Classic Snickerdoodles

Sometimes I feel the pressure as a food blogger to constantly come up with some new exciting twist on old recipes. Whether it’s a new ingredient or just a new way to make an old favorite, I’m always trying to find a way to present something that hasn’t been done a billion times before.

As an avid blog reader as well as writer, I know I’m not alone in this quest. I’ve seen a lot of creatively delicious spins on the standards, but I’ve also seen a few that leave me wondering if perhaps we’ve strayed a bit too far off the beaten path in our pursuit of originality. Maybe we should take a step back and remind ourselves just how delicious the classics can be in all their simplistic glory.

Oh Snickerdoodles. You’re the most basic of cookies—a buttery dough enrobed in a coating of sweet cinnamony goodness. But despite your relatively plain appearance, you’re oh so good. And you’ve got a totally fun name. Snickerdoodle. Or as Boyfriend calls then, Doodle-Snicks! (with an emphasis on the exclamation point at the end. You can’t just say Doodle-Snicks. It must be yelled.)

Some might call you boring, but I think you’re perfect just the way you are. You don’t need to be messed with (although I do have some ideas to dress you up a bit). Thanks for reminding me that not every recipe has to have 7 words in its name. (I’m looking at you Brown Butter Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies.)

I can't believe we're almost done! Only 2 more left to go!



And go on. You know you want to. I won't tell anyone that you yelled "Doodle-Snicks!"

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

Warm spiced rolls with a hint of pumpkin. They’re the perfect addition to a fall breakfast or brunch.

In true Ohio fashion, it went from beautiful fall to “WHY IS IT SNOWING ALREADY?” in the course of about a week. No major snowfall or anything, but I was still upset to have to brush even a little snow off my car before work in the morning. This is supposed to be prime hoodie and sweater weather, not break out the thick winter scarf and reluctantly turn on the heat time. Luckily we’re smack in the middle of warm cinnamon spice season, so it’s perfectly acceptable to warm myself up from the inside out.

I’ve made pumpkin cinnamon rolls before. And they were quite easy and delicious. For the past month, those rolls have been popping up all over my Pinterest, as more and more people seek out all things pumpkin. But looking at that picture day after day… Well, it started to get to me. In the back of my mind I kept thinking, “good Lord that’s some terrible photography. I’ve got to remake those.”

So here you go. A new recipe, merely because I’m vain. And embarrassed at my lack of skills.

They’re soft and tender, perfectly spiced, and not overly pumpkin-y, so even pumpkin haters can enjoy them.

They take some time to prep and proof (about 3 hours total time), so plan ahead if you want to serve them for breakfast or brunch. To save yourself a lot of early morning kitchen stress, prepare them, following the recipe until the second rise, the night before, then cover and refrigerate the rolls in the pan overnight. The next morning, about 2 hours before you want to serve them, remove them from the fridge and allow them to finish their second rise in a warm place, for about an hour, before baking them. Allow them to cool slightly, ice them up, and be the hero of breakfast.