Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Warm, golden, and soft are the three words I would use to describe the perfect dinner roll. If you're someone who doesn't like the taste of pumpkin, don't worry, the flavor is subtle enough that these rolls go with everything. They look just like mini pumpkins and are sure to be a hit.
Makes 15 pumpkin dinner rolls
Things you'll need
Ingredients- 2 1/2 to 3 cups, plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sald
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for coating the bowl and dough
- Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with a pinch of salt
- 15 pecan halves, toasted
- Stand mixer fitted with dough hook
- Whisk
- Ruler
- Half sheet pan
- Parchment paper
Let's get started!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the bread flour, yeast, warm milk and sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Once foamy, stir in the eggs and pumpkin puree.
- Stir 1 cup of the bread flour into the yeast mixture until a thick paste forms.
- In the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, on a low speed, beat in the salt and butter. Mix until combined, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition, until the dough is soft and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for an additional minute. Then form it into a large ball. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour as needed.
- Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside. Roll the dough in the oil to completely coat. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let rest at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 15 portions and shape each portion into a ball. Keep the dough covered with a clean cloth to prevent a skin from forming.
- On an unfloured surface, roll one ball of dough into a 16-inch rope.
- With the rope, create a loop with a 5-inch tail and a 2-inch tail.
- Weave the 5-inch tail around the loop.
- Hold the end of the 5-inch tail in place and weave the 2-inch tail into the loop. Tightly pinch the ends together.
- Place the roll seam side down 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Brush the rolls with the egg wash.
- Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Place a toasted pecan in the center of each roll for the stem, then let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets.
Written By Rosanna Pansino
