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Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
5 from 81 votes

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

These pumpkin dinner rolls incorporate pumpkin puree into a soft, slightly sweet yeast dough, creating tender rolls with a moist crumb. Brown and white sugars enrich the sweetness, while pecan slices add a mild crunch topping. The dough is kneaded and left to rise before baking, producing a pull-apart batch ideal for a comforting side or snack.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Additional Time
1 hr 45 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 17 mins
Servings: 30 rolls
Course: Side Dish, Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup milk scalded, whole
  • 6 tbsp butter softened
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup water lukewarm
  • 2 envelope (about 4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 5 cup + a little extra all-purpose flour
  • 10 pecan halves sliced into 3 vertical sections
  • 1/4 cup butter melted

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pour hot milk in a large mixing bowl, add butter and stir to melt. Add sugars, pumpkin puree, salt to the milk and butter mixture; mix well.
  2. In a small bowl, combine lukewarm water, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Wait 5- minute for yeast to proof. When it gets foamy, add it to the pumpkin mixture, and add the egg; mix well. Add the flour gradually and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. The dough will be sticky.
  3. Using electric mixer with a dough hook attached, beat the mixture on the low-speed setting until the dough itself pulls from the side of the bowl, about 5 minutes. You can add a little more flour if the dough seems too wet.
  4. Turn the dough out to a wooden board dusted with a little flour. Knead with hand for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball shape, place in a greased bowl and cover with a cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hr.
  5. Punch the dough to deflate. Knead the dough for a few seconds on a wooden board. Divide the dough into half and cut each dough half into 15 pieces, total of 30 pieces.
  6. Roll each dough piece into a ball shape with your hand. Flatten the piece with palm of your hand a little. Using a knife, give 8 cuts on the edge to mimic flower pedals but leave the center uncut.
  7. Poke the center with your finger to give a deep indentation. Repeat the same procedure to the remaining pieces.
  8. Place them, 2-inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or baking mat. Let them rise again until they become double in volume, about 45 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven 350ºF. If the center indentation doesn't look obvious on the rolls, poke them again with your finger. Brush with egg wash and bake for 9-12 minutes, until the top gets slightly golden.
  10. Brush the hot rolls with melted butter immediately. Insert the pecan slices on the center of the rolls to mimic the stem.

Notes

  • Leftover rolls freeze well for up to 3 months when stored in a zipper bag.
  • To reheat, bring rolls to room temperature and warm in a 350°F oven for 4–5 minutes.