Sally Lunn Rolls and Pecan Pie Bars

During the holiday season the thing I look forward to the most, besides spending time with family, is taking the time to do lots of baking from scratch. I find the process relaxing and the results are obviously rewarding. Homemade rolls and pecan pies are two foods I really look forward to baking this time of year. I recently spent the day in the kitchen baking with Fleischmann’s yeast and Karo Syrup, two of my favorite ingredients. I baked up some buttery and light Sally Lunn Rolls and some delectable Chocolte Chip Pecan Pie Bars. Homemade rolls are a must for Holiday meals. There’s nothing like the taste of homeade rolls fresh from the oven. Store bought rolls can’t even compete. The few store bought rolls that come close to the taste of hoemade cost an arm and a leg. I don’t want to shell out $5 or more for 6 rolls. Working with yeast really isn’t as intimidating as it seems. The one thing to really watch out for is that you don’t kill the yeast by adding liquid that is too hot. I find it’s easiest to use an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature of the liquid. Plenty of people are very accurate at judging the temperature by touching it, but I am not one of those people.   This recipe for Sally Lunn Rolls is very doable. There’s no need to knead the dough (no pun intended) or to even shape and form the dough. You just plop it into muffin tins to bake. Sally Lunn Bread is a southern bread that you don’t see often enough. It’s a high-rising and buttery bread that’s typically sweetened with a good deal of sugar. Some versions of Sally Lunn bread can taste more like cake than rolls. Slathered with a little butter, they complement any meal and are especially good for more formal occasions. I think everyone thinks of pecan pie when they think of Karo syrup. It’s what gives pecan pie that super sweet and irresistible flavor. Pecan Pie is an absolute must for our family every Thanksgiving. I didn’t make one a few years back and you wouldn’t believe the complaining I had to listen to. I think my family associates pecan pie with Thanksgiving as much as they do turkey. The flavor of these Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars completely exceeds the flavor of any pecan pie I’ve had and I love the easier to eat bar form. They are extra sweet, gooey, and moist. One of the best things about pecan pie is it is so easy to make, even the most novice chef can make one. Especially if you ditch the pie crust and make them in bar form.   They begin with a super and I mean SUPER buttery shortbread crust. Next comes the pecan pie filling which can be assembled in just minutes. It includes eggs, Karo syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, pecans, and I like to throw in some chocolate chips for another element of flavor. You’ll want to make these Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars ahead of time and refrigerate for at least a few hours so they will hold their shape when you slice them. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a truly delicious southern holiday treat. There are all kinds of uses for your leftover Karo Syrup. Try some drizzled on your grits or oatmeal. Add some maple flavoring to it and you have a wonderful pancake syrup. You can even use Karo Syrup with savory foods. Add it to a glaze for turkey or ham or use it in a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. With Fleischmann’s Yeast and Karo Syrup you are all ready to “bake” someone happy this holiday season!

Sharing this recipe with The Weekend Potluck.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. However these are products I regularly use in my own kitchen and highly recommend.