How to use left-over pie dough

Ever wonder what to do with left-over pie crust dough? Here is an excellent recipe to make bite-sized cinnamon rolls for those who can't wait for the pie!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pie dough
• rolling pin or wine bottle
• extra flour
• melted butter
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• cookie sheet
• baking paper
• knife
• oven at 350 F

How to use left-over pie dough

1. Roll out your pie dough. Just as if you were going to make another crust--with the same thickness. With enough flour above and below to prevent sticking. Now you can really see how much dough is left. This will determine how much you need of the other ingredients.

2. Melt your butter--just enough to cover your dough, once it is rolled out.
   Use a thick cast iron pan on a warm (not hot) burner.

3. Spread your butter evenly over the flattened dough. (I use my fingertips for this).

4. Cover with cinnamon, so that no butter shows. (If you are like me, you enjoy a dash of NUTMEG).

5. Roll up your spiced dough, like a log, cinnamon side in. (I like to roll mine so that the longest side becomes the length of my roll).

6. Slice the roll into 1/2-inch pieces. Each piece will look exactly like a little cinnamon roll, if you pinch it back into shape.

7. Place mini-rolls on a baking sheet on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for eight minutes or until golden brown--not a second longer!

Tips & Warnings

• Check out Cat Cora's how to make a pie crust video on YouTube for Cooking.com. This is excellent.
• TRIM off the ends of your log as they are hard to deal with and lose shape in the baking.
• We call these "snickerdoodles." They're not be to confused with the sugar cookie of that name.
• Keep your eye on the little guys. That butter can turn brown all of a sudden, on an instant, once it reaches a certain temperature. Then they don't taste so good and all that effort will be wasted.
• Let these babies cool for at least five minutes before you munch. Even when the outside feels cool to the touch, the inside can be scalding--and will stick to the roof of your mouth. Youch!

Resources

• this recipe sites both Martha Stewart AND Joy of Cooking - can't beat that!

[hoolihan0519]

on 12/4/2008 I remember this from my aunt's home when I was a little girl. Thanks for the memory. These are very good.