holidays

The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns

The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns
The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns

The Ultimate Sausage Breakfast Buns



Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking; idea first created by Amanda at Treasures of the Phoenix
Yield: 24 servings

These are straight-up incredible. They’re worth every bit of butter, every egg, and every minute spent making them — which is considerable. They’re definitely a special occasion treat! They would be perrrfect for Christmas breakfast! You can prepare them the night before, wake up early to preheat your oven and set them out to rise, and then just pop them in the oven 15 minutes before you eat.

Roll Ingredients:
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups milk minus 2 tablespoons, room temperature
5 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup cold shortening
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for after baking

Filling Ingredients:
2 cup plus 2 tablespoon milk, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup stone-ground grits
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds pork sausage
2 cups frozen shredded hash browns
20 eggs
2 tablespoons diced green chiles
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) melted butter
maple syrup for drizzling

Directions:
Note: I don’t recommend halving yeast recipes; instead, if you don’t want 24 rolls at once, consider freezing some for later. Sometimes I even make two types of rolls (savory and dessert), by making the full amount of yeast dough but halving the filling recipe for both. To freeze unbaked rolls, just wrap them well before the second rise and freeze them. Once frozen, pop them out of the pan all together and store in the freezer, wrapped in plastic wrap and in a zip top bag. When you want to bake them, stick them back in a greased pan, thaw them in the fridge overnight, proof for the instructed amount of time, and bake like usual.

Make yeast dough the night before: Mix the warm water and yeast in a medium bowl and let the yeast foam for about 10 minutes. Put 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a measuring cup and then add milk up to the 2 cup line. Set this aside. In a separate large bowl (or the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook), whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and cut the shortening into the mixture with two knives or a pastry cutter until the shortening looks like small peas. Stir yeast mixture and milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well, kneading just a few turns. Transfer the dough to a large bowl (keep in mind that it will rise) lightly sprayed with cooking spray, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator overnight.

Make grits: The next morning, in a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of milk and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the grits with a whisk. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the milk is absorbed (see the directions on your package for how long this should take. Mine took 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, heavy cream, and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Season to taste with pepper (and salt if more is needed; I didn’t need to add any). Cover these and set aside.

Make sausage, egg, hash brown mixture: In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. In the sausage drippings (add a little butter if there isn’t enough), brown the hash browns by spreading them over the bottom of the skillet in a flat layer. Cover the skillet and let them cook without stirring for around 6 minutes (double check the directions on your hash browns package). When one side is browned, flip the hash browns and brown the other side. Remove these to the sausage plate to drain. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1 tablespoon milk until fluffy. Scramble these in the sausage drippings (or some butter if your sausage drippings have run out) over medium heat until they’re almost done but still wet. Transfer them back to the bowl where you scrambled them. Add the sausage, hash browns, and chiles into the bowl and mix gently. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble your rolls.

Roll out the dough: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly spray two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. Turn the chilled dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick (I carefully cut the dough in half and worked with half at a time to make it more manageable; if you do this, just spread on half of the filling ingredients for each half you roll).

Assemble the rolls: Spread the melted butter all over the top of the dough. On top of this, gently and evenly spread the cheese grits and egg mixtures (I use two spoons to spread the cheese grits mixture. It doesn’t have to be perfect — just get it here and there all around). Sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. Gently roll the dough up into a spiral (I use a bench scraper to help me roll) and cut it into 2-inch rolls, placing them close together in your prepared baking dishes (at this point, you could wrap and freeze the rolls for later if you wanted).

Bake and serve: Cover the rolls with a clean dish cloth and let them rise in a warm spot (I set them on my oven’s heat vent) for 1 1/2 hours. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes or until browned on top (if you take them out at just lightly golden brown, they may still be doughy in the center). Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and return to the oven for 1 more minute. Pour a light drizzle of maple syrup over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.

Christmas Breakfast Recipes

Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post filled with Christmas Breakfast Recipes!

Christmas Breakfast Recipes

As you get older, you don’t need the pile of presents you needed as a kid to feel the magic of Christmas. Presents are still fun, but you start to realize other traditions hold even more of the charm of the season. One of my favorite holiday traditions these days is Christmas breakfast. My mom makes a big pan of amazing cinnamon rolls and another big pan of Egg & Grits casserole. My mother-in-law makes this incredible Breakfast Pie with eggs and hot sausage. The day wouldn’t feel complete without that indulgent first meal.

To help make your Christmas morning breakfast extra special, I’ve collected all of my best breakfast recipes below. I’ve even broken them down into categories to help you find your perfect meal: make-ahead recipes, fancy recipes, simple recipes, and fun recipes. Which best describes your Christmas morning mood?

Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Recipes

Sassy Sausage and Hash Brown Breakfast Bake
Sassy Sausage and Hash Brown Breakfast Bake

Make-Ahead Gingerbread Coffee Cake with Cranberry Pecan Streusel
Make-Ahead Gingerbread Coffee Cake with Cranberry Pecan Streusel

Winter Breakfast Chili Over Eggs in Sourdough Bowls
Winter Breakfast Chili Over Eggs in Sourdough Bowls

Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix with Egg Nog Glaze
Cinnamon Sparkled Pastry Stix with Egg Nog Glaze

Fancy Christmas Breakfast Recipes

Croque Madame French Toast Cups
Croque Madame French Toast Cups

Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze
Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze

Buttery Coconut Almond Pull-Apart Bread (with Heavenly Coconut Cream Glaze)
Buttery Coconut Almond Pull-Apart Bread (with Heavenly Coconut Cream Glaze)

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Bowls
Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Bowls

Sausage & Toast Breakfast Strata in Baked Tomatoes
Sausage & Toast Breakfast Strata in Baked Tomatoes

Buttery Coconut & Almond Morning Buns
Buttery Coconut & Almond Morning Buns

Breakfast Stuffed Mushrooms (Portobellos Stuffed with a Leek and Gruyère Scramble)
Breakfast Stuffed Mushrooms (Portobellos Stuffed with a Leek and Gruyère Scramble)

Almond Scones with Raspberry Jam and Clotted Cream
Almond Scones with Raspberry Jam and Clotted Cream

Homemade Buttery Croissants and Pains au Chocolat
Homemade Buttery Croissants and Pains au Chocolat
(also, see the phototutorial)

Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns
Lemon Cheesecake Morning Buns

Simple Christmas Breakfast Recipes

Raspberry Almond Braid
Raspberry Almond Braid

Eggs à l’Oignon
Eggs à l’Oignon

Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid
Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Breakfast Braid

Eggs in a French Toast Basket
Eggs in a French Toast Basket

Blueberry Cream Cheese Almond Braid
Blueberry Cream Cheese Almond Braid

Strawberry Walnut Ricotta Muffins
Strawberry Walnut Ricotta Muffins

'Magic' Chocolate, Coconut, and Pecan Pastry Braid
“Magic” Chocolate, Coconut, and Pecan Pastry Braid

Fun Christmas Breakfast Recipes

The “Just Trust Me” Fried Bologna Breakfast Doughnutwich
The “Just Trust Me” Fried Bologna Breakfast Doughnutwich

Maple Bacon Doughnuts
Maple Bacon Doughnuts

Pecan Maple Bacon Pancakes
Pecan Maple Bacon Pancakes

Carrot Cake Waffles
Carrot Cake Waffles

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Croque Madame
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Croque Madame

Here are more ideas I’ve collected for you from some of my favorite blogs. Enjoy!

Brown Butter Pecan Gooey Butter Cake with Spiked Whipped Cream

Brown Butter Pecan Gooey Butter Cake with Spiked Whipped Cream
Brown Butter Pecan Gooey Butter Cake with Spiked Whipped Cream

Brown Butter Pecan Gooey Butter Cake with Spiked Whipped Cream



Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 6 servings

This delicious cake has everything delightful in it: nutty brown butter, bloomed cinnamon and cloves, toasted pecans, a simple caramel sauce, and spiked whipped cream! It’s perfect for a holiday table, but easy enough for an anytime dessert.

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup cold butter

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup toasted pecans*
icing sugar

Topping Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
20 Werther’s Original® Baking Caramels
2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions:
*NOTE: To toast pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for around 6-7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until fragrant. Chop while still warm.

NOTE 2: If you don’t have a skillet, I believe you can bake this in a greased 9-inch square baking dish (I’d use a glass one if you have it, and check it early and often. Remove when there’s some jiggle left.) Let us know how it goes if you try it this way for all the other skilletless people!

Make the brown butter: Cut the 1 cup butter into 1-tablespoon cubes. Place it into a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and brown the butter, whisking often. The butter will melt, foam, and then begin to brown, and the whisking is important so that it browns evenly. Whisk in cinnamon and cloves. Pour your brown butter into a shallow, wide dish to cool for a bit before sticking it in the freezer to set up. After it’s set up, set it back out at room temperature to soften for use.

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together cake flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together (I often use my food processor for this step, pulsing the cold fat into the flour). Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet using a flat glass or the back of a spoon.

Make the filling: Cream together the softened brown butter and white and brown sugars until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Mix in the egg until just combined. Alternate adding the flour and evaporated milk, mixing after each addition. Mix in the corn syrup and vanilla. Stir in the toasted pecans. Pour the filling into the crust and sprinkle the top with icing sugar.

Bake and assemble the cake: Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cake is nearly set (mine was probably ready around 30). Some jiggle is fine — do not overcook! It’ll finish setting up as it cools. Let it cool in pan for 2 hours. Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and rum to stiff peaks. Melt the caramels and milk together in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes, stirring often but carefully, until the hot caramel sauce is ready. Pour caramel sauce over cooled cake and top with a giant mound of spiked whipped cream. Serve from the skillet with a few forks or on plates, if you like things a little more formal.

Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post.

You don’t want just any old Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe. It needs to be the best. If you’re going to indulge in an epic feast, you want every bite to count. I get it. Below are the no-joke absolute stunner recipes from Willow Bird Baking — the ones you’ll want your whole family to taste. The ones you’ll want to use to impress your mother-in-law. The ones you’ll want to shock your relatives with. YES, EVEN YOUR PICKY AUNT GLADYS. ESPECIALLY YOUR PICKY AUNT GLADYS.

The best of the best, tailored for your Thanksgiving dessert table. Prepare to enter dessert utopia.

Willow Bird Baking's 20 Best Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

1. PUMPKIN STREUSEL SWIRLED CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE.

PUMPKIN STREUSEL SWIRLED CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



2. PUMPKIN SPICE PULL-APART BREAD WITH BUTTER RUM GLAZE.

PUMPKIN SPICE PULL-APART BREAD WITH BUTTER RUM GLAZE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



3. CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM PIE BARS.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM PIE BARS
cooking difficulty: easy



4. SOPAPILLA PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS.

SOPAPILLA PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS
cooking difficulty: easy



5. GOOEY CARMELITAS.

GOOEY CARMELITAS
cooking difficulty: easy



6. PUMPKIN OAT CAKE WITH BROILED COCONUT ICING.

PUMPKIN OAT CAKE WITH BROILED COCONUT ICING
cooking difficulty: easy



7. TRES LECHES COCONUT CAKE TRIFLE.

TRES LECHES COCONUT CAKE TRIFLE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



8. CARAMELIZED BANANA UPSIDE-DOWN COCONUT CAKE WITH COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM.

CARAMELIZED BANANA UPSIDE-DOWN COCONUT CAKE WITH COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
cooking difficulty: easy



9. THE ULTIMATE, MOIST, FLUFFY, RIDICULOUS COCONUT CAKE.

THE ULTIMATE, MOIST, FLUFFY, RIDICULOUS COCONUT CAKE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



10. COFFEE COOKIE DOUGH FUDGE CHEESECAKE.

COFFEE COOKIE DOUGH FUDGE CHEESECAKE
cooking difficulty: easy but long



11. BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CROQUEMCAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHAI MOUSSE.

BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CROQUEMCAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHAI MOUSSE
cooking difficulty: advanced



12. SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TRIFLE.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE TRIFLE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



13. STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CHEESECAKE.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cheesecake
cooking difficulty: easy but long



14. BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CAKE CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL.

BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CAKE CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL
cooking difficulty: intermediate



15. GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
cooking difficulty: easy but long



16. RED VELVET CHEESECAKE.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE
cooking difficulty: easy but long



17. CARAMEL FUDGE BROWNIE CHEESECAKE.

CARAMEL FUDGE BROWNIE CHEESECAKE
cooking difficulty: intermediate



18. CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE WITH WHIPPED COCONUT ICING.

CHOCOLATE POKE CAKE WITH WHIPPED COCONUT ICING
cooking difficulty: easy



19. NANAIMO BARS.

NANAIMO BARS
cooking difficulty: easy



20. SAMOA MONKEY BREAD WITH GANACHE DIPPING SAUCE.

SAMOA MONKEY BREAD WITH GANACHE DIPPING SAUCE
cooking difficulty: easy

Want more Thanksgiving inspiration from other bloggers I love? Check out my Inspiring Thanksgiving Recipes Foodie Collection for side dishes, cocktails, desserts, and more!

Toasted Pecan Shortbread with Spiked Toffee Sauce

Toasted Pecan Shortbread with Spiked Toffee Sauce

Toasted Pecan Shortbread with Spiked Toffee Sauce



Recipe by: Adapted from Ina Garten
Yield: around 20 shortbread cookies

The butteriest! These buttery shortbread cookies boast toasty pecans throughout, and the buttery rum-spiked toffee is the perfect complement. You’re gonna love these.

Cookie Ingredients:
3/4 pound (1 1/2 cups) unsalted Plugrá butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans*

Toffee Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Plugrá butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup dark rum

Directions:
*To toast pecans: spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for around 6-7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until fragrant. Chop while still warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a separate, large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pulverize the toasted pecans in a food processor for a few pulses (or crush by hand) until very fine, and then stir into the dough by hand. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, form into a thick rectangle, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cover three baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle of 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 1-inch by 3-inch rectangles and place these on a cookie sheet (position them 2 inches apart because they will spread slightly). Bake the cookies for around 20 minutes, rotating and switching positions of baking sheets once partway through baking. Remove the cookies when they’re just slightly colored on the edges and let them cool completely on their baking sheets.

To make the toffee sauce, bring the brown sugar, butter, heavy whipping cream, and rum to a boil in a heavy saucepan over high heat, whisking frequently. Once the mixture boils, turn the heat down slightly to medium-high heat and whisk constantly for 8 minutes, until the mixture is thickened. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl. Serve it smeared on cooled shortbread cookies. Store any extra cookies and toffee sauce in airtight containers, heating up the toffee sauce in the microwave to refresh as needed.

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