Annie Clapper is returning to the teaching bench in Bentonville this December, bringing her signature orange rolls and a lesson in vegan baking to the RØDE House. The Momentary is hosting the Orange Roll Workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 1, starting at 6 p.m. as part of the venue’s Pastry Week celebration. For a cost of $64 ($50 for members), participants can move beyond packaged cinnamon rolls and learn how to construct the pastry entirely from scratch. Clapper, a Bentonville native and former owner of a highly popular bakery in Rogers, will lead the hands-on session. The workshop focuses on her vegan-friendly orange roll recipe, promising to move away from the store-bought aisle and into the kitchen. Attendees will learn techniques for handling yeast and developing dough, aiming to take the intimidation out of baking holidays cookies and breads at home. “Pastry Week kicks off with Annie Clapper’s vegan-friendly orange roll workshop,” reads the event listing. “Learn how to make these bright, fluffy pastries from scratch while discovering approachable baking techniques you can use at home.” This event serves as a technical deep dive into what made Clapper a staple in Northwest Arkansas food culture. For seven years, she ran The Family Crumb in Rogers. During her tenure, she wasn’t just selling butter and sugar; she was building a community staple. Lines often formed outside the property on weekends, and the constant demand for her recipes eventually led to a book. The recipe book that followed was a direct result of the line at the door. “Customers kept asking for one,” Clapper noted. She signed copies of that book for years, cementing her status as one of the region’s go-to experts for refined, home-style baking. Since stepping away from the daily grind of The Family Crumb, Clapper has shifted focus. She is currently “leading marketing,” likely contributing to the industry she knows so well. Away from the office, she balances single motherhood, tending to her thriving collection of plants, and picking up new hobbies like dancing Bachata. Despite these changes, she prioritizes baking
Source: The Momentary
