A Caramel Roll Tradition

My annual holiday specialty is Caramel Rolls.  I have made them for several years from a recipe I adapted from a couple of cookbooks.  I make them in the bread machine and I use this same dough for dinner rolls and even pizza crust (we like thick and chewy pizza crust like Papa Del's in Champaign!)  I freely share the recipe with everyone, but all my family and friends still wait for me to make them and give them away.  I did change the recipe a bit this year -- I use part whole wheat flour now, and I use 1/4 cup of Splenda Blend instead of 1/2 cup of sugar.  I still wouldn't call this a "healthy" recipe, but I do what I can.

Carmel rolls in the bread machine

This is for the big size bread machine. Cut in half if you have a small machine. This makes 2 dozen rolls.

2 tsp (scant) yeast powder

2 1/2 cups white flour

2 cups wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar (or 1/4 cup Splenda Blend)

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup shortening (I use butter flavor crisco)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk (I warm the water and milk a little in the microwave)

Set bread machine for dough mode - you don't want it to bake.

When dough is ready (I let it rise in the bread machine), make the caramel sauce.  In a saucepan combine:

1/2 cup margarine or butter (DON’T use crisco this time!)

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp dark Karo Syrup

Bring to boil for about 1 minute.

Pour into two layer cake pans or pie pans. Sprinkle with pecans.

Split dough in half. Roll into rectangle. Spread with margarine, and sprinkle with LOTS of sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and slice into 12 pieces. Place on top of sauce in the pan. Let rise in warm place.

Bake until brown (for about 17 minutes) in a 350 degree oven. Let cool a little. Turn out onto plate.

Enjoy!!