Brown Sugar Buns or Rolls

andrea185's Note:

These are kind of like a cinnamon bun, but without the cinnamon and they're chewier. I actually got this recipe in my 7th grage home economics class and have hung onto it along the way! This was originally called Butterscotch Rolls but my daughter insists that they be called Brown Sugar Buns. Bet you can't eat just one!

• Total Time: 27 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 1.0 Roll

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup milk (I've used skim, 1%, 2% and homo over the years and they all work the same)

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin (I've used cooking spray and shortening with equal success).
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar in small bowl and place a generous teaspoon of mixture in each muffin cup. Set the rest aside.
3. In a large bown mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives or a fork incorporate shortening into flour until they're fully combined.
4. Make a well in the center and gradually add milk, stirring with a fork until a moist dough forms.
5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and with a floured rolling pin roll as close as possible to a 30 x 30 cm (12 X 12 inch) square. Trim to form a square.
6. Spread reserved brown sugar and butter mixture over top, reaching all 4 sides. An offset spatula works really well for this!
7. Roll dough towards you and reposition seam side down. Slice in half, and then into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 pinwheels, approx 1 inch each.
8. Place 1 roll in each muffin cup, with the filling up.
9. Bake in a preheated 425 oven for 12 minutes. I find they come out better when I turn my convection off so you may want to try that as well, if it applies. Keep an eye on them for the last couple of minutes -- you want to remove them from the oven while the sugar is still bubbling.
10. Use a spoon to remove them to a rack to cool right away, before the sugar cools. I put waxed paper under the rack to make clean up easier.
11. Enjoy!