The Secret Ingredient?
A Family Tradition Worth Sharing
Some recipes are measured in cups and teaspoons. Others are measured in memories, laughter, and the people who make them with us.
For more than 40 years, Angie Rhees from the Solidarity Mortgage Department, along with her dad, spent the first full weekend of December making his famous Cinnamon Pecan Rolls.
From Friday night through Sunday evening, the kitchen would fill with the smell of cinnamon, warm dough, and freshly baked rolls. He made batch after batch for family, friends, and the community, giving them as gifts and donating them to support We Care.
People asked him to sell his rolls many times, but he never did. For him, they were something special to share, not something to sell.
Today, Angie, a member of the Solidarity team, continues that tradition in his honor. Since 2021, she has made the same Cinnamon Pecan Rolls using his family recipe, keeping the tradition alive on that same special weekend each December.
But what made those rolls so special?
The Secret Ingredient Was Never Just Cinnamon
Angie remembers that her dad had one important secret to making his rolls.
His biggest secret was always making them with family and friends. That’s what put the love in them.
It wasn’t simply about following the recipe or getting the ingredients just right. It was about spending time together, creating memories, and making something that could bring joy to someone else.
The tradition wasn’t just in the finished rolls. It was in the hours spent baking, the people gathered in the kitchen, and the happiness that came from sharing something homemade.
Angie learned that from her dad.
And it’s a belief we share at Solidarity, too.
Because sometimes the most meaningful things we give aren’t the things we buy. They’re the things we make, the traditions we preserve, and the kindness we pass along.
Dad’s Cinnamon Pecan Rolls
Now, Angie is sharing the family recipe that has brought so many people together over the years.
Ingredients (Single Batch)
Dough
- 2 packages active dry yeast (4½ teaspoons)
- 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to 105–115°F
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup shortening, softened butter, or margarine
- 4½–5 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- Softened butter, for spreading
- Cinnamon and sugar, mixed at a ratio of 1 part cinnamon to 3 parts sugar
Gooey Pecan Mixture
- Crushed pecans
- Brown sugar
- Karo corn syrup
- Butter
Angie’s family recipe notes a ratio of ¼ cup Karo corn syrup to 1 cup butter. The amount of brown sugar and pecans can be adjusted according to your preferred gooeyness.
Directions
- Prepare the dough
Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk.
Stir in the sugar, salt, eggs, shortening or butter, and 2½ cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
Gradually mix in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
- Knead and let rise
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead until smooth and elastic, approximately 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it so the greased side faces up.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 1½ hours.
The dough is ready when an indentation remains after gently touching it.
- Roll and fill
Punch down the dough.
On a floured surface, roll it into a rectangle.
Spread softened butter over the dough and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Roll the dough into a log and slice into rolls of your desired thickness.
- Prepare the pecan topping
Heat the Karo corn syrup and butter together in a saucepan.
Spoon the mixture into a greased baking pan.
Sprinkle brown sugar and crushed pecans over the mixture.
- Let the rolls rise again
Arrange the sliced rolls in the prepared pan.
Cover and let rise for another 20 minutes.
- Bake
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the rolls on the top rack and bake for approximately 16–20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Family recipe note: The gooey pecan mixture can be adjusted to your preferred consistency and sweetness.
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