Butterhorns

I don’t know about you but there are some recipes that bring back specific memories for me. For example – Butterhorns. These scrumptious, cinnamon bun-type goodies remind me of Christmas.

Our mother used to make these during the holiday season and it was tradition that on Christmas morning when we woke up we got to have one (or two) for breakfast while we opened our stockings. How awesome is that?
I mean it’s already Christmas morning AND we get to open presents AND we get to eat amazing, delicious, squishy, cinnamon-y tastiness.
Yeah, it’s a pretty great memory.
You can understand why I enjoy these so much.

Butterhorns

 Ingredients

1 cup milk

4 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup butter, chilled

3 egg yolks

2 envelopes yeast (4 1/2 tsp)

1/4 cup very hot water (I just let the tap run hot for a minute or two and use that)

Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon (or more if desired)

 Glaze

1 cup icing sugar

1 Tbsp milk

1/8 tsp almond extract

Directions

Scald milk and then cool to room temperature.

Mix together flour, sugar, salt in a large bowl. With 2 knives or a pastry cutter, cut in 1 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Whisk the 3 egg yolks into lukewarm milk. (I always forget to scald the milk in advance and let it cool therefore the milk is always fairly warm when I whisk in the egg yolks. Just be careful it isn’t so hot as to start cooking the yolks!)

Mix yeast into the hot water and let sit for a minute. Add yeast mixture to the milk and eggs. Whisk gently.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until soft dough forms. You may want to add a bit more flour to cut stickiness. Place dough into large Tupperware container lightly sprayed with cooking spray and seal.

Place in refrigerator overnight (8 – 12 hours). It should double in size. 

Roll out dough on floured surface, as you would for cinnamon buns.
 Spread 1/2 cup butter evenly over dough, sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll up, cut about 1 – 1 ½ inches thick...

 Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Lightly flatten with the palm of your hand.

Let rise, covered with tea towel, in warm place for 1 hour.
Prepare glaze - While dough is rising, mix together icing sugar, milk, and almond extract until you have a glaze that is a little thinner than the consistency of pudding. (Use more icing sugar or milk as necessary)Set aside.
When done rising - preheat oven to 350.

Bake at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes, until evenly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on trays for 10 minutes. While still on cookie sheets, use a pastry brush or basting brush and spread a little of the glaze over each roll. Remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

I always make a double batch of this as everyone loves them and they disappear very quickly. Sue doesn’t like the glaze so we have to leave a few rolls without any on them.
The dough is sooo light and fluffy.

 **If you are wondering what to do with the leftover egg whites you might want to try our Pecan Toffee Meringues. **