An Award-Winning Recipe: Maple Syrup Cinnamon Rolls

Reader Contribution by Lauren Holt
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I received some cookbooks from my grandmother a few weeks ago, and I wanted to share one of the recipes. The cookbook is the Montana Territorial Centennial Edition of the First Ladies’ Cookbook. It’s a collection of recipes from women living all over Montana, and focuses especially on teh recipes of governor’s wives. My great grandparents contributed two recipes to it, which I will share at another time. Today, we’re baking Maple Syrup Cinnamon Rolls.

This recipe comes from a (at the time) 12-year-old Miss Mary B. Mantz of Great Falls, Montana, who won $3,000 with it at the 1963 Pillsbury 15th Grand National Bake-off. Pillsbury adapted the recipe, and Mary said she planned to use the winnings to attend college. Aside from a few notes of clarification here and there I’ve pretty much directly transcribed this recipe.

For a variation, try adding ginger, allspice or nutmeg to this recipe.

These award-winning cinnamon rolls require a few hours to make (including rising time) but they’re tasty enough to get national baking attention.
Photo by Joel Lukes/ Courtesy Flickr

Maple Syrup Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 packet dry active yeast (or 1 cake compressed yeast)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup hot scalded milk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups Pillsbury’s Best All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup maple flavored syrup
• 1/2 butter, melted, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring (optional)
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Soften yeast in water.

3. Combine in a large mixing bowl milk, shortening, 1/3 cup of brown sugar and salt. Stir to melt shortening. Cool to lukewarm.

4. Blend in eggs, rolled oats and the softened yeast. Gradually add flour, beating well after each addition. (For first addition of flour use mixer on medium speed.) Cover. Let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Combine maple syrup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, water and maple flavoring. Add walnuts.

6. Spread in a 13 by 9 pan.

7. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 24 by 12 inch rectangle. Brush with 1/4 cup butter.

8. Sprinkle the mixture with 2/3 cup brown sugar, orange rind and cinnamon.

9. Roll up, starting with the 24-inch side. Cut into 1-inch slices, place in the prepared pan. Let rise in warm place until light, about 1 hour.

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Cool one minute; invert on serving plate or wire rack.

*Rolls may be baked in 24 muffin cups. Place 3 walnut halves in bottom of each cup. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.   

  • Published on Mar 31, 2011
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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