Hospitality Highlight: Brooke and Seth Peterson

Dairy-free, door open

Seth and Brooke Peterson will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this fall. They have two boys under 3 years old, Ryder and Kaden. For nearly six years, Seth and Brooke have served in Children’s Ministry and for the last year they hosted their Growth Group in northwest Spokane. No matter how busy or difficult life gets for their growing family, they don’t let excuses get in the way of hospitality and caring for others. Recognizing that hospitality looks different with young children, they are pursuing a life of loving, encouraging, and caring for the body of Christ—whatever the personal cost.

Seth and Brooke want their boys to learn from an early age what it means to place greater value on others than on themselves, especially beyond the walls of the church. One way they cultivate this attitude is by keeping their home open as a “central hub” for friends and intentionally looking for new people to invite in. They have an open-door policy, making their home a place where friends know they can come when they need someone. For them, hospitality doesn’t have to be formal or carefully planned. In fact, some of their favorite moments happen when people simply come over and do life together. They want people to leave their home feeling encouraged, cared for, and spiritually better off than when they arrived.

With Seth’s dairy and egg allergy, Brooke has also learned to get creative in the kitchen. One of their favorite recipes is for vegan cinnamon rolls, which they agree are even better than their non-vegan counterparts. The recipe comes together in just an hour, making it an easy choice for a special gathering or for welcoming friends with dairy or egg restrictions. Even a cinnamon-roll snob won’t know they’re vegan—they’re that good!

Listen to my interview with the Petersons on the Someone You Should Know podcast on September 16! 

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

From the kitchen of Brooke Peterson*

Ingredients

For the dough

• 2 cups any non-dairy milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 packets (4 1/2 tsp) quick-rise yeast
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

For the filling

• 6 tablespoons softened coconut oil
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Make the dough

1. Warm the non-dairy milk in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds or until warm (not hot).
2. In a large bowl, combine the warmed non-dairy milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit about 5 minutes, until yeast gets foamy.
3. Add the melted coconut oil, salt and 4 ½ cups of flour. Stir with a large spoon until the mixture comes together. Add more flour, 1/3 cup at a time, as needed until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still be soft and slightly sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes, until you have a fairly smooth ball of dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Assemble

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle a clean counter with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle more flour on top while rolling to prevent sticking.
2. Spread the softened coconut oil for the filling over the rolled dough, leaving an inch around the edges. Sprinkle on the brown sugar, then the cinnamon.
3. Starting with the long end, roll the dough into a tight log. Place seam side down. Using a serrated knife, cut off the two ends, then slice into 12 rolls. Place them in a lightly greased 9×13-inch casserole dish, or two 9-inch pie pans.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the centers are cooked through. Allow to cool 10 minutes before adding icing or glaze.

Icing

1. Using a mixer, beat 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
2. For a simpler icing, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.

Jennifer Brandt

Jennifer is the Hospitality Highlight editor for Living Faith magazine. She and her husband Cory have been married since 2018 and serve together in Youth Ministry.

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