This recipe for square sweet rolls takes me right back to junior high school in Los Angeles! It’s early morning break from school back in 1978 and it’s a mad dash to the concession stand at South Gate Jr. High. What’s the big hurry? Hot square sweet rolls served up on a double layer of deli paper. I admit not the best breakfast, but they were so delicious! Soft, lightly sweetened yeast bread with a hint of nutmeg. I can now relive my childhood in California with this recipe that I researched for quite a while. I am almost 99% sure this is the same recipe ingredients for the popular coffee cake that was served.
I decided to add this recipe to my blog, even though it’s not a Mexican recipe, because so many of my followers asked for the recipe every time I shared it on Instagram.
Square Sweet Rolls
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 C warm whole milk 110 degrees
- 2 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/4 C shortening or butter
- 1/4 C sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 C cake flour
- 2 1/2 C bread flour
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 C melted butter cooled)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 C brown sugar
Powdered Sugar Glaze
- 2 C powdered Sugar
- 1/4 C hot water
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Directions
- Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk. Mix gently and let stand for 10 minutes. It should bloom and become bubbly.
- In the stand mixer, cream the shortening and sugar. Mix in the egg and salt for 1 minute.
- Add the yeast mixture(after 10 minutes) and mix for 1 minute.
- Add the cake, bread flour and nutmeg, just until combined.
- Grease a rectangle pan (9X13) with shortening. Set aside. Roll out dough to a rectangle shape and transfer to prepared pan.
- Brush with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the top of butter. Cover and let proof for 60-80 minutes in a warm spot until doubled in size.
- Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20-22 minutes or until golden. Mix the ingredients for the glaze. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze while still warm.
Reader Interactions
Comments
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Oh. My. Gosh! These look Devine! I must try to make them soon!
Hi Ana! They take me right back to junior high! Lol!
Ana!! I have been looking for this recipe for YEARS!!!! This is amazing!!! I will be making them soon!! Thank you!!
My husband loves when I prepare these!
So good. Thanks for recipe. 2 things though. I used my Bosch mixer to mix dough until I could stretch a piece of the dough into (almost) a thin film (windowpane test). Also, I did 2 rises. First one in a bowl. Second one in the 9×13 pan. I waited for dough to double in both instances. It took longer to prepare but the result was a much higher roll than in picture. Thank you again.
Ooooh! I am going to try that! Thank you!
Great! Thanks!
Yes try it. I let dough rise to 3/4 of my 13×9 baking pan. Also it was late by the time I did the first rise so after i transferred it into baking pan I put it in refrigerator overnight then took
it out in the morning. Baking yeast based goods requires patience
sometimes. But you can also do one rise as per your instructions but make
sure you let dough rise to 3/4th of the baking pan. Thanks again for this wonderful recipe.
I went to South Gate Jr high in the 70’s I used to get a sweet roll every day. They were amazing. I remember the lines. Fun times.
Awesome! I loved those times!
I remember those snack breaks, too !! Thanks sooooo much for this recipe !!!!
Paul
Best times ever Paul!
Berendo jr. High sold these also in the late 70s, loved these so much almost had these daily and would think about these many years later and will make these very soon, thank you.
Hi Mario, it brings back so many memories of growing up in California.
They also had these at Thomas Starr King Junior HS on Fountain Ave in Los Angeles back in 1975/1976 where I attended with my sister. Always looked forward to getting this early in the morning. Finally found the recipe. Thank you!
Rolando
Hi Rolando! I still think about those sweet rolls to this day! You’re welcome!
My mom went to South Gate middle school. She was just telling me how good they were in school, she pulls out her phone and google searches the recipe and came to your page. We read the description and could not believe you went there too!
Hi Paxton! I never forgot about those rolls either! What a treat! I tried my best to recreate the recipe through research online and reading many articles. Some people remember a coffee cake, but I remember these thick sliced rolls that were warm and soo soft. I hope you all try the recipe soon.
Also went to King in Silverlake..Many kids did not remember these . They remember that spice coffee cake which i never had . I only remember THESE!!!! Thanks Sonia!!
Yes, many people wrote to me about the spice coffee cake, but I only remember these! You’re welcome!
Went to the same school, same years and loved these square rolls!
Awesome! I love it! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! I’ve searched for it for years and gave up. Then I cam across a posting about the coffee cake, went looking for it and typed LAUSD.com coffee cake. Found it AND your blog! What luck! The flat cinnamon rolls were my absolute favorite. Thanks again!
I searched and searched too for a few years and ended up trying a few different variations. This was the closest so far.