I saw a lovely lady riding her bike through New Orleans today. The sunlight was low and behind both of us in that comforting way that says the day is almost closed and we’re all headed home to take off our bras and make butter pasta. She was riding her bike wearing a dress and I had split second of jealousy thinking, gosh, I don’t do that nearly enough. I’ve forgotten that as one of life’s very simple graces. Her dress was an in-between-season floral, a saucy but modest length, and tucked under herself juuust so to ensure a safe but carefree ride.
How would you explain to someone how to ride a bike in a dress? Long but not too long. Step up, scoop just so, gently sit, ready your mind and your core, slow and steady to start, then just go for it… let it flow.
There’s beauty to the small details and certainly an unspoken grace to us ladies (like how I lumped the rest of us in there?). In addition, there is jam in these yeasty rolls and really, if you consider the bikes and dresses and setting sun and everything else – we are blessed indeed.
If this image doesn’t convince you, I honestly don’t know what would.
This recipe is from Julia Turhsen’s Small Victories cookbook which, if you don’t already have it in your collection, is a really reliable source for recipe classics + kitchen creativity.
We’ve made plenty of dough around here. This dough is softened and sturdied by whole milk, eggs, and butter… making it the best / my very favorite kind of dough.
If you’d like more of a step-by-step, there are these Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls that will take you down the road. You might also stay for the filling. Who could blame you?
Once the dough has puffed and doubled, it is lightly kneaded on a floured counter…
… and rolled to an oval-ish rectangle that measures about 18 x 12 – inches. A kitchen ruler comes in handy.
A kitchen ruler is not a special ruler, rather… it’s just a ruler that you keep in the silverware drawer.
Our filling is as simple as asking yourself what your favorite jam is. Use that!
It would be extra lovely if you had a homemade jam. Homemade strawberry jam would be my absolute dream. In the absence of that, I used a good cherry jam and jazzed it up with a hit of lemon zest.
Jam spread. Leaving about 1/2- inch border along all sides.
Roll, with courage and conviction. Roll as tight as you can without fighting the dough. Don’t pause or hesitate, just get in there.
Because the dough is soft and the jam is soft, this rope of dough will feel floppy. There’s no time to lose here.
I used a bench knife, though you could use a large non-serrated knife, to slice the rope in half… then each half in half until you have about 12 pieces. Less than 12 is also fine.
Arrange up, seams facing in on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.
I love the free form.
Brush lightly with beaten egg + a splash of water.
We can wipe the counter later. It’s ok.
Let the rolls rest and puff together just slightly while the oven preheats. Daydream.
If you’re worried about all of the jam baking out of the rolls onto the sheet pan, please know that I had that fear too. If you used a good quality jam, this shouldn’t prove an issue.
Baked to golden and sizzling. They’ll smell even better than they look.
Drizzled generously with a loose sour cream glaze.
Serve warm. Almost too warm. They’re doughy sweet, literally irresistible, and worthy of a cup of coffee and a pat on the back.
This dough recipe is reliable and satisfying. Consider making traditional cinnamon rolls or unfilled dinner rolls. It’s a great base!
Photos with the incomparable: Jon Melendez
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Julia’s Jam Buns with Sour Cream Glaze
- Prep Time: 120
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup your favorite good jam
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- splash of pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until it is body temperature. Transfer to warm milk to a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Let the mixture sit until the yeast is dissolved and looks cloudy, about 5 minutes. A few bubbles on the surface is also a good sign that the yeast is ready.
- Crack one of the eggs in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add the beaten egg to the milky-yeast mixture along with the flour, sugar, salt, and butter.
- Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If after a minute or two of mixing it doesn’t pull away from the bowl, add a little more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does. If the dough seems too dry and impossible to mix, add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until it becomes a little more forgiving.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape the dough into a large ball. Knead it by pressing it with the heel of your hand and pushing it away from you, then immediately pulling it back toward you, folding the dough on top of itself. Turn the dough clockwise a little bit each time you push and pull so that it gets evenly worked and knead until the surface is completely smooth and the whole thing feels both solid and soft at the same time. It may take a solid 5 minutes of kneading.
- Put the dough back in the large bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit in the warmest spot in the kitchen until is soft, puffy, and doubled in volume – about 1 hour.
- Return the dough to the lightly floured work surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a large ovalish rectangle measuring roughly 18 x 12 inches. If the dough resists while you are rolling it, simply let it rest until it yields to the rolling pin; dough responds well to to patience. Spread the surface of the dough evenly with raspberry jam, leaving 1/2-inch border.
- Starting from the long side, roll the dough up tightly so you end up with a 18-inch rope. Cut the rope into 12 even slices. I like to cut it in half, cut each half in half, and so on and so forth until you have 12 slices. The ends might not have much jam but you can still add them to the bunch.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the buns, cut side up on the prepared baking sheet in relatively even rows. The buns should be lightly touching each other and the seams face inward towards each other.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until they’ve risen a bit and puffed, 30 to 45 minutes.
- You can also prepare these rolls the night before, refrigerate covered and then bring to room temperature for 1 hour before baking.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and whisk it with 1 tablespoon water. Before baking, uncover the buns and brush them lightly with the beaten egg. Bake until the buns are browned and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.
- While the buns are in the oven, in a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Drizzle the warm buns with the sour cream glaze. It’ll be messy. Enjoy it. Serve warm to hot as these buns are best served almost straight out of the oven.
42 Responses
Those pics are looking really yummy!!
We made the jam roll today and it is amazing! Thank you for the recipes.
So, I know you posted this awhile ago, but I was wondering if this dough recipe could be used for Cinnamon Buns as well.
This looks super tempting. :D :D
But I always wonder if eggs could have a replacement. I am a vegetarian, and always look out for equally good substitutes. Please suggest.
Thanks!
I would like to say thanks for such a mouthwatering rolled jam recipe.
Thanks for sharing.
Joy these look devine! Is it possible to make them in advance and freeze? Have company coming this weekend and I know they’d love them.
Hi there!
I’m new to your site, and so glad to find you. warm dough filled with strawberry jam. I am so making this tomorrow. I’ll look for your cookbook as well. I’m in Vancouver. xx Nancy
Loved it.. looks really tasty and amazing. will surly try it.
Hmmm…I love your way with words! I actually used to ride a bike in a dress. But it wasn’t a pretty dress as you described – it was the most hideous thing I have ever worn. I wore it because I thought dresses were the only way to be modest. Haha! But your word picture makes me want to ride a bike in a dress again…this time in one I think is pretty, and on a vintage-style bike with a basket…filled with picnic food. :D
These rolls look absolutely amazing, BTW. I think they would be a nice addition to a holiday brunch. With cranberry sauce for the jam, maybe? Or fig jam? Hmmm…
If you want to prepare these the night before, up to what point would you go before refrigerating? Up to filling with jam and rolling? Then let come to temp for about an hour before baking off the next day? Or cut and let proof for 30 mins then refrigerate overnight? Can’t wait to try these!!
I would say that you would prepare it to the first rise, aka making the dough and letting it rest and rise. Then instead of rolling it out and filling it – refrigerate it. When you’re ready to prepare the rolls, let the dough come to room temperature for about 45 minutes before rolling and filling.
Awesome! Can’t wait to give these a shot!
These look so comforting and incredible. Just like you.
My family loved them!! The only thing I did different was the yeast. I used rapid-rise .
So my dad has dementia and is obsessed with jam. He likes to go shopping with me, but I can’t get him to stop buying jam! We have about a dozen jars right now. I need to make these buns and use some up. I also found a rugelach recipe that uses jam — used up 1/2 jar. Do you have anymore jam recipes? please :)
I wonder if I’d be tempting fate by making these gluten free with Cup4Cup flour? I’m so craving this type of roll, but it would be pretty sad if they didn’t turn out.
Ohhh these look all kind of awesome and perfect. Weekend baking, check and check!
Can’t wait to make these!
every time I see your posts and stories on instagram, I just think, “I would love to travel to New Orleans and befriend Joy.” I hope you’re having a lovely day. these rolls look fabulous!
Joy, you are indisputably the queen of yeasted rolls. I can’t wait to make these!
Do you think these would be good with fig jam? I have ripe figs and am trying to figure how i can use the fresh jam in a new way if I made it
I thing your figs would be excellent stewed into a jam first, then after your jam has cooled and spread across the dough, sprinkle crispy bacon & raisins and then roll and cut. You can use the sour cream glaze and add a bit of apple juice and crispy, crumbled bacon on top. Hey, what do I know, I’d even add either some crumbled blue, brie, or camembert cheese and top with crumbled bacon,
Sooo I tried this, but modified by using 1/2 whole wheat flour, and nutella as a filling. Nutella! Unfortunately… did not turn out so hot. Tears were shed, family was called. Don’t do that healthy flour thing here y’all!
Oh, howw I enjoy your recipes, especially this one. But, I am trying to loose weight, so this will have to wait. But this will be a great reward!
Joy, have you seen those garters used for keeping your skirt in place while cycling? It’s like a regular garter for hose but worn with the clip facing up rather than down to attach to your skirt. I’m sure you could find them on Etsy.
“Roll, with courage and conviction.” Words to live by <3
I love the way you write. It’s so dreamy.
And this is my all time favorite jam. I’ve often said that this smeared on hot, sourdough bread would be my perfect last meal.
This whole post was just so satisfying. Thanks Joy!
Should it be 1/12th cup sour cream or 1/2? These just made my weekend baking roster.
Sorry about the typo! It’s 1/2 cup.
ugh joy!!! i always want to make your roll recipes but the waiting to raise parts always turn me off :( looks amazing!!!!
Yum! I have never had a sour cream glaze before but I bet that is just delightful! I am riding my bike somewhere this Sunday in a dress to watch the Saints, this has sealed it!
This may be silly but I would love to know your method of cleaning the counter top before you roll out the dough. Maybe it’s the OCD in me but I’m always worried about bacteria or little bits of dried food getting up in my dough and always end up taping down some parchment paper, which inevitably becomes the most inconvenient thing when trying to roll out the dough because tape and flour are not good friends. These rolls look amazing.
I should add that I definitely do clean the counter, but I also worry about chemicals from the cleaner. Maybe a vinegar mixture would be best?
I’m unable to get over my own neurosis about this too – so I use a “Roul’Pat” when I’m rolling out dough. It’s big enough and while it’s not super-easy to clean in my not-so-large kitchen sink, it still feels cleaner/better than dough on my counters. https://www.amazon.com/Non-Stick-Silicone-Countertop-16-5-Inch-24-5-Inch/dp/B00008T961
My Nana used to make something similar to this with orange marmalade.Can’t wait to try making them
Ooohhh! Orange Marmalade, a perfect idea… maybe with a slight bit of shaved dark chocolate… Thank you for the inspiration!
Oh Kate what an idea, THANKS! [and Shellie, thanks to you too ;)]
This will be in my baking to-do list soon!
I am someone’s nana, and I use marmalade and granola as a filling for my jam rolls.
It is definitely a pity that my baking skills are not the best because I want to have these rolled jam buns right now :)
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Hi Rena!
Excuse my reaching out without knowing you but I’ve seen so many of your comments on Joy’s site that I feel a bit like I do ;)
When I started reading Joy’s blog I had no baking skills either, and by now I am a good cookie baker and I’m losing fear of yeasty doughs. I just wanted to encourage you to try/keep trying!
Best from Lausanne, Switzerland,
Blanca
Yum. Julia’s cookbook has been my go-to since it came out. She is a genius. Might need to go home and make these now (already made them twice)…