Save Me a Cinnamon Roll

My grandson eats pizza for breakfast every day. It’s served in his school cafeteria.

Cafeteria food sure has changed since I was a student.

School was never my thing, and I dreaded going, especially on those days when I had to walk over one mile to Arroyo High school in the rain. Before you ask — yes, it was uphill both ways, and yes, I may have been barefoot.

If I got up before the rooster crowed, I could catch a ride with my Dad on his way to work. Although this meant arriving well before the first bell, it saved me the embarrassment and humiliation of a bad case of the frizzies. 

Dad would drop me off in the loop, and I’d head towards the lunchroom, knowing that lost sleep was a small sacrifice for what lay ahead. 

The aroma hit me as soon as I pulled open the heavy cafeteria doors. I quickly grabbed a tray and was soon sitting down with a huge, gooey, cinnamon roll, warm from the oven and dripping with caramelized butter and brown sugar. If I came late, I knew I could count on a friend to save me one.

Those cinnamon rolls didn’t help raise my grades, but the time spent in the cafeteria before the bell rang helped brighten my day and lift my spirits. 

The recipe for school cinnamon rolls was handed down to Fred Graham, by his mother, who worked in several San Lorenzo school district cafeterias. He has graciously consented to share it here, for all to enjoy.

Since my grandson’s school serves pizza for breakfast, I think I’ll make a batch of these cinnamon rolls and save one just for him. 

School Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients for pan coat
• 1/2 pound margarine
• 3/4 pound brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water

(Makes 2 jelly roll pans, 24 rolls each)
Directions:

• Use your favorite sweetbread dough recipe. One loaf of bread should make 12 rolls.
• If adding raisins, soak 1/2 cup (per 12 rolls) in hot water until plump, then drain well and add to dough.
• Combine margarine, brown sugar, salt and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and turn off.
• In an non-greased baking pan (for 24 rolls), pour 1/2 of pan coat mixture in bottom of pan.
• If nuts are desired, sprinkle on top of pan coat before placing rolls in pan. 
• Roll one loaf of bread dough out on breadboard in rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick.
• Brush with melted margarine and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
• Roll up tight as a jelly roll. Cut into 12 rolls. Place on top of pan coat close together. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown on top.

Turn out immediately onto flat pan. Do this by butting flat pan on top of rolls and turning over like a pineapple upside-down cake.