets in my bathroom look more like a pharmacy aisle as opposed to a beauty counter. I think about stuff like gut health and stress-related blood pressure, and truly, if I see one more fiber supplement commercial that I can easily identify with I just might freak out. As a baking blogger, I feel an even deeper sense of urgency to occasionally do a little better for myself. Cue these whole wheat blueberry muffins.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

You guys know I am all about some butter. I like dessert, I’m not afraid of sugar, and my life motto might as well be, “Everything in Moderation.” But sometimes I get the hankering to make something that I can feel good about enticing you to make. Thus, I decided to healthy it up a bit with these whole wheat blueberry muffins. Despite the increase in 100% whole wheat flour and the decrease in sugar, these muffins are fabulous. It’s just the type of thing those January resolutions need.

Making the Muffins

To make these whole wheat blueberry muffins, we start with the liquid ingredients. Milk, oil, and a single egg stir together with vanilla extract and a bit of sugar. Next, add the dry ingredients. Fresh or frozen blueberries fold into the batter before the little cups bake in a super-hot oven.

These muffins are fluffy, moist, and flavorful thanks to the spice and berries. My two year old and husband both devoured these as if they were fried jelly doughnuts. They’re really shockingly good! Give them a try and I can almost promise you that no one will guess they have whole wheat flour! My old lady wisdom tells me that you’re going to love them! Happy baking!

If you like these whole wheat blueberry muffins you should try:

Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

Blueberry Brioche

Peach Crumb Muffins

Coffee Cake Muffins

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 15 reviews

These whole wheat blueberry muffins are soft and moist. The whole wheat flour adds extra nutrition to these delicious treats!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Muffin

Ingredients

¾ cup (180 gm) milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup (80 gm) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar packed
1 cup (140 gm) all-purpose flour
1 cup (140 gm) 100% whole wheat flour (see notes)
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup sparkling sugar (optional)

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and put paper muffin lines in a 12-compartment tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, egg, and extract until smooth. Stir in the sugars. Add the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and stir just till barely combined. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the 12-muffin compartment. Mine usually end up about 2/3- 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the tops of each with sparkling sugar (if desired) and bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool briefly before consuming!

Notes

As an option, you can use 1-1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and only ½ cup of all-purpose flour. In this instance, use ½ cup brown sugar and only ¼ cup of white sugar. This will help to keep the muffins moist.
If you don’t plan to consume the muffins on the day of preparing them, seal them in a Tupperware or large plastic bag and freeze until ready to consume. This will help to keep the muffins moist and fresh!

Almost Vegan Coconut White Chocolate Pancakes

7 Comments / Breakfast

So have I told you our exciting news? Are you privy to the crazy, fun, awesome changes coming to our family? WE’RE HAVING A BABY!

Baby #3 for the Wood family is coming July of this year, and I could not be more excited. We talked about growing our family for some time, and we felt beyond blessed when I took a positive pregnancy test back in November. The past few months have been full of stretchy pants and fast food cravings and all too much nausea, but I’m finally in my second trimester and starting to feel a little closer to myself again. No word yet on whether this baby is a boy or a girl, but I’ll be sure to divulge all of the details as soon as I have them. You know I can’t keep a secret too long.

One of the many strange things about this pregnancy so far is the changes in my preferences for food. In an ironic turn of events, I find my sweet tooth is really not so sweet at all these days. I’d much prefer a crunchy salad or a paper bag full of salty French fries. Give me chicken noodle soup and chips, not cake and cookies, okay? This no desserts this has been great for keeping off too many prego pounds, but as you can imagine, it’s kinda bad for business if the baking and desserts writer doesn’t want to eat dessert! What is a girl to do?!

Luckily, my desire for baked goods in the morning is still fairly normal, so don’t be surprised if you see a whole lot of breakfasty things over here this month. Last week you got the orange swirl bread, next week will be a lemony breakfast pound cake, and this week we’re keeping it healthy-ish with these almost vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes. YUM.

Almost Vegan White Chocolate Pancakes

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. What does “almost vegan” mean? Well, these pancakes COULD be vegan if only I could get my hands on vegan white chocolate. As my small, rural town of Selma, AL has a really poor supply of such commodities, I could not find vegan white chocolate, so these vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes are vegan all except for the chocolate. Comprende?

These cakes are super easy to whip up. Melted coconut oil, coconut milk, and vanilla are combined in a bowl before the dry ingredients are tossed in. We’re not talking anything crazy here, just flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Keep in mind that some processed sugars and flours are not actually vegan, so be sure to check your brand of preference if you’re trying to play it safe. Stir in the dry ingredients and then fold in the finishing touches- sweetened coconut flakes and finely chopped white chocolate. If you have a hard time finding vegan white chocolate you can totally skip this and add extra coconut. I’d also consider regular chocolate too, because, duh.

These almost vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes get baked on a griddle with a little extra coconut oil until they’re just barely tanned and puffed. Serve immediately with your syrup or topping of choice. I whipped up a coconut whipped cream for the batch you see pictured, but this is totally optional. This recipe makes a small batch of pancakes, about 10- 3″ cakes, so if you’re serving a crowd be sure to double it up.

Thank you so much for sharing in our joy. I’ll try not to be too obnoxious with baby news, but you should probably count on a healthy amount of hormonal banter. You’ve been warned. Whip up some of these almost vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes this week and enjoy!

If you like these vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes you should try:

Buttermilk Pancakes

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

Healthy Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookies

Almost Vegan Coconut White Chocolate Pancakes

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These almost vegan coconut white chocolate pancakes are loaded with coconut flavor and sweetened with white chocolate bits. Top with a coconut whipped cream for an extra special breakfast treat!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup (240 gm) coconut milk (water or another plant-based milk can be used in a pinch)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (140 gm) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2–1/4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup finely chopped white chocolate, more if desired
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes, more if desired

Instructions

Preheat a griddle or skillet on the stove to 325 degrees, about medium heat. In a large both, whisk together the coconut oil, milk and vanilla. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir just barely to combine. Some clumps are okay and will help keep your pancakes from being dense. Fold in the white chocolate and coconut flakes. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if your batter is too thick or an additional tablespoon of flour if it is too thin. I usually end up adding a tablespoon.
Melt a teaspoon of oil in your pan and spoon out ¼ cup sized rounds of batter. Use the back of your spoon to spread the circles out as desired. If you find your batter is too thick or thin, adjust with a little flour or milk. Cook for about 3 minutes on that side or until the pancake bottom is turning golden. Carefully flip and cook until the pancake is done! Repeat this process with the remaining batter. Serve with coconut whipped cream, additional white chocolate, or coconut flakes or syrup if desired.

Notes

The white chocolate will melt and caramelize on your skillet leaving little brown circles on the top of your cakes. If this bothers you, you can sprinkle the white chocolate chips on the top of the batter after your spoon the cakes onto the griddle. Please note that the underside of your pancakes will be splotchy if you do this, but the tops will look pretty.
White chocolate is NOT vegan. That’s why this recipe is “almost!” vegan. Just a friendly reminder. Keep in mind some processed all-purpose flours and sugars are not vegan as well. Check with your specific brand for more info.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

71 Comments / Breakfast

IT’S MOVING WEEK! I can’t believe it’s finally here. After 15 months of construction, 2 years of architectural planning, and 5-1/2 years of limbo living in our rental house, we will finally get to move into our dream house this Friday. I’m beyond excited. I’ve got those night before Christmas/ tomorrow’s my birthday/ going to a surprise party kind of jitters. Basically we’re freaking out with joy over here, okay?

Our dishes and bakeware and utensils are all packed, so we’ve been living off of carry-out and protein bars this past week. I just want to simplify everything else in life so that this move, the holidays, EVERYTHING won’t feel too big of overwhelming. Maybe a week spent eating out of greasy paper bags isn’t the best way to do it, but we’re all doing our best over here. In the meantime, I’ve started dreaming about those first few bakes in my brand spankin’ new kitchen, starting with today’s recipe for overnight cinnamon rolls. I’ve held back on this recipe for a while, because it required lots of testing to determine when and how this recipe was best prepared. Finally, with a little patience and some shopping made simple with my friends at Brandless, I landed a recipe I’m really pleased with.

Brandless is an online retailer that offer quality products at fair prices. Offering everything from gift wrap to coconut oil to dinnerware, Brandless offers hundreds of everyday essentials and better-for-you products at incredibly affordable prices. Living in a rural area often limits my access to the items I need in my home and kitchen, and with Brandless I can receive those products straight to my front door in no time. Sign me up for anything that prevents me from making one more trek to the grocery store.

To prep for the overnight cinnamon rolls, I ordered Brandless’ All-Purpose Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour, Organic Light Brown Sugar, Organic Ground Cinnamon, and Organic Cane Sugar, as well as the cute spice jars and bowl scrapers you see in the photos. With the addition of a few everyday refrigerated items, the rolls were ready for making. This is a sweet yeasted dough that is rolled out and slathered with butter, brown sugar, and heaps of cinnamon. Tight little spirals of dough are allowed to rest in a baking dish over night and are then baked in a hot oven the next morning. The result is an incredibly tender, fluffy roll loaded with flavor and a generous slathering of cream cheese icing. Yes, it’s as beyond as it sounds.

To make the overnight cinnamon rolls we start with the dough. Yeast is sprinkled to dissolve over a mixture of warm milk and water. Eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar come next before the bread flour and all-purpose flour are stirred in with some salt. The dough is kneaded for several minutes until it becomes smooth and slightly tacky. Allow the ball of dough for your overnight cinnamon rolls to rest in a covered bowl on the counter.

Once doubled in size, roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover the dough with melted butter and sprinkle on a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough tightly from end to end and then slice it into 1-1/2″ sections to spread out on a lightly greased pan. Cover the pan and place it in the fridge overnight.

The following morning when you’re ready to enjoy your overnight cinnamon rolls, remove the pan from the fridge and preheat the oven. I like to stick my pan right next to the hot oven while it preheats so that it can shed some of its overnight chill. If you’d like your rolls to brown a little extra in the oven you can brush them with a water or milk. Bake in the oven until the edges have just started to bronze and the internal temperature reads 190 degrees F. A thermometer really helps here because overdone rolls are usually drier and more dense rolls too. Ew.

Whip up the icing with a little cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. You can barely warm the icing for a thin, pourable glaze, or you can leave it thick to spread directly on top of the overnight cinnamon rolls. Your choice. Either way, you’re going to love them.

Give these overnight cinnamon rolls a try and be sure to check out all of the goodies on Brandless.com. I’m so pleased to have found a way to simplify shopping, especially this time of year, and I think you’ll agree if you give it a shot. Whip up a batch of these for Christmas morning and let me know what you think. Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

This post is sponsored by Brandless. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that my Wood & Spoon possible!

If you like these overnight cinnamon rolls you should try:

Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Sweet Rolls

Orange Cardamom Rolls

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 12 reviews

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 480
Yield: 14
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
¼ cup (60 gm) water, lukewarm
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
6 tablespoons (85 gm)unsalted butter, melted but not too hot
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 gm) brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 gm) sugar
2–3/4 cups (385 gm) all-purpose flour
1–1/2 cups (210 gm) bread flour
½ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

5 tablespoons (70 gm) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, if desired
¾ cup (150 gm) brown sugar

For the frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup (55 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
2+ tablespoons of milk

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine the milk and water and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, egg, egg yolks, and brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, bread flour, and salt. Dump about half of the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Pour in the remaining dry ingredients and knead in the bowl using the dough hook attachment until smooth and slightly tacky, about 7 minutes. If you notice your dough isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl or it’s too wet, add flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a little dough “tornado” around the dough hook. Once done kneading, place the dough into a large lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to double in size, about 1-1/2 – 2 hours.
Once the dough has risen, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large rectangle about 11”x21” in size. Pour the melted butter and spread it out over top. Combine the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and pinch the edges together to seal. Cut the dough into 1-1/2” sections and lay them out 2” apart in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keep the baking dish close to the oven while it preheats to help the rolls come to room temp. Once preheated, bake in the oven for about 22-25 minutes or until the edges are barely golden and the internal temp is 190 degrees. Remove from the oven and prepare your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

Cream the cream cheese and butter in large bowl at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat to combine. Add additional milk to thin out the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it. You can also gently warm the frosting to pour over the rolls as a glaze. Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm.

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

9 Comments / Breakfast, Confections and Candies

One of my favorite things about Southern food is how deeply intertwined it is with tradition. Of course I love a fresh twist on a recipe of old, a modernized nod to something from years ago, but there’s something really special about doing things the same way the generations before you did. Souteherners have mastered the art of honoring food traditions, and I’m so grateful that this way of living is slowly rubbing off on me.

Kinda like Saturday morning breakfasts. Growing up, I don’t remember my Mom spending a whole lot of time in the kitchen. She’d whip out costumes for school recitals or little crafty projects for she and I to complete on the weekend, but cooking was not her forte. Despite this, I have distinct memories of a dish she would occasionally make on Saturday mornings for the family. Equal parts food and science experiment, Mom’s “Pancake Surprise” was a meal and a show all in one. She’d fill her casserole dish with a loose batter, and I’d sit by the oven watching the confection rise and bubble and crater all over. In the end, we’d cut big squares to douse with syrup, and I just knew it was the coolest breakfast on the planet.

Dutch, Dutch Baby

Years later, I watched someone make a Dutch baby pancake in a cast-iron skillet, and I realized that was Mom’s pancake surprise in action. I hadn’t eaten it in years, but the sight of those edges rising dramatically over the edge of the pan was enough to make my mouth water. I couldn’t wait to try it for myself.

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

So this pecan apple Dutch baby is a nod to those Saturday traditions. Of course it’s delicious, as anything given enough butter and sugar should be, but what I love about it more than anything is watching my kids peering into the oven like I used to. Begging for more syrup like I used to. Licking their sticky fingers like I used to. Breathing new life into those things that were apart off my childhood makes me feel like we’re creating something bigger than breakfast here… we’re feeding on something that will nourish us for years to come.

Making the Dutch Baby

To make this pecan apple Dutch baby, we start with the batter. Eggs and milk are whisked with flour, sugar, and a smattering of spices. In the meantime, we melt some butter in a skillet in our piping hot oven. Carefully swirl the melted butter around the pan and pour the simple batter straight in. Allow the baby to bake and rise until brown and seriously puffed.

While the baby is baking, we can prepare the apples. More melted butter is combined with sliced apples, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Stir until the apples have just barely softened but not lost their shape. Remove from the heat while you wait for your pecan apple Dutch baby to finish baking.

When the pancake is complete, I like to top it with the cinnamon apples and glazed pecans. For this, I’m so thankful to have partnered with Diamond of California Nuts. Their glazed nut toppings triumph beyond salads and are a perfect crunchy addition of sweet and salty to a number of dishes including this pecan apple Dutch baby. Here, I opted for the Maple Glazed Pecans, but any number of their options would have been terrific. I caught myself nibbling on the pecans while I waited for the pancake to finish up, so beware… they’re addicting.

Although it may look a finicky breakfast to prepare, this little skillet pancake is actually quite simple and is the perfect dose of comfort and tradition to add to your Saturday mornings. I hope you’ll give it a try this weekend and share it with some people you love. Happy Friday, y’all!

If you like this pecan apple Dutch baby you should try:

Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

This post is sponsored by Diamond of California Nuts. Thank you for supporting brands that makes the recipes on this site possible!

Pecan Apple Dutch Baby

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This pecan apple dutch baby is a giant puffy pancake topped with cinnamon-spiced apples and glazed nuts. A fun breakfast for fall, this dutch baby is a delicious treat to share! Read more about the recipe here!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the pancake:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
2/3 cup (160 gm) milk
2/3 cup (95 gm) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ t cinnamon
½ t apple pie spice

For the apples:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 apples (I use Granny Smith or Jonathon) peeled and sliced into ¼” slices
1/3 cup (70 gm) brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon apple pie spice
Pinch of salt
Glazed Pecans, if desired
Vanilla Yogurt, if desired

Instructions

To prepare the pancake:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Once preheated, add butter to a 10” skillet and place in the oven until just barely meted. Remove from oven and carefully swirl the butter around the perimeter and edges and bottom of pan. Meanwhile, prepare your batter.
Whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and apple pie spice and whisk to combine. Pour the batter into the butter-coated pan and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 300 and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes or so, until the pancake is puffed and bronzed all over. Remove from oven and top with the apples and glazed pecans. You can serve with yogurt, if desired.

To prepare the apples:

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon apple pie spice, and salt. Stir to combine and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have barely softened but not lost their shape. Serve on top of the pancake.

Inspired by NYT.