“Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously” ~ Vanna Bonta

Anyone who ever had a CB and the SS (Cinnamon Bun at the Service Station) knows how utterly unforgettable they were. They were a very special treat found along the Trans-Canada Highway in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada. I don’t think they make them anymore, but in the “good old days” they were legendary. My friend’s Grandma used to work there and make them. She shared the recipe, so I hope it’s okay to post it here too.

I am posting the recipe here a little in haste as I haven’t yet tried to make them – and of course I plan to inject some “sin” into them 😉 – but recently a few people have asked for the recipe so here it is, verbatim, just the way it was shared with me.

The CBs, as I remember them, were very tall and rolled in very thin layers. I would lift each layer slowly and savour each soft, sweet bite. I found this image from Solly’s in Vancouver. It reminds me of how the SS made them “back in the day.” If anyone has tips on how to make them in thin layers like this, I’d love to know.

Thank you for sharing the recipe Marilyn!

Solly’s cinnamon buns, Vancouver. Photo courtesy of Jenn Chic, WE Vancouver http://www.thewestcoastreader.com/sollys-cinnamon-buns-go-around-the-world/

Briercrest CB’s at the SS

Original Recipe (thanks to Donnie Aason – aka Donnie Eliason/Taylor and translated into a written recipe by her daughter Karlene Benallick!)

Ingredients
– 6 cups water
– ¼ cup sugar
– 2 tbsp yeast
Mix the first three ingredients and let stand until yeast activates (bubbles)

Add

– one cup of milk
– ½ cup lard
– ½ cup margarine
– ½ cup sugar
– 2 tsp salt
– 2 eggs
– 12 cups flour (16 cups most likely needed) (kneed until desired texture)
Let rise for approximately 1 hour before forming into buns or CBs.

For CB’s,
Mix 2 cups of brown sugar, 3 cups of margarine and 1 cup of pancake syrup and pour into the bottoms of about four 9 x 12 pans.

Divide the dough into management amounts (e.g. 4 equal parts). Roll each part into a rectangle. Melt margarine and spread in a thin layer on top of the dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top of the margarine until the entire rectangle of dough is covered. Roll up the rectangle with the margarine/sugar on the inside of the roll. Cut into 1-2” individual rolls (dental floss works better than a knife for cutting the dough up into cinnamon rolls). Place each roll flat-side down on top of the syrup in the baking pans.

Let CBs rise in pan for at least an hour.

Bake @ 325 for 45 minutes (regular bake – not convection setting).

Note: I sent Donnie a message and asked her about getting the bun layers so thin. It is clearly more about knowing what the dough should feel like – which comes with experience. This is what she had to say. 

When I started working at the Pilgrim years ago there were no written recipes—-everything was done just out of the ladies heads that worked there!!! I sat down and wrote up what they were doing—- and that’s the “recipe” that keeps popping up!!! There is lots to say about proportions but there is also lots to say about how how the dough is supposed to feel, cooking procedure ( which can vary from oven to oven) etc.

Carla’s Cream Cheese Icing

Simply put, stir softened, spreadable cream cheese into your favourite vanilla icing. You can use store-bought icing/frosting, but I like to make my own from scratch. My recipe is rough as I add ingredients as I go, but here is my simple version:

1. In a small or medium sized mixing bowl add 1 good scoop icing sugar + 1 small chunk of softened butter + a couple drops of vanilla. Beat with mixer slowly adding drops of milk until it reaches the right consistency.

2. Stir in a small scoop of the cream cheese and mix until smooth.

3. Spread on top of each CB while they are still warm so the icing melts down the sides and between the layers. Just thinking about all the gooey sugary goodness makes me smile.

Looking for something more specific and helpful? I found this one for you.

Photo Credit T. Bilodeau Photography: http://tbilodeauphotography.com/blog/food-photography/whitecourt-ab-photographer-carrot-cake-cream-cheese-icing/