My mom told me my cinnamon rolls were too dry and it hurt my feelings but she was right

So I've been making these cinnamon rolls for like 3 years, always following the same recipe from a blog. My mom came over last Sunday and after eating one she goes "these are good but a little dry, you need more butter in the dough." I was honestly kind of mad at first. But I tried it her way, added an extra 2 tablespoons of butter to the dough, and they came out way softer and fluffier. Has anyone else had a family member give blunt feedback that actually improved your baking?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinncarr1mo ago

Cooking is all about tweaking and learning from the folks who've been doing it longer. Your mom sounds like she knows her way around a kitchen, so that little butter tip is gold. My aunt once told me my pie crust was "tough as shoe leather" and she was right, I was overworking the dough. A little humility goes a long way in baking. Now your cinnamon rolls are probably way better, so maybe thank her next time.

ryan_barnes1mo ago

That's rough @lindag33, at least she cared enough to tell you the truth though.

lindag331mo ago

My grandma once told me my chocolate chip cookies tasted like "cardboard with sugar" which is harsh but accurate. Turns out I was overmixing the dough and my flour was old, so she wasn't totally wrong. Now I keep my flour in the freezer and mix just until combined, it's like night and day. Sometimes the painful truth is what saves your baking from being a total flop. You gotta love family for being brutally honest even when it stings.