This was the first thing I made in my Aruban kitchen this trip that I turned on the oven for and they were absolutely worth it.
The smell of bread in the oven, cinnamon and sugar, butter and jelly, made our little Caribbean house smell like a bakery and was worth heating the joint up for.
If you do it my way, this is a 15-minute recipe from start to finish, including baking time and the dishes.
There’s no dishwasher here (other than yours truly) so those need to be kept to a minimum, too.
I used white dinner rolls as a major shortcut. Of course, you’re free to make your own bread dough, make and bake rolls, and then use said rolls for this recipe. But clearly I wouldn’t do that on vacation or probably ever.
It’s enough that I cook three squares a day, and I don’t mind, but bread-making from scratch isn’t ever happening in an un-airconditioned kitchen.
They’re a snap to make. Just beat a couple eggs, make a cinnamon-sugar mixture, poke holes in a half dozen dinner rolls with your fingers and dredge them through the egg and cinnamon-sugar, fill with jelly, add a couple pats of butter to the pan and bake. Done.
While baking, the butter and cinnamon-sugar creates this little glaze at the bottom of the pan that’s finger-lickin’ good.
And did I mention how much I love jelly? There’s nothing worse than a skimpy-on-the-jelly jelly roll and I made sure these were no where near skimpy.
When I walked into the home office with the tray of these where Scott was working, he exclaimed, Ohmygawdbabe what did you make?!
He told me he only wanted one because he was going to be getting into a swimsuit in a few minutes and he took his one little roll from the tray.
Apparently men think about jelly rolls and how that may impact their own jelly roll prior to getting into swimsuits.
Then as he was walking out the door 10 minutes later with Skylar to take her to the pool, he said, “Hey babe, do you think you could wrap up a few of those rolls for Skylar and I because they’re amazing.”
I assure you this is the best ever use of white dinner rolls and no one will suspect that you didn’t make elaborate pastries from scratch.
Don’t you just want to tear into all that jelly? I did.
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Strawberry Jelly Rolls
Makes 6 rolls – double the recipe and bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan if preferred (use 3 eggs rather than 4, if doubling)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
2 teaspoons cinnamon
6 small white dinner rolls
12 tablespoons+ strawberry jelly or jam (about 2 tablespoons per roll)
1/4 cup butter, diced into about 6 cubes (half of one stick)
Preheat oven to 375F, line a 9-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a small bowl, lightly beat two eggs with a fork; set aside. In another small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, and stir to combine; set aside.
With your thumb or finger, gently break the top surface of one roll, going about 1-inch deep and 1-inch wide. Don’t actually remove any bread, don’t “core” it; just open it up. Dip the bread in the egg, allowing some egg to enter the hollowed out part; let it soak into the interior. Dip and dredge the roll through the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place in prepared pan. Repeat with the other 5 rolls. Rolls will be nearly touching or touching each other in the pan depending on size; stagger them if necessary to avoid touching too much so they crisp up on the edges.
After all the rolls have been dipped into the egg, coated cinnamon-and-sugared, and in the pan, spoon about 2 tablespoons of jelly into the hole of each roll; be generous (use your favorite jelly such as raspberry, blueberry, lemon, or cherry). Add a final dusting of about 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over the tops of the rolls, distributed evenly. Place cubed butter pieces in the bottom of the pan in open spaces; it’s okay if it touches rolls since it will melt and ultimately touch them.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until rolls are golden. Butter will have melted and combined with excess cinnamon-sugar mixture and it will be bubbling and have thickened. Allow to cool and serve immediately, taking care not to miss any of the buttery cinnamon-sugar sauce on the bottom of the pan. Rolls are best fresh, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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Related Recipes:
Cinnamon Sugar Crust Cream Cheese and Jelly Danish Squares – uses one of my favorite shortcuts
Cinnamon Bun Pie – an easy shortcut makes these some of my favorite cinnamon rolls
Caramel Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars (GF with Vegan adaptation) – I will always love PB & J in any form
Cranberry & Orange Ginger Mango Chutney – jelly-like and so good
Hot Pepper Jelly (vegan, GF)
Stovetop Hot Pepper Jelly (vegan, GF)
Do you like jelly?
I love condiments, sauces, chutneys, dips and spreads of all types and jelly is no exception; sweet or savory. And all of it applied in abundance; the more, the merrier.
If you have any good shortcut-containing recipes, or any great recipes that use jelly, feel free to link them up.
The winner of the Bella Bars Giveaway is Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Have a great week!
I never would have guessed you started with pre made dinner rolls for this recipe!! What a great short cut (love those). They look so delicious in the photos and remind me of a jelly filled donut! I tried something that officially makes me a bona fide chocolate fiend (as if there were EVER any doubts). Roasted cauliflower dusted with paprika, garlic salt, and cocoa powder! There is only a teaspoon of cocoa and paprika sprinkled all over but it’s really good (husband approved too)!
Oh that cauli sounds great! I know people who put a tbsp or two of cocoa powder in chili – I can see with the paprika, same concept. And Mexican Hot Chocolate involves a pinch of cayenne or chili powder in hot cocoa – so there is so much overlap with cocoa and savory and kicked up savory…great idea. And yes, ” remind me of a jelly filled donut!” <-- that was the point :)
Yum, those rolls look like a delicious treat as always!
I do enjoy jelly in moderation. Too much and I find it too sweet, but it’s great in moderation. I also really enjoy spiced jams and chutneys- yum!
I love spiced jams, too!
Oh. My. Goodness! So, I just made these! :-) I used buttermilk biscuits instead of dinner rolls because that’s what I had, but, my boys loved them! I love the heavy on the jam part of the photos…they just look so flippin’ delcious! Thanks for the great recipes, lady! I make so many of yours! :-)
Ok that has to be one of the fastest posts-to making it-to reporting back about it’s that I’ve ever had…but leave it to you, and I love that! Thank you! Glad they were a hit and yes, any little biscuit or roll will do. Glad your boys loved them and you are such a good mama!
I love your description of men and their “jelly rolls.” I also love this quick and easy recipe! I’m a fanatic for anything and everything PB&J, but my favorite two ways of eating it are a) loaded on apple slices (a great snack!), and b) in my smoothies. By the way, I was having a Julie & Julia day yesterday with one of my girlfriends, and your food interactions with Scott reminded me so much of that movie. Absolutely sweet. Thanks for sharing!
Some men pretend they don’t care what they look like, but I actually think men are just as self-conscious (at times) as women are. Male hair restoration clinics for balding exist for a reason :) They care about their hair and things like that, too! Well, my hubs does as least and I love him for it. And glad you like my little story and the recipe!
What a creative little recipe Averie! Simple, quick, and full or cinnamon, butter and JAM! Three of my favorites, of course! I never, ever would’ve thought to combine all three with some egg wash over a pre made dinner roll! Crazy! Jam-filled donuts have always been, and still are, my favorite. I could see these being delicious with apricot or peach jam. LOVE peach + cinnamon together these days. :) SO glad your fan enjoyed them too, I’m not surprised. Easy + quick.. a perfect 1st recipe in Aruba for ya!
I was thinking of you when I made these because of the cinnamon-sugar coating and because we share a love of most flavors and baked goods…and I LOVE peach jam. Honestly, would have used a peach or apricot in these if I didn’t think it would have gotten totally washed out and blurred. I have enough lighting issues down here as it is…lol
The best use of dinner rolls EVER! Love the jelly filling oozing out of them! Scrumptious!
why bother unless it’s oozing, right!
Um, I think I would inhale all of these in one sitting. So much for having to put on a swimsuit! ;)
These look amazing. I love how simple they are, beautiful photos too!
girl the photography down here–every trip I have a new camera, new lens, new (unknowns!) lighting, new skills and it’s always a work in progress…thank you though!
I would like to think Jason would think about how it’d affect his jelly roll…but i really don’t think he would. He’d grab 2 to start with LOL
Jason also runs like 10 miles before breakfast…Scott…not so much. We power walk together and he used to run. Before Skylar. 5+ years ago :)
Going to try these out soon. Especially like the PB&J bars. Is There any special program you use to put words over a photo like strawberry jelly rolls picture?
the PB&J bars are one of my fave recipes- ever! Scott’s, too!
Usually picmonkey for graphics.
Thanks!
Wow, these are just delicious. Beautiful homemade rolls.
I never would have guessed from the pictures that those were made from rolls! Sounds good, almost like a bread pudding with the egg mixture. It reminds me a little bit of the first “recipe” we made in middle school home ec, we used the refrigerated Pillsbury dough rolls that pop out of the can, dip them in melted butter or oil, dip in sugar to coat, and put jam in a thumb hole on top. They bake up puffy and delicious, but so simple!
There’s not enough egg to really make it a bread pudding. It just helps all that glorious cinnamon & sugar stick to the surface of the rolls better and get in all the crevices :)
This is honestly pretty genius and even by looking at the pictures they look like decadent little homemade munchkins. I was ALL about jelly donut holes growing up, only kind I would eat. And I’m all abotu short cuts these days!
They still are pretty decadent little munchkins – no matter how they started out :)
Neat shortcut!! They look made from scratch. Like a naked jelly donut. They sound so good, and I’d totally heat up the house for them too. Agreed about skimpy jelly too… need lots!
It’s like why even bother if it’s skimpy??!!
Man, those look so fantastically gooey! I just got a sweet gift of really nice homemade jam, so I definitely know where that’s going now…
Homemade jam is the best! Mmmm, would be so good in these – or with anything!
Oh my gosh – yum ! I want to try these with cherries ! I love jelly, I just got a guava jelly at a little country market that I can’t wait to try.
Guava jelly sounds like a delicacy!