Bready or Not: Potato Rolls
These Potato Rolls are perfect for a hearty sandwich with a wet filling like BBQ sauce.
The ‘potato’ here is potato flour, a not-so-secret ingredient to create soft bread with a tender crumb. It handles moisture in a different way than standard wheat flours.
It’s not the kind of thing carried by a standard grocery store, but the internet comes to the rescue! I use the kind sold by King Arthur Flour (an all-around fantastic purveyor of bready goods), but it is also sold by Bob’s Red Mill and (of course) Amazon. Check your local natural goods store, too.
Nonfat dry milk powder IS sold by many grocery stores, but I like the results of King Arthur Flour’s version best.
I’ve made these rolls several times and I find they didn’t double for me during the rise stages, but did they puff, and at the end the crumb showed a good texture inside.
I found that dividing by 8 made for good-sized sandwich rolls, but you can make these as big or small as you want, and any shape, too.
Modified from Food & Wine Magazine June 2020.
Bready or Not: Potato Rolls
Equipment
- parchment paper
- food scale
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups bread flour
- 1/3 cup potato flour available from King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill
- 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/4 oz active dry yeast or one store-bought envelope
- 1 cup warm water 100 to 110-degrees
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and 4 Tablespoons of melted butter. Add the bread flour, potato flour, milk powder, sugar, salt and yeast, and mix using the dough hook. Beat until the dough is cohesive, about 3 minutes.
- Increase the mixer’s speed and beat for another 6 minutes to make it smooth and elastic. Dough might be sticky. Grease another large bowl and dump the dough in there. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Use the food scale to weigh the dough. To make rolls of a good sandwich size, divide the total by eight; if smaller rolls are desired, go smaller. Pull off pieces of dough and shape into rounds. To smooth the surface, keep a saucer with water in it nearby, and use moistened fingers to smooth the dough. Set rounds spaced out on parchment. Loosely cover rolls with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until they are puffy, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Remove plastic wrap or towel. For sandwich-sized rolls, bake for 15 to 19 minutes, until the outside is nicely browned. Dip the basting brush into the remaining tablespoon of butter, and paint butter atop each roll to make glossy.
- Let rolls cool at least 15 minutes before cutting in. Rolls will keep for at least 2 days in a sealed bag at room temperature. They can also be frozen and thawed for later consumption.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple-Oat Cookies
These Apple-Oat Cookies are like a cross between apple oatmeal and apple pie, in a convenient portable form.
Really, these cookies feel homey. They take like comfort, with the apples and oats a little dense but not too heavy. The glaze on top adds a touch of sweetness that is just right.
As I have a husband who loves apple oatmeal AND apple pie, he enjoyed these cookies greatly. They are a perfect breakfast cookie!
I found that they kept for at least three days at room temperature. Even better–as these were all for my husband to enjoy–I found they froze and thawed without a problem. I actually froze most of the batch straight away. Portion control is a good thing, especially with over thirty cookies offering temptation!
I used a Gala apple, but I say any sweet baking apple would work well.
Bready or Not Original: Apple-Oat Cookies
Equipment
- tablespoon cookie scoop
- parchment paper
- waxed paper
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats also called rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large baking apple peeled and finely chopped; Gala and Fuji are ideal
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar plus more if needed
- 2 Tablespoons milk or half & half, plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice.
- In a big mixing bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Follow up with the eggs and vanilla. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the apple pieces.
- Use a tablespoon scoop or spoon to dole out dough spaced an inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let set on rack for 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Continue with the next batch.
- Once all of the cookies are cool, make the glaze. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and milk to form a thick but oozy consistency. Spoon over the cookies.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature, with waxed paper between the stacked layers. They will keep for at least three days. Cookies will freeze and thaw without issue.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake
This Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake is more cake than cheesecake, and is all sweet, fruity goodness.
If you need a showstopper cake for a brunch or dessert, this one is perfect. It’s great to make ahead of time, too–slices can even be frozen for later, no prob!
I used Murray’s Spiced Cherry Preserves; that little kick of spice was fantastic in the cake. Other bold preserves would be great in this cake, too–raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, even tropical flavors.
This is a thick, rich cake. It tastes best when you get a bit of all the layers in a single bite: the sliced almonds, crumb topping, fruit, cream cheese, sponge.
My husband liked the cake cold but he liked it even more when warmed a bit–and not in the microwave, either, but gently brought to room temperature by letting a slice sit out for 30 to 45 minutes.
Don’t forget a slice on the counter, though. This does contain cream cheese and shouldn’t be left out for hours!
Modified from Taste of Home Magazine December 2015.
Bready or Not: Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar divided
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt or sour cream, 8 ounces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 box, softened
- 1 cup cherry preserves
- 1/2 cup slices almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Cut a parchment round to fit the bottom of the springform pan. Apply nonstick spray or butter on bottom of sides of pan, add the parchment, then grease it as well.
- In a big bowl, mix flour with 3/4 cup of sugar. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Measure out 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping; set aside.
- To the bulk of the flour mix, add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in yogurt, 1 egg, and almond extract, until blended. Spread batter onto bottom of the springform pan.
- In a small bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and egg, to make it as smooth as possible. It's okay if it still has some clumps. Pour it onto the pan and smooth out. Spoon the preserves all across the top. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb topping and the sliced almonds.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The middle should no longer be jiggly, the top a nice golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes then unlatch and life away the pan's ring to let the cake cool for another hour. Then place cake in fridge to complete set and cool for a few hours.
- Cake can be eaten cold or after slices are brought to room temperature after about 30 to 45 minutes. Do remember to store cake in the fridge, as it does contain cream cheese! Slices can also be individually wrapped and frozen, and will thaw in the fridge with no issue.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Mini Cookie Butter-Chocolate Babkas
I hope it gets your attention when I say that these Mini Cookie Butter-Chocolate Babkas are among the best things I have ever made.
Really, these have it all going on. A tender enriched dough. Gooey chocolate. The sweet joy of cookie butter. Plus, the presentation is stunning with the dough coiled to reveal the layers of goodness.
Even better, this recipe is great about portion control. You don’t have a babka loaf to worry about. Each babka is muffin-sized. This makes it easy to take on the go, and they are also convenient to freeze.
If you’re unsure what cookie butter is, it is essentially sliced cookies pureed with oil to be the same consistency as peanut butter. It tastes like cookie dough in its purest form minus the risk of salmonella poisoning from raw eggs or flour. Find it near the peanut butter in a lot of stores; Biscoff is the most common brand, and it’s called Speculoos at Trader Joe’s.
You can, of course, substitute a smooth peanut butter in this recipe–which is what the original recipe in Bake from Scratch was all about. But me, nah, I’m a rebel. And my husband doesn’t like peanut butter, and he’s the one who needs to eat these things.
Modified greatly from Bake from Scratch Magazine July/August 2019; also online.
Bready or Not Original: Mini Cookie Butter-Chocolate Babkas
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- nonstick spray
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or one store-bought packet
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon water divided
- 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter melted and divided
- 2 large eggs room temperature and divided
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 cup creamy cookie butter
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus extra
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together 4 cups flour, white sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Using a saucepan or the microwave, heat 1 cup water and 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter until it is 120 to 130-degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add one egg and egg yolk, and beat for another 2 minutes. Beat in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup more flour until a soft, sticky dough forms.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until dough is soft, smooth, and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add nonstick spray to a large bowl. Shape dough into a smooth ball, and place in bowl. Roll it briefly to coat in oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Use nonstick spray on a 12-cup muffin pan.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 Tablespoon butter. Add to it the cookie butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into roughly a 20x12-inch rectangle. Spread cookie butter mixture onto dough. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Fold rectangle crosswise into thirds as if folding a sheet of paper for an envelope, forming a smaller rectangle, about 12x6 inches.
- Cut rectangle crosswise into 12 (about 1 inch) dough strips. Gently stretch and twist one to coil it inside a prepared muffin cup, tucking the end inside edge of cup to create a rounded top. Repeat 12 times. If desired, press a couple of additional chocolate chips into the top of each babka, but try to place them so they won't melt off the pan during baking.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot until they are puffed, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325-degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the last egg with 1 Tablespoon water. Brush tops of dough with egg wash.
- Bake until babkas are golden brown, about 17 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted in center should register 190-degrees.
- Babkas are much better served warm--eat them fresh, or heat up later with a 20-30 burst in the microwave! This makes the dough soft and the chocolate gooey. They keep well sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days, but can also be frozen and thawed later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp
This Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe makes for a delicious supper! It’s super-easy and healthy, too.
I’ve made this recipe for about, gosh, ten years now. I make it every month or so. I like to buy 2-pound bags of frozen shrimp of Costco and divide it to make this dish.
One of the great things about this dish is that you can pair it with different foods depending on your own individual needs. Eat it on rice or egg noodles, or go gluten-free and low-calorie with some zoodles or cauliflower rice. The seasoned oil in this recipe makes everything taste good!
On the side, I usually serve steamed broccoli or green beans. Whatever is in season and on sale!
In all the years I’ve made this, we’ve never had leftovers.
Bready or Not Original: Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Equipment
- 13x9 pan
Ingredients
- 1 medium lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or one teaspoon dry
- 1 pound medium-sized shrimp cooked and deveined
- 5 garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 400-degrees. Wash and dry the lemon, then zest it; set aside lemon. If using fresh rosemary, shear leaves from the stem. Place zest in 13x9 pan along with olive oil, thyme, and rosemary. Bake pan in oven for 12 minutes.
- While the zest is infusing the oil, thinly slice the lemon and remove seeds. If desired, remove tails from shrimp.
- Pull out pan. Add shrimp and lemon slices--be wary, oil may pop from the dish! Mince garlic cloves into the pan; gently stir everything. Place back in oven to cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until shrimp is heated through. Add sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Serve atop pasta, rice, zoodles, cauliflower rice, etcetera. The hot lemon oil is also great for dipping bread.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Caramel Chip Blondies
These Apple Caramel Chip Blondies are soft, sweet, and dangerously snackable, perfect for a quick bite to get you through the day.
I have other apple bar recipes like my tried-and-true Apple Cake that are thicker and more meal-like.
These bars are thin and light. They aren’t even heavy with apples, but the apple flavor is definitely there.
This is the kind of thing to use for a light breakfast, snack, or dessert, and they’d be great to wrap up and pack to go.
I used caramel chips for this recipe, but butterscotch or white chocolate would be great, too–or even seasonal sweet chips like pumpkin spice!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Caramel Chip Blondies
Equipment
- 9x9 pan
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 apple such as Ambrosia or Honeycrisp, peeled and chopped into raisin-sized pieces
- 1/3 cup caramel chips or substitute butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, and continue to monitor a few more minutes, stirring often, to brown the butter. It should have a fresh, nutty smell. Remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until the sugar is less grainy. Let the pan cool for a few minutes. Beat in the eggs until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients next, followed by the apple pieces. Fold in the chips last.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
- Cool to room temperature. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store the bars in a sealed container, with waxed paper or parchment between stacked layers.