Monday, March 20, 2017

Cinnamon Spirals

I almost called these treats Cinnamon Snails, but I thought that might make you skip over this blog. After all, not many of us eat snails, especially seasoned with cinnamon! But by the end of the post, I think you'll agree that "snails" is a good name for this easy treat.

One of the things I do before the Christmas season is to stock up on pricey items I think I'll be using for my Christmas baking. Stores often have sales on things like chocolate chips and canned pumpkin in the fall, so I buy when the prices are low.

Sometimes, though, I misjudge and buy too much. Last fall it was Puff Pastry.


I'm not sure you can have too much Puff Pastry, but this box had been half used for a couple months now, and I knew I needed to do something with it.

I browsed through the recipes on www.puffpastry.com, but I was short on time and energy, so even though many of the recipes were simple and easy, I decided to go even more basic.

I promise - this recipe is so easy, even someone who has been down and out with the crud has enough energy to make it. *true story

Cinnamon Spirals

ingredients:

1/2 box Puff Pastry (you can also substitute refrigerated crescent rolls)
1 Tablespoon softened butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
Cinnamon to taste

Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Thaw the Puff Pastry according to the package directions.

Open the Puff Pastry folds, but don't roll, pull, or do anything else to it.

Spread the softened butter evenly on the pastry.

Sprinkle with the sugar and as much cinnamon as you like.


I like a lot of cinnamon. I added more after I took this picture.

Roll the pastry from one side, loosely, and slice into 3/4" to 1" slices.


Lay the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Believe me, because the sugar can burn and stick to the pan, you really want to use parchment paper for this.)


Leave plenty of room between the slices so they can spread unhindered.

Bake at 400° for about 15 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then enjoy.

Now admit it, don't these look
like snails?

If we had vanilla ice cream in the house, I would have used one of these as a base for a sundae: Cinnamon Spiral topped with vanilla ice cream and hot caramel sauce. Doesn't that sound fabulous???

Meanwhile, spring is coming to the Black Hills in the usual fashion, which is always wonderful. We hit the mid-70's over the weekend, and the Magpies have come back. We never saw this bird when we lived farther east, but their bright black and white markings are unmistakable.


And the Red-Wing Blackbirds have also arrived. They fill the prairie sloughs and creeks, fighting for the best nesting spot, and then warning everyone to stay away with their distinctive trill.

Meanwhile, we have snow in the forecast for this week.

Yes, spring is definitely coming!





Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

8 comments:

  1. I've never seen a magpie!!! What a gorgeous bird! I love that the birds are coming back, and they're singing and arguing and winging their way from tree to tree...

    What a wonderful burst of hope they bring.

    I've never tried puff pastry for cinnamon rolls and I love puff pastry! I always keep some in the freezer because I can whip up nut pastries or fruit pastries really quick with that on hand... and some days I need quick!

    Thank you, Jan! This is a wonderful idea, and yes to the parchment paper. Huge help when we do cinnamon and sugar anything.... I've made that mistake more than once! :)

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    1. Magpies are definitely a western bird. They're related to crows, and have the same nesting and eating habits. Think of the loud-mouthed bully dressed in a tux, and you have the magpie. :)

      They are captivating to watch, though. They glide from tree to tree in a stunning flash. So pretty to watch.

      And these treats are so easy, and perfect for after school or a quick breakfast.

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  2. I've never made anything with puff pastry. This looks way easier than when I make regular cinnamon buns! And I like your idea of using one as a sundae base!.

    I'm intrigued by your magpie too. Don't they like shiny things and hoard things? Seem to remember that from a kid's mystery novel back in the day.

    We don't have many spring birds back yet but the ones that have over wintered -- sparrows, blue jays, cardinals -- have found their voices and I can hear chirruping when I wake up in the morning. Best alarm clock ever! I'm hoping our snow is done but we still have cooler than normal temps. Still, the sun is slowly melting the mountains of snow we got this year. Yay spring!

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  3. Hi Kav!

    Yes, I'm pretty sure the magpies like shiny things, just like crows do. I read that they were a bit pesky around the Lewis & Clark expedition camps, even following the men into their tents to look for food, etc.

    We don't have them around our house (too close to the prairie? maybe?), but we always see them in the Hills.

    I hope you get an opportunity to try these. They would be good for an afternoon tea or coffee break, too. Not too sweet, and not too filling. :)

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  4. Look so yummy! And you're right about how quick and easy that must be! Thanks for sharing, Jan.

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    1. You're welcome, Missy!

      And I have another, unopened box of Puff Pastry in the freezer. Hmmm...

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  5. Oh, Jan!!!!!!!!! These look amazing. My local bakery sells something similar only they are cut into strips and twisted. They taste delicious with coffee. I bet these would be the same.

    Thank you. (Say my taste buds. My waistline disagrees.)

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    Replies
    1. Our bakery sells something similar, too. But these are quicker, easier, and available. :)

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