"These rolls were made for the inmates at the Beaumont jail. Our family first discovered and made the recipe as it was published in the Beaumont Enterprise, a local newspaper, during the late 1970's. At that time the newspaper indicated the rolls were frequently made as a holiday treat for prisoners in the City of Beaumont Jail. The guards loved the rolls so much they took the recipe home to their wives." The article below give specific credit to Ms. Juanita Ward, a former cook for the Beaumont Jail and later for the Jefferson County Jail. One article also credits former police chief and Judia's neighbor, Willie Bauer, with giving the recipe its name.
Meet-the-woman-behind-Beaumont's-famous Jailhouse House Rolls
You will love this recipe because there is no kneading involved. All the ingredients are blended in your heavy-duty mixer (Kitchenaid), turned into a greased bowl, and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out. I make a double recipe and turn half into cinnamon rolls. My daughter, Megan, makes a beautiful tea ring and breakfast pockets using the same dough. The day before I make rolls I fix a simple comfort meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The extra mashed potatoes go into this recipe:
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
1 cup Mashed Potatoes
2 sticks soft margarine (or butter), softened
4 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
7 cups flour
1. Mix yeast with lukewarm water, set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl blend softened butter, potatoes, eggs, sugar and salt. (Don't worry if it separates. Everything will blend when you add the flour.)
3. Add flour to mixture and blend well.
4. Slowly add yeast water and mix thoroughly.
5. Turn dough into greased bowl. (I use my round Tupperware cake carrier)
6. Cover with damp cloth (or lid if you are using Tupperware) and store in refrigerator over night.
When ready to prepare:
7. Take bowl out of refrigerator.
8. Turn dough onto floured surface.
9. Roll out to ½ inch thickness.
10. Cut to size desired.
11. Place on greased baking sheet.
12. Let rise approximately two hours.
13. Cook on 425 for 7 to 10 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and brush with butter.
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (or more if you like)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
1/2 c. dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries) (opt.)
Follow steps 1 through 9.
Spread dough with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon,add nuts and fruit if you like.
Roll up jelly-roll fashion, starting at long side, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick) slices. (See Tip below). Place rolls into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Let rise for approximately 2 hours. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
3 T. milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; drizzle over rolls. Sprinkle with additional nuts if desired.
I have the Breakfast Pockets recipe on my Pinterest Board. Give them a try! Happy Easter
You will love this recipe because there is no kneading involved. All the ingredients are blended in your heavy-duty mixer (Kitchenaid), turned into a greased bowl, and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out. I make a double recipe and turn half into cinnamon rolls. My daughter, Megan, makes a beautiful tea ring and breakfast pockets using the same dough. The day before I make rolls I fix a simple comfort meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The extra mashed potatoes go into this recipe:
JAILHOUSE DINNER ROLLS
1 pkg yeast1 ½ cups lukewarm water
1 cup Mashed Potatoes
2 sticks soft margarine (or butter), softened
4 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
7 cups flour
1. Mix yeast with lukewarm water, set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl blend softened butter, potatoes, eggs, sugar and salt. (Don't worry if it separates. Everything will blend when you add the flour.)
3. Add flour to mixture and blend well.
4. Slowly add yeast water and mix thoroughly.
5. Turn dough into greased bowl. (I use my round Tupperware cake carrier)
6. Cover with damp cloth (or lid if you are using Tupperware) and store in refrigerator over night.
When ready to prepare:
7. Take bowl out of refrigerator.
8. Turn dough onto floured surface.
9. Roll out to ½ inch thickness.
10. Cut to size desired.
11. Place on greased baking sheet.
12. Let rise approximately two hours.
13. Cook on 425 for 7 to 10 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and brush with butter.
CINNAMON ROLLS:
1 stick of melted butter1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon (or more if you like)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
1/2 c. dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries) (opt.)
Follow steps 1 through 9.
Spread dough with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon,add nuts and fruit if you like.
Roll up jelly-roll fashion, starting at long side, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick) slices. (See Tip below). Place rolls into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Let rise for approximately 2 hours. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Icing:
1 c. powdered sugar3 T. milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; drizzle over rolls. Sprinkle with additional nuts if desired.
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| Dough may seem too thin, but will thicken overnight. Roll it out as soon as you get it out of the frig, it will be easy to work with. |
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| Roll out to 1/2 inch |
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| Spread with a stick of melted butter |
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| Cover w/brown sugar, cinnamon and dried fruit. Roll up. |
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| Dental floss is your secret weapon to making perfect rolls. |
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| Slide floss under the dough, pull up and cross thread to cut the dough w/o smashing it. |
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| Leave space between rolls so they can rise to double in size |
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| I don't really need an icing with the caramel yumminess created by the butter and brown sugar, but some in our family need it. It's easy enough to glaze when rolls are cooled. |
