Traditional jam roly-poly recipe is a wonderful holiday recipe, but it's also frugal!
I have a thing for old-fashioned from-scratch cooking and recipes. Whether I'm making Traditional Christmas Pudding, Grandma's date bread recipe, or 1930s Chocolate Gravy, I enjoy looking back at these old customs and preserving some of these older recipes to pass down and enjoy with future generations and our families.
I especially like recipes that use up some of our homemade preserves. You can showcase and change up the flavor by using seasonal jams and fruit butters.
This is another budget-friendly, easy-to-make dessert recipe (like papaya bars). This one is from the war rationing years, made completely without sugar or sweetener (other than whatever is in your jam) and, just like sweet potato tortillas, it can easily be made gluten-free. It's also a wonderful way to showcase homemade jam!
A traditional Roly-Poly pudding, named for its rolled-up shape, was made with suet. This variation utilizes a few tablespoons of butter or coconut oil.
Resources for Jam Roly-Poly
If you have never made a steamed pudding before, you are in for a treat. Although pudding molds are available, I have never used one. This pudding mold is made with stainless steel and has some great reviews.
A glass bowl or piece of parchment paper works just as well.
Favorite Jam Flavors for Roly-Poly
The beauty of this jam roly-poly recipe is you can create different flavors by making it with different jams. Here are some of my favorite jam options and recipes!
Low Sugar Strawberry Jam without Pectin
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Jam Roly-Poly Recipe Without Suet
Mix the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter or oil until well combined. Pour in the milk and gather the dough into a ball.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll ¼" thick. Spread with jam. Gently roll into a log-shape. Some jam might squeeze out at this point, don't worry about it.
Place on a piece of parchment paper, fold in the ends and roll the paper until the pudding is completely covered. Alternatively, you can cut the pudding in half and place it in a greased glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a piece of cotton or parchment paper and secure it with an elastic band or piece of string.
Place pudding in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 45 minutes. Remove from the parchment and serve.
More Old-Fashioned From-Scratch Recipes
Grandmother’s Date Bread Recipe from WWII
Carrot Cookie Recipe from WW2 & Great-Grandma
📖 Recipe
Jam Roly Poly Recipe Without Suet | Easy Old-Fashioned Dessert
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry Cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment Paper
- Steamer Basket
Ingredients
- 1 cup pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt I use Redmond Real Salt. Use code “Pioneering” for 15% off.
- 2 tablespoon butter Or lard; learn how to render lard at home.
- ⅓ cup milk Or unsweetended almond milk.
- ½ cup jam I love this low-sugar strawberry jam without pectin.
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter or oil until well combined. Pour in the milk and gather the dough into a ball.
- Turn dough out onto floured surface and roll ¼" thick. Spread with jam. Gently roll into a log-shape. Some jam might squeeze out at this point, don't worry about it.
- Place on a piece of parchment paper, fold in the ends, and roll the paper until the pudding is completely covered. Alternatively, you can cut the pudding in half and place in a greased glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a piece of cotton or parchment paper and secure with an elastic band or piece of string.
- Place pudding in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 45 minutes. Remove from the parchment and serve.
Notes
- Don’t Overwork the Dough - Mix only until combined to keep the pastry tender.
- Chill Soft Dough if Needed - If your kitchen is warm and the dough becomes sticky, chill it for 10 minutes before rolling.
- Warm the Jam Slightly - A few seconds in the microwave makes spreading much easier.
- Leave a Border - Keeping jam away from the edges helps prevent it from bubbling out during baking.
- Refrigerate: Store leftover jam roly poly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or place them in a low oven until heated through.
- Freeze: You can also freeze the baked roly poly for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Micki
I'd love to see you make a YouTube video with this recipe. ❤️
Kathleen
Since I've never done this before, I'm a bit confused. Do you place it in the glass bowl then in the steamer basket? Is the steamer basket then placed on a double boiler? I'm a visual person, so if you've done this in a video, would you mind sending me the link. Thank you.
Barbara Del Col
Am I missing something? You make the dough, cover with the jam and roll up. Then it talks about pudding. How did the pudding get made? How does the dough get baked? I don't think I understand this recipe.
Jillian
In this case the roly poly is also called a pudding because it is steamed and not baked.
🙂
Melissa Norris
It's steamed to cook it, hence pudding.
Sue
I have hard white wheat to grind up for bread.
My question is: If I am supposed to be frugel, how can I make pastry flour from what I have on hand........otherwise I have to have pastry flour also?
Please advise.
Sue
Melissa Norris
Sue,
Is hard white wheat the only wheat you have or flour? If it is, go ahead and use it, but sift it first so it acts more like pastry. If you've got spelt or some other flours, you can try doing a mixture. Spelt is what I grind and use as my pastry flour.