Breads and Rolls
These breads and rolls come from the recipe book of Sandra Mills, a member of our family who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in France. Her challah is written with the detail of someone who has braided it many times, and her sour cream pecan rolls chill overnight and freeze beautifully.
There are quick breads for every season, one-bowl banana, spiced pumpkin, lemon tea, date nut and a three-ingredient beer bread, plus sweet corn bread, buttery crescent rolls and a make-ahead refrigerator bran muffin batter. Recipes with a name in the title are named for members of our family.
13 breads and rolls
One Egg Banana Bread1 hr total | 1 (9 x 5-inch) loafA quick, moist banana bread made in one small bowl with ripe bananas, one egg, sugar, flour and melted butter, baked at 350°F for 50 minutes. Freezes well.
Challah3 hr 55 min total | 2 braided loavesA slightly sweet, braided egg bread: King Arthur flour, sugar, eggs and oil, risen twice, glazed with egg yolk and baked at 350°F until golden. Makes 2 braided loaves.
Allison's Beer Bread1 hr 5 min total | 1 loafA three-ingredient beer bread of self-rising flour, sugar and a can of beer, baked in a loaf pan at 300°F for 1 hour.
Bessie's Corn Bread35 min totalA sweet, tender cornbread made with King Arthur flour, cornmeal, milk, melted butter, an egg and a touch of vanilla, baked at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Sandy's Own Pecan Rolls15 hr 40 min total | 32 rollsRich sour cream yeast rolls rolled with cinnamon sugar and baked over brown sugar, butter and pecans in muffin cups. The dough chills overnight; makes 32 rolls.
Lemon Tea Bread1 hr total | 1 (5 x 9-inch) loafA tender lemon loaf made with cake flour and lemon rind, finished with a lemon juice and sugar glaze poured over while hot to form a tart, crackly crust.
Michaela's Date Nut Bread1 hr 20 min total | 1 loafAn old-fashioned date nut bread: dates simmered with butter and water, stirred into flour, sugar and walnuts, and baked in a loaf pan at 350°F for 1 hour.
Pumpkin Bread1 hr 15 min total | 2 loavesA big-batch spiced pumpkin bread of canned pumpkin, sugar, eggs and margarine with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice, baked in 2 loaf pans at 375°F for 1 hour.
Nut Bread Coffee Cake15 min total | 1 loafA shortcut coffee cake: a boxed nut bread mix layered with a sweet cream cheese and vanilla filling and baked in a loaf pan.
Refrigerator Bran Muffins45 min total | About 6 quarts of batterA big batch of bran muffin batter, about 6 quarts, made with two kinds of bran cereal and buttermilk, kept in the refrigerator and baked as needed at 400°F for 25 minutes.
Lowell Inn Crescent Rolls2 hr 15 min total | 32 rollsSoft, buttery yeast crescent rolls: a sweet dough risen once, rolled into circles, cut into wedges, rolled into crescents and baked at 400°F. Makes 32 rolls.
Brenda's Swedish Rolls4 hr 5 min totalSoft, slightly sweet yeast rolls of milk, butter, eggs and flour, risen three times for a light texture and baked at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes.
Homemade Soft Pretzels35 min totalQuick homemade pretzels from a small yeast dough sweetened with honey, shaped by hand, brushed with egg, sprinkled with kosher salt and baked at 425°F.
Common questions
- How do I know when yeast is ready to use?
- Dissolve a little sugar in warm, not hot, water and sprinkle the yeast on top. In about 5 to 10 minutes it should look foamy; that means it is active.
- How do I know when bread is done?
- Quick breads are done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Yeast loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Can I freeze homemade bread?
- Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Several of these recipes, including the banana bread and pecan rolls, are noted in the book as freezing well.