Celebrate with this simple, sweet breakfast treat

Each year, I like to create a special breakfast treat to serve company during the holiday season. Preferring pastries that are not too sweet, I started with a tube of refrigerated pizza crust for my dough. This also reduced the fat content that registers a little higher in refrigerated crescent rolls and biscuits. After several trials and errors, I came up with this recipe for a holiday coffeecake. The sweet combination of tart cranberries, sweet cinnamon, and crunchy almonds with a tangy orange icing turned into a winning combination. Creating this wreath-shaped pastry takes a minimal effort but your guests will think you’re a pro when you present it at the table. (You have the option of slicing the filled dough into twelve pieces if you would prefer individual breakfast rolls. If so, cut your baking time to 25-30 minutes.) To save on preparation time, make the coffeecake night before, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap, and bake it the next morning.

HOLIDAY COFFEECAKE
1 (13.8-oz.) tube Pillsbury™ Pizza Crust
1 ½ tablespoons soft butter or margarine
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup slivered almonds
Cooking spray

Heat oven to 375F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet. Press dough evenly to form rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Spread softened butter over surface of dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of buttered surface (reserve a little to sprinkle on top of ring). Distribute cranberries and almonds evenly over dough stopping ½-inch from edge of long sides. Roll up dough, beginning on long side and seal well. Place sealed edge down on cookie sheet and bring ends together to form a giant doughnut shape. Pinch dough to seal shape. With kitchen scissors, make cuts 2/3 of the way through the ring, towards center, at 2-inch intervals. Gently separate intervals slightly fanning ring and exposing filling. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes until lightly browned. Cool about 5 minutes.

[OPTIONAL: Combine ¼ cup powdered sugar with 1 ½ teaspoons orange juice and drizzle over cooled pastry before serving.]

Mary Ann lives in Lake Ridge. Her third cookbook, “SHORTCUTS, TOO,” is now available at Salt & Pepper Books in Occoquan. Send questions or comments to makauchak@comcast.net.