Salted Peanut Rolls -- The Sweet Reward of a Quiet, Steady Week

A quiet week at the bakery. The kind of week that doesn't make the journal but keeps the world running: bread baked, customers served, deliveries made, the subscription boxes packed and sent. The quiet weeks are the foundation, and the foundation holds the loud weeks, and both are necessary.

After a week like this one — the kind where the work just flows and nothing dramatic happens but everything gets done — I find myself reaching for something that matches that same quiet energy in the kitchen. Salted peanut rolls have always been that recipe for me: no fuss, no fanfare, just honest ingredients coming together into something genuinely satisfying. They’re the kind of thing you make on a Friday evening as a small thank-you to yourself for holding the foundation steady all week long.

Salted Peanut Rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes + 1 hour chilling | Servings: 24 pieces

Ingredients

• 3 cups salted cocktail peanuts, divided
• 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
• 1 package (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups crispy rice cereal

Instructions

1. Prepare the pans. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the salted peanuts in an even layer on the prepared sheet and set aside.
2. Melt the caramels. In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the unwrapped caramels and water. Stir constantly until fully melted and smooth, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Add marshmallow creme. Stir the marshmallow creme into the melted caramel mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.
4. Fold in cereal. Gently fold in the crispy rice cereal until evenly coated.
5. Shape the rolls. Using a spoon or lightly buttered hands, scoop portions of the mixture and shape into logs about 3 inches long. Work quickly while the mixture is still pliable.
6. Coat in peanuts. Roll each log over the remaining 1 1/2 cups of peanuts, pressing gently so the peanuts adhere to all sides.
7. Chill and set. Place finished rolls on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm. Slice into 1-inch pieces before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 185 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 23g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 130mg