Old-Fashioned Butter Rolls
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This old-fashioned butter rolls recipe is something else. A Southern dessert specialty, it includes tender and moist cinnamon-spiced rolls in a creamy sweet custard-like sauce.
Some of our most beloved Southern dishes begin with flour. Biscuits, milk gravy, chicken and dumplings, and today’s recipe: old-fashioned butter rolls. I wish I could say I’d grown up eating butter rolls but the truth is I had this dessert for the first time about 10 years ago, thanks to my Grandmama.
So, what is a butter roll? Trust me when I say, it’s like heaven on a plate. If that isn’t a good enough description, its closest relative is a cinnamon roll. However, it’s baked in a rich homemade custard sauce that stays just runny enough to be considered kind of a custard gravy of sorts. They’re ooey-gooey, tender, and absolutely delicious. Oh Lawd, you need to make these.
Fortunately, they’re a relatively easy dessert to whip together using everyday ingredients like milk, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, of course. By the way, like so many of my other dessert recipes on Southern Plate, you can use Splenda in this one. Just remember that the key to cutting down on the artificially sweetened taste is to use just a hair less than the recipe calls for (remove one or two tablespoons per cup) and be sure you don’t pack it. Splenda should be measured out light and fluffy.
After you give this butter roll recipe a go, feel free to use your favorite biscuit dough or even experiment with canned biscuits. It’s really easy and fuss-free. You may also enjoy this version using a shortcut (also known as Crescent Rolls).
Before we get baking, I have a favor to ask. Since this is a nearly forgotten recipe of days gone by, help me bring it back again so it won’t be lost to future generations. If you enjoy it, please pass this recipe for old-fashioned butter rolls on.
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk
- Sugar
- Self-rising flour
- Vanilla extract
- Shortening
- Cinnamon
- Butter at room temperature
How to Make Old-Fashioned Butter Rolls
Place your flour in a large bowl along with the shortening.
Cut shortening in with a fork…
until combined well, like this.
Pour in your milk.
Stir well.
Spray your pan.
You don’t have to do this but I was in the mood.
Put some flour on a clean countertop or wherever you feel like doing this.
You can use whatever biscuit dough is your favorite or just go by this recipe. This one is gonna hold up a little better in our sauce because it’s a little drier.
Press it together to form a ball.
Then pat it out with your hands a bit and roll it out into a rectangle-type object.
Notice I didn’t get too particular here. This is an old-fashioned Southern dessert and I figure Granny was busy with kids underfoot and hungry folks marching in the door. Back in those days folks cooked their food, not built a shrine to it.
Now we’re gonna smear our butter on the rolled-out biscuit dough.
All y’all who are on the real butter bandwagon need to give me my gold star today :).
Generously sprinkle all of our sugar over it.
Then comes the cinnamon, just a hint.
The dough and sauce mixed together with the butter and vanilla are going to have the most lovely flavor on their own!
Now roll that up.
Cut it in about one-inch slices (one inch-ish).
Remember, this is old-fashioned food. It’s not supposed to look a certain way, it’s just supposed to taste good.
Place your old-fashioned butter rolls into the prepared baking dish.
Now it’s time to make the sauce!
Add the milk to a saucepan, along with…
The sugar and…
The vanilla extract.
Stir that over low to medium heat until the milk is hot and the sugar dissolves.
Pour the milk sauce over your old-fashioned butter rolls.
Oh my.
I hope you’ve tasted the sauce by now.
If you haven’t, go ahead, I won’t look. ~covers eyes and grins~
Bake at 350 for about 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Grab one of your butter rolls, place it on a plate to serve, and…
Spoon more sauce on them. Enjoy real old-fashioned goodness, from Granny’s kitchen to yours.
Storage
These butter rolls definitely taste the best hot out of the oven. But if you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The roll might get soggy sitting in the sauce, so I’d recommend reheating in the oven to crisp it up once more.
Recipe Notes
- To make your own self-rising flour, see my FAQ page. Speaking of, I use a lot of both plain and self-rising flour at my house and have been known to dump whatever I grabbed first into my flour canister when it got empty. Sometimes I lose track of what is in there and need to know if it’s plain or self-rising. There is an easy fix. Dip your finger into the flour and lick it. If it tastes salty, it is self-rising. If it tastes bland, it is plain. I have to do this at least once a week but I’m perfectly alright with that because I decided long ago that being disorganized was just part of my charm. ~grins~
- If you don’t have shortening on hand, you can substitute it for an equal amount of butter.
- You can also substitute the ground cinnamon for ground nutmeg, or use a pinch of each.
- For something different, add some finely chopped apple, raisins, or chopped nuts to the filling.
You may also enjoy these other delectable old-fashioned dessert recipes:
Ole Fashioned Southern Sugar Plum Cake
Peanut Butter Pie Made the Old-Fashioned Way
Homemade Chocolate Pudding, Southern-Style
Easy Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler Recipe
Ingredients
Butter Rolls
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 stick butter, softened can use margarine
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Milk Sauce
- 2 cups milk
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut the shortening into the flour really well with a fork. Stir in the milk.2 cups self-rising flour, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup milk
- On a floured surface, dump out the dough and press together with your hands to form a ball.
- Roll out into a rectangle (about 7×10 in size). Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the top. Roll it up like a jelly roll and press it together lightly.1 stick butter, softened, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Cut into nine slices about one inch thick each. Place into a lightly greased 8×8 baking dish.
- In a medium saucepan, combine all of the milk sauce ingredients. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble lightly. Pour over the rolls in the pan.2 cups milk, 2/3 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown on top.
- Allow them to sit for a few minutes once done so the rolls soak up more sauce. After you put each roll on a plate, spoon more sauce over it.
Nutrition
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– Mary Anne Radmacher. Submit your quote here.
OMG – CHRISTY, I KNOW WE ARE RELATED SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE!! MY LATE GRANDMOTHER BLAKELY IS THE ONLY PERSON I EVER KNEW TO MAKE BUTTER-ROLL. WE DIDNT HAVE A MEAL AT HER HOUSE W/O ONE. IT WAS AND STILL IS FAMOUS(ALONG WITH HER FRIED PIES) ALL OVER LIMESTONE COUNTY, AS SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN POLITICS, VOLUNTEERING, VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND ALWAYS COOKING FOR SOMETHING OR SOMEBODY. SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE IT (A LITTLE THIS AND SOME OF THAT) ‘CEPT WE DONT USE CINAMMON IN OURS. WE COOK IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT, SHE ALWAYS SAID TURN ON THE BROILER AND LET IT HEAT GOOD, THEN PUT IT IN TILL THE SAUCE BUBBLES AND THE TOPS GET A LITTLE BROWN. SO WHATS DOWN IN THE JUICY PART IS ALMOST RAW AND OFF COURSE, WE SOUTHERN KIDS GREW UP PINCHING RAW DOUGH ANY TIME WE COULD!! AFTER SHE DIED, MY MOTHER FOUND WHERE SHE HAD WRITTEN “INSTRUCTIONS” – YOU KNOW NOT EXACTLY A RECIPE.THE NEWS COURIER DID A LIFESTYLES STORY ON IT. SHE HAD EVEN DRAW OUT HOW TO ROLL IT. NOW, WHENEVER I MAKE ONE, I STILL FIND MYSELF REACHING FOR THE TELEPHONE TO CALL AND ASK HER IF I’M DOIN’ IT RIGHT. BOY, DO I MISS HER. SO A BUTTER ROLL IS ALWAYS AN EMOTIONAL UNDERTAKING FOR ME.
~gives Sabrina a big ol’ hug today as she misses her Grandmother~
thanks terri!
CHRISTI!! My mom made these for us growing up! I’m so excited to see them because it’s been years since I’ve had them and it was always one of my favorites. She used canned biscuits flattened out with the ‘goodie’ in the middle then pinched up into cute little packages with the sauce poured over. I have got to make these and bring a little bit of mom to me up here in CT.
And I got so excited I spelled your name wrong! LOL Oops, sorry!!
Hi April in CT ~waves to you~
Didn’t you do that spelling goof-up once before? I think I remember that, seeing as both of us have been around this SP place for a looong time. I have done that too. ~giggles~ You always keep me laughing.
….guess what?!? I am moving back to Ga this summer! weeee
Glad you got a little bit of your mom back into your CT world again. hugs. T
Girl, knowing me I probably did mess it up before and most likely it won’t be the last time! LOL Moving back to GA!!!! WHAT! My word, that’s big news and congrats! What area will you be moving to? It just won’t be the same up here with you ya!
Oh my!!! I am so hungry for butter rolls right now and I haven’t even had breakfast. This is the perfect recipe for those times I want something sweet but I have nothing in the house–I always have flour, sugar, butter and milk though. I can’t wait to try this–I’ve never heard of them before. Thank you so much for sharing.
Lordy Christy, I’ve worked hard to lose 30lbs and now you’ve twisted my arm (haha)and I have to make these for my husband..teehee
They look delicious, will try them tonight…
Love your green plates, what kind and where did you find them? I’ve never seen any like them. Since meeting you online I’ve started a collection of Pyrex and love them…I have close to the collection of your casserole dishes and some bowls, my mint pink and white Gooseberry 4qt bowl is heavenly. I didn’t care for them many years ago when my mother had some, not many, they couldn’t afford them back then….now in my remaining years I have had a hankering for them since you came into the picture and have enjoyed my collection ( i’m a flea market buff) and proudly show them off at church socials with mine and your recipes in them. Have a blessed day and remember tomorrow is another day, we can only do what we can one day at a time! This old grandma thinks you one special lady!!!!
Dang, now you’ve got me wanting to rummage and make sure I’ve got everything for these… they sound delish!
Christy, I almost cried when I read the subject line in this email. My precious grandmother used to make this when I was little and I just loved it. Sometimes she would make it with chocolate milk. It was one of those verbal recipes handed down for years.She would sprinkle the dough with sugar and cook her bread alittle before adding the milk and sugar and instead of cinnamon she used fresh grated nutmeg. Yum! It made the kitchen smell soooooo…. heavenly and …well, …I can almost smell the fragrance of this dish now and remember how everyone would somehow find their way to the kitchen the minute it was out of the oven. Thanks for the sweet memory.
MY MOM AND GRANNY MADE SOMETHING SIMILAR CALLED PIE AND SAUCE. THEY COOKED DREID APPLES OR PEACHES TILL SOFT AND LET THEM STAY TART. THEY WERE MASHED UP TO A SPREADING CONSISTENCY AFTER SOFT. THEN THEY WERE ROLLED UP IN THE DOUGH AND BAKED. A SOUCE OF MILK, BUTTER, FLOUR TO THICKEN AND NUTMEG TO FLAVOR WAS MADE. YOU WOULD CUT A SLICE OF THE PIE AND PUT IT IN A BOWL THEN LADDLE THE HOT, SEWWT NUTMEG FLAVORED SAUCE OVER THE TATR PIE. THE BEST!!!!!!
WISH YOU WOULD REINVENT THIS RECIPE AND PUBLISH IT FOR ME!!!