ooh friends.
Some of you were a little peeved that I live in a world where I can drink milkshakes and wear shortshorts in early April. ย I live in Southern California… we don’t have real winter… or spring, or fall. ย We have real summers. ย Does that count?
Wait… I’m not making this apology any better. ย Forget the part about the endless summer. ย That’s dumb. ย Nobody likes that.
Since some of you are still suffering with cold and wet and windy and snowy, I thought I’d share some comfort food with you.
Buns. ย Biscuits. ย and Brownies.
This is me caring about you. ย And I’m not wearing shorts right now. ย I swear. ย I promise. ย I’m totally wearing pants. ย Warm pants and socks and a scarf. ย Oh! Umbrella too, just in case something crazy goes down in my house.
112 Responses
Thank you, Joy– you introduced me to the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe. I have been trying out different recipes for about a decade, and this one is IT. The ONE I’ve been trying to achieve. I don’t have to try another new recipe, or ask someone to give me a copy of theirs.
I live in Cambridge, England. We have no real summer by your standards, but nonetheless … I hate summer. I really really do. I’m so pale I burn in England while wearing spf 60; summer clothes make me look like a sad little ghost and I’m permanently suncream-sticky and smell like the medicine cabinet. Mosquitos eat me alive! The sea is so cold it takes me several days to regain feeling in my toes, and I still get burned. I spend my summer indoors wearing tracksuits and desperately waiting for the leaves to go brown. I need your buns and biscuits and brownies not because I wish it were summer, but because summer is inevitably coming and it SUCKS.
xx
p.s. My boyfriend, on the other hand, dreams of moving to New Mexico. Yeah.
We can have milkshakes in New England too as long as we don’t mind shivering for our pleasure.
Our spring and summer will arrive soon enough and then people will complain about heat and humidity instead of snow and sleet and grey. We’re a fickle people.
I am less jealous of your endless summer than I am of you drinking milkshakes and still looking cute in shorts.
Oh Joy – greetings from Tucson, where it was over 100 Friday and I was in a tank top and shorts at the zoo on Friday *sigh* I digress. I’ve been eyeing the brownies since you first posted them, I can’t wait to try them!
I too live where it’s warm… but I too love the comfort food. :) Thanks Joy!
wow, i’m struggling today. apparently you just have to click on the “brownie” link and scroll down. genius! :)
hey joy! i love checking in on your blog, and seeing all the bomb treats you make. i’m addicted. but for some reason I can’t track down that yummy pretzel/brownie concoction. can you send it my way?
These all look amazing…particularly the brownies! Yum. I love your blog, it makes me happy!
As always, amazing! I’m eating pretzels as I type – LOVE peanut butter (and obviously) chocolate, so can’t wait to make these!!
-twentyeight
I totally just bribed my students with the peanut butter pretzel brownies. Love them!
I love biscuits and this looks like a great recipe! Can’t wait to try it tonight :) Great post!
Did I miss something, I thought you moved to Seattle? I had no idea you were in Southern California… we’re so close!
The brownies look deadly! All the salted pretzels on top look deliche.
As a fellow Californian, I feel that I’ve paid my dues to the Bad Weather gods this year…After all the rain, hail (!) and crazy wind, I think we’ve earned the right to sip our milkshakes and wear our shorts! But, clearly, for those of us who want to turn the oven on, those brownies could serve the dual function of heating the apartment and fulfilling any sweet tooth craving.
Wow you totally rock. And you’re so lucky you get the nice weather in SoCal. Up here in overcasted, is that even a word!?, San Francisco we have rain-some sun-rain, and then more rain. I appreciate it but I think the amount of water we received up here should be enough to last us forever.
Ha sorry for the rant. Your baked goods look amazeballs!
I love these recipes. Particularly the buns.
Yummy buns, get in my tummy!
I have come to realize that I am too critical of my own baking.
I made the brownies last night and was sure I botched them.
Brought them to work today, and everyone is in love!
I did find that the pretzels got a bit soft after being kept in a tupperware containter over night…but again, this doesn’t seem to upset the co-workers, so I guess it shouldn’t upset me :)
Thanks Joy, another great recipe.
hm. the pretzels got soft? i think the way to fix this would be to wait until the brownies are completely cool before covering or wrapping them. does that make sense?
Makes total sense! Thanks! I’m too impatient sometimes (all the time)
:)
Oof, I want your buns.
Yes, yes the Northeast is having sucky weather. This will only make my trip to Palm Springs/San Diego next week EVER BETTER.
Haha, thanks for thinking about us. That brownie looks delicious!!
By the way, I love your easter header:)
thank you!
Joy, I utterly adore your site. I just found it, but I’ve already bookmarked so many to try! I’ve been making a lot of foods from home (living in Austria now) that I miss so much, and I was surprised to find that Cinnamon Buns are new to the people I’ve met here. And they go absolutely bonkers for them! My husband’s boss actually asks me to make them when he’s coming to Vienna. But I’ve never even thought of adding cream cheese to the dough like that. Thanks for the idea! I’ll try it today. Gotta spread the Sweet Cinnamony Love all over the world!
Oh Joy, you’ve made me so excited that it’s slowly but surely turning into Autumn here in Australia! I cannot wait to make some of your delicious recipes to welcome the new season. You inspired me to make some scones today after re-reading your post for the grapefruit and greek yoghurt ones. Mine are seasonally inspired-apple and sage. Thankyou Joy, you’re gorgeous =)
These brownies are haunting my dreams! must make immediately
I am extremely jealous of your warm weather. Right now it’s pouring rain and sleeting where I live. Ugh. Thanks for the comfort food links. I’m dying to try those brownies!
I made a version of your brownies today (I only had coco powder) and they were AMAZING. Oh my I ate three!! I’m huge fan of peanut butter and chocolate covered pretzels and salty with sweet so this was right up my ally… Unfortunately it had been four weeks since I ate chocolate, I had a hard time falling asleep my brain was moving faster then light.
Thanks for thinking of us who are still stuck in this obnoxious snow. We had 10 inches of snow last friday, and about 2 yesterday in Maine. Ughhhh. Thanks for the recipe suggestions, this at least distracted me from my weather depression.
all is forgiven.
although, now I’m jealous of your comfy sounding socks.
I am not mad I am ‘Jealous in Minnesota’, haha.
oh my! aw, how sweet of you to grace us with a biscuit recipe. there really are few things more comforting than a hot, fresh, adorably homely, lumpy, and deliciously fatty biscuit. mmmm.
The funny thing about California is since it’s so frickin’ huge that up here on the North end, we actually do have winters! Rain, and chilliness. Now we’re finally getting into spring and I’m loving it, but I really do miss living in L.A.- ALL. WINTER. LONG!!
It’s a cold, torrential down pour here at the moment. It’s okay though – I’ll just curl up, read a book and eat a cookie (or a bun, biscuit and a brownie). However, if the sun doesn’t come out soon and warm this place up I just might have to…well, I don’t quite know. My brain is squishy, my limbs are alabaster. Send brownies.
Thanks Joy! Much appreciated!
I saw someone today make cinnamon rolls (ok they used pillsbury) but they rolled the bacon up in there with all the other goodness. Just thought you might want to try that sometime too. :)
Hello, Joy!
I was very glad to see you in your short shorts, even after we just had 20cm of snow over the weekend here in Calgary. I was glad because I know that somewhere out there, the sun is shining and spring is coming and it gives me hope. And also, you rock for posting about all of these yummy goodies of yours. It reminded me I need to try those brownies sometime v. soon. In the meantime, I will continute to pine for the spring weather!!
i totally thought bears, beets, battlestar galactica too. it’s spring here in Reno today. I was in Tahoe yesterday and the weather was springlike, but there was snow everywhere…and butternut squash soup. i want those brownies like now.
Thanks for thinking of us Joy, I can’t believe that it snowed here last night! I really need some comforting warm baked goods right about now!
I love the look of the pretzels on the brownies. Super fun!
I live in Wisconsin. Comfort food sounds so good! Mmmm, something warm. Thank you for the sympathy!
Ooooh Joy. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…buns, biscuits, and brownies…. Amen.
bears. beets. battlestar galactica.
I was hoping someone would say that!
BTW, I totally want to make cream cheese cinnamon buns now…
ooh, am i ever jealous of that weather! I think i could very easily make the move to Southern California. :) The ability to stay inside and bake is probably the only redeeming thing about winter…i’ll be making those rolls soon for sure!
Don’t let them get to Joy, we’ll be melting in temperatures above 105 soon enough! We finally tried your Cappucino cookies, by the way, everyone in my office loved them!
Maaaaan Joy, when you posted the milkshake, I drooled. Because it was 75 degrees. But I live in Utah. And one thing we do’t get is Spring. We get Sprinter. 75 degrees on the 1st, 30 on the 3rd. With 2 ft. of snow. These buns make the snow better. :)
I’m in Upstate New York, and Joy, not to say I don’t appreciate the effort and the gorgeous recipes, but I’ve been eating comfort food since mid November. If I don’t stop soon, I’m not going to FIT in my flip flops, let alone my shorts. At this point, we Northeastern folk just need sun, as well as the chance to dream about flip flops. And milk shakes. And to be grateful we’re getting the 45 degree rain instead of the promised 12 inches of snow. If that snow had hit us, I think I would have just gone to sleep until June.
Wow these look amazing girl!! ahahha I hear ya on Socal weather! I live in the OC. are you in the SD area, if you don’t mind my asking? :) I really used to dislike cali weather b/c it’s so monotonous and dry sometimes, but now it’s growing on me.
We’re just starting to get spring here in Nebraska, but today is cool enough to need a sweater, and windy enough to get blown away. Those brownies are looking pretty good to me!
I don’t really need warm weather to have a milkshake though!
i feel bad :( because i stuck up for you in the post before how i said it was not your fault, and it was like what i said didn’t matter.. because in the end.. well
just feeling that way.. that’s all :(
ouch. i hope joy recognizes your recognition :P :o)
do you seriously feel bad? i’ll hug and squeeze you. you totally matter!
aww thank you joy :) but all i really wanted to say was just that i hope you don’t feel bad for something you can’t control- weather. but anyways, i still love, love your work. can’t wait till easter peeps! (ya know, the candy? mmm)
South Texas = lots of summer, too. On Friday, it was 93F and I was baking cakes….not a good combo! Shorts are for survival.
ps. sorry to bother your comment box with a business question. lame, i know.
hi joy! from a minnesota girl, thank you for the buns.
and.. i don’t know if this is the best way to contact you for recipe permission or not, but.. do you mind if i post your recipe for berry cobbler pie bars (and link back to you, of course) on a site that i do some guest posting for? (i’m supposed to get your special permission, according to my contract!)
and.. i just read through your FAQ posts. i love you for mentioning putting ice cubes in your milk to go with a warm chocolate chip cookie! that IS a perfect world.
go for it! use the recipe! go nuts!
Biscuits, brownies and buns are season-less and an important part of any day, anytime, anywhere!
Hi Joy! I live in France and spring is gently coming around. I love coming to your blog because it gives me inspiration and because your posts brighten my day! So I’m not jealous, I thank you.
My sister lives in Southern CA and she always brags about the beautiful weather! I’m sooo jealous, since Cleveland seems to have winter 9 months out of the year!
Thanks for thinking of all of us who don’t live in beautiful Southern CA!
I so wish I were wearing shorts right now! Gah! It’s still cold on the east coast…but I will not complain, I will not complain. Also, can I please have one of each of the above! Holy yum!
It’s still quite cold here in Norway, thank you very much. Love the recipes, though. Your blog is a real treat!
I’m not at all jealous! I would miss the seasons, especially Fall. We spent a few years in AZ. The first year it was 100 degrees on Oct 1st, and I cried for hours, realizing there would be no Fall. I’m so happy to be back in a place with seasons! It’s stormy today, and I love it. btw, I made your cinnamon pull apart bread last night- my family was very happy!
Forget the weather!! I want the buns, biscuits and brownies!! Especially the brownies!! I cant wait to have an excuse to make those!! Although if I made them just cuz I wanted them I wouldn’t be able to wear the shorts! It has nothing to do with cold weather! But since I am in Florida- I guess I don’t think of the weather all that much! the bigger issue is that you CAN eat all that and still look good in your shorts!!
All right Joy. To get us away from weather talk, here’s a food question for you. How about biscuits but with dark chocolate chips and toasted almonds (as a sweet version) to complement your savory cheddar pepper biscuits? Any other thoughts on a sweet biscuit (maybe one with a ton of orange zest)?
dc is finally warm today and of course i wore tights, arggg. i’m so tempted to go to cvs for shaving cream and razors so i can bear my bare legs in all their milky glory!
oh lordy… i made us all talk about the weather. ugh. my bad.
My problem comes when I eat all of the above, gain ten pounds, and THEN try to wear short shorts. Regardless of the weather. Alas, my predicament is great, but I think my soul-embiggening-will is going to beat out my being-responsible-and-healthy-will. Thanks for the inspiration!
It’s currently raining/snowing/precipitating up here in Montreal. Thanks for the excuse to go make something yummy! ;)
Hey Joy,
The 3 B’s look absolutely fantastic. I’ve always been intimidated with cinnamon buns, but maybe that’s an irrational fear. I’m jealous that you are in SoCal. I’m in NorCal and it does get cold, but I’m glad that Spring is here. It’s so much warmer now.
Kartik
WOW!!! I’m still amazed that people complained that you were wearing shorts and mentioning that we finally got some sunny weather, instead of the rain we’ve had. Crazy world…
*love*
I live in Buffalo, NY, and it’s a whopping 52ยบ right now and rainy – which is NICE for Buffalo – so you go right ahead with your shortshorts. Enjoy that weather!
I am happy to say that it will be above 70 degrees today and I am ecstatic. Windows open and totally enjoying it. I won’t need comfort food for a day or two!
Those buns look delish! And although I don’t get to drink milkshakes all the time…I do enjoy real summers (all year long) in Miami. I think we can wear short-shorts and flip-flops just about any day of the year. We shouldn’t have to apologize – we just made the right choice. ;)
haha, this post makes me laugh. I don’t think you should have to apologize for living in a nice climate. Silly jealous people making a fuss about your milkshakes and shorts. I have noticed that you flaunt it a bit on here but I am glad to know you don’t do it on purpose ;) I guess not everyone really likes their state. I love Texas better than any other place I have been but that is the typical Texan pride. People from other states joke that when they have an international gathering and ask who is from a different country there is always a Texan that yells our state. What can I say, we love where we live! I think if everyone loved their state as much as us some of our problems would disappear.
P.S. I made the biscuits the other day and they are my official new favorite! I think those biscuits are what goldfish crackers want to be when they grow up! I sent the recipe to everyone I know encouraging them to try it because it rocked hard core. I was a little concerned the flavors would be overwhelming but you balanced them so well, I should have had faith in you dear Joy.
Who needs a swimsuit anyway. Bikinis totally suck. Suck big time. B words that have flour are much sexier.
Allright. That’s it. I’m moving back to SoCal and there’s nothing the hubby and kids can do about it. ;)
I live in Japan, about 100km from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. I can’t bake because of power blackouts, lack of basic supplies, and upheaval in daily life. I pore over your blog and stare at your photos because your world looks wonderful. Don’t feel bad because you are wearing shorts in your pictures. Wear them for all of us, please!!!
oh my word.
I made those brownies last Christmas and they were a major hit. I had to put in 2 hrs at the gym to work it off, but it’s so worth it! Super yumtown, Joy the Baker!
The cold weather is not the reason I can’t wear shorts. These brownies are.
aaah! love all of these ideas. except if i eat those i wont be able to wear short shorts in the summer haha
xoxo,
F
You can’t be all that happy and hunky-dory about living in SoCal with no “real seasons”. Deep down, I know you truly miss wearing wool sweaters, parkas and knit socks, or drinking hot cocoa piled with marshmallows and eating chili out of a warm bread bowl. I live in Denver – where our winters are mild and our summers.. well, our summers are very similar to yours. But winter, man, how in the hell do you live without getting bundled up a few months out of the year? You craaaazy.
Wait, I live in San Diego. I didn’t know you lived in So Cal! I guess I did (kinda) but didn’t remember. That sounds random, huh. Anyway, would love to meet you one day! I sound like a crazy reader. I’m not. I don’t think :)
Buns … biscuits … and brownies: oh my! Love the addition of the pretzel rods in the brownies; a combination of salty and sweet might be one of the only ways I’ll get through spring here in Boston. They mentioned snow again on the radio this morning. Yes, again.
Hey Joy! :) I am from Italy and we have all seasons, and there it’s almost summer! While here where I am now doing my internship, in Vermont, it’s still snowy and super cold…:( But it’s a good excuse to keep eating all those three things!
Mmmm I’m so in love with all three of these!
I can’t believe I still haven’t made those brownies, thanks for the reminder:-)
Oh…and I forgot to say, I like your new Easter header. Nice!
Reading the tweets of fellow bloggers lately, I’ve been a lil green with envy (just a tinge!). Its autumn in New Zealand, and in Wellington where its usually blowing a southerly gale (like today…and now), autumn might as well be winter. These recipes are actually very timely Joy – especially the buns. They sound and look scrumptious! :-)
Lots of sunshine where I live (Dubai) but still fine for baking. I would call the biscuits scones (and cookies biscuits)…however a rose by any other name….. Now where’s my rolling pin?
in australia, we’re headed for winter & these recipes are incredible
I will be moving to Silicon Valley in exactly 45 days. From Switzerland! I can’t wait, Joy, I can’t waaaaait
My charming friends used to call me Buns. I like to think for my sharply-honed patisserie skills.
Can you help a lost European understand what an American biscuit is? Is it different from a scone? Am I missing out on a whole biscuity universe?
Ta!
Hi Frances, the best I can figure is that American biscuits (made with lard instead of butter) taste like English scones; American scone recipes, on the other hand, usually have egg in the batter and are more crumbly than what the usual English scone is like. This from the recipes I’ve seen and the scones and biscuits tasted in Texas.
A biscuit can be made with butter, too. In fact, I’ve never made a biscuit with lard and I grew up in Texas. Biscuits are eaten like a roll with dinner or eaten with butter and jelly for breakfast. We use them like bread. We even put ham and cheese in them sometimes and eat them like a sandwich. I love scones, which I never make with eggs, only butter and cream; and I love biscuits. The difference in the two is I add a very small amount of sugar to my scones and no sugar at all to my biscuits. I’ll eat a scone for a snack, but biscuits are definitely breakfast food for me! In the south, almost everyone smothers their biscuits with gravy for a yummy breakfast food.
What you call biscuits, we call cookies. American biscuits are a little fluffier than a scone typically is. I think a scone’s a scone, no matter where you’re from ;). Hope that helps.
Thank-you, confusion cleared up. Although there is something inherently strange to me about scones with gravy, even if only related by a distant cousin…
My husband just left for a two week business trip. I am loving the caring and would love a big ole pan of brownies delivered to my house, stat. :)
I live in Northern Europe and I am wearing shorts right now. Its quite warm in the apartment and there is some snow outside:) Snow, sun, whatever weather I would happily eat buns, biscuits and brownies
I’m okay with the sun and shorts right now as it’s sunny here. Just as soon as it starts raining again in about, ooh, 3 minutes, I’ll be mad with jealousy again. Until then we can be friends and I can enjoy your joyous recipes. x
were my paintbrush
Hi Joy. I check in everyday as I heart your recipes plus it reminds me of my bestest friend who lives in LA. You never guess what? It is sunny in London today and may be shorts weather by the end of the week! Exx
ummm thnks for the virtual treat.
Well here in the UK it’s brilliant blue skies but cold enough to need a scarf so somewhere in between I guess. Not that there’s ever a kind of weather in which it’s not appropriate to make or eat brownies…
Hi Joy, I live in Colorado and it is snowing right know it sucks. I lived here all my life, and I decided that I want to move, I don’t know when that is but I am moving to a warmer climate! Any ways these pictures look tasty! Thanks
Shauna, I don’t think she was referring to THOSE buns. :)
It is grey and wet in my little corner of Canada and I will definitely be consoling myself about it with one of these delights… I’m leaning towards brownies… YUM. Short shorts? Really? How dare?!
Well I live in California too, and I don’t feel guilty about eating all three of these things, and wearing no pants whatsoever.
Wait, what?
I do believe I will be taking advantage of this post tomorrow evening. Just need to decide which one.
Oh, and it’s snowing here right now. In snowy Canada. Enjoy those shorts. I mean pants.