Pumpkin Rolls

If you want to impress your friends and family this holiday season, these pumpkin-shaped dinner rolls will surely do the trick! Join us and learn about Stephanie’s special trick to get the rolls to look like adorable miniature pumpkins, as well as how to make the delicious cinnamon sugar compound butter!

• Pumpkin Rolls
  • 2 1/4 tsps (one packet) instant yeast
  • 3/4 cup warm water (100-110o F)
  • 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (225 grams) pumpkin puree
  • 3 large eggs, divided
  • 2 tsps salt
  • 1-2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
  • 5 1/2 cups (660 grams) AP flour
  • Sliced pecan pieces for the stems
  • Kitchen twine cut into 80, 8-inch pieces for shaping pumpkin rolls, soaked in vegetable oil
    
    
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter
  • 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted, room temperature butter
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

• Pumpkin Rolls
  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir the yeast, water, sugar, butter, pumpkin, 2 eggs, rosemary (if using), and salt until well combined.
  2. Starting with 2 cups of the AP flour, mix to combine. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Knead on medium low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue to knead the dough until the dough is soft and smooth (about 5-6 minutes).
  3. Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
  5. Remove dough from the bowl onto a lightly-floured surface. Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces (approximately 2.5 ounces each) and shape into balls.
  6. Place 2 oiled twine pieces and wrap around each dough ball (top to bottom) tying each string at the top of the ball. Add two more strings vertically to the ball. You should have formed 8 wedges resembling a pumpkin. Continue with remaining dough balls.
  7. Place tied dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely. Let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
  8. Preheat oven to 375o degrees.
  9. In a small bowl, beat an egg with 2 teaspoons of water and brush over the rolls.
  10. Bake rolls for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown.
  11. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. When able to handle the rolls, cut and remove the strings. Place a pecan piece in the center of each roll.
      
      
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter
  1. Pumpkin Rolls
  2. Add brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon and mix until fully combined.
  3. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container. If you like, form the butter into a log and wrap in plastic wrap.
  4. Refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze up to 3 months.