If You Have Crescent Rolls, Marshmallows, And Cinnamon, You Have The Start Of A 1969 Award-Winning Treat

Sometimes, the best dishes are the simple ones that come together with a handful of ingredients in just a few minutes. If you're in the mood for such a sweet treat, you should try Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs. These were developed by Edna Walker and won her the top spot in the refrigerated fresh dough category at the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off. The recipe also won the overall grand prize, securing her a total reward of $25,000. If you've got marshmallows, crescent rolls (if you don't already keep them on hand, you should — there are tons of ways to use crescent rolls that your family will love), and a bit of cinnamon, you're already well on your way to creating this sweet, simple, and award-winning dessert, just like Ms. Walker used to.

To make the dessert, you'll dip a marshmallow in some melted butter and roll it through a cinnamon-sugar-flour blend. You'll plop the marshmallow (you can make marshmallows right in your kitchen with three ingredients, by the way) right in the middle of each triangle of crescent roll dough, fold it up, and bake until it's puffy. Surprisingly, you won't get an ooey-gooey center — the marshmallow actually melts into the pastry as the treats bake, creating a delightfully light dessert. If you'd like, you can top the puffs with a glaze — the original recipe used powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. That said, you can also take the basic recipe for Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs and make it your own. 

Want to give these airy little puffs of goodness a go in your kitchen? There are a few different variations you can try to put a spin on the original recipe. Instead of using cinnamon, sugar, and flour alone to coat your marshmallows, you can try warming up the flavor by adding some pumpkin spice or chai spice to the mix. If you want a rich, autumnal twist, try mixing a bit of maple syrup with the melted butter before you dredge your marshmallows.

There are a few different ways you can create your own twist when it comes to the exterior of the puffs as well. For the glaze, you can use cinnamon or even cream cheese to add some richness to the flavor. Subbing in homemade caramel (you can create it easily with canned sweetened condensed milk) instead of glaze can also work well, as it plays nicely with the melted marshmallow inside the pastry. Once you've glazed (or caramel-drizzled) your puffs, sprinkle on some crushed nuts to add a layer of crunch. Don't stop there: You can use whatever toppings or fillings you have in your kitchen to make each bite suit your tastebuds. No matter what you decide to add to make the dessert your own, be sure to give a mental nod to Edna Walker and her culinary ingenuity.