Description
Delightful and festive Pumpkin Dinner Rolls that are soft, fluffy, and infused with warm spices like cardamom and garlic powder. These rolls are perfect for fall dinners or holiday gatherings, featuring a unique pumpkin puree addition and a playful pumpkin-like design with green pumpkin seed ‘stems’. The recipe uses a yeast dough that rises twice for a light texture, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk, warm (not hot, but more than room temperature)
Dough Ingredients
- 3 ½ – 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Topping
- Green pumpkin seeds (roasted and salted)
- Butter, for brushing after baking
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, mix the active dry yeast and sugar into the warm milk. Allow this mixture to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes until frothy, confirming that the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Prepare Dough: Into the bowl of a standing mixer, add the yeast mixture along with the flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cardamom, butter, and pumpkin puree. Mix on low speed for about 5 minutes until well combined. Then increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 2 to 4 minutes to develop gluten, creating a smooth, elastic dough.
- First Rise: Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a warm damp towel and let it rest in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
- Fold Dough: Once doubled, punch down and fold the dough gently to degas and stretch it slightly, which helps gluten development. Shape it back into a ball and return it to the greased bowl. Cover and let it rest for an additional 30 minutes for a second rise.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: While the dough rests, line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy removal later.
- Shape Rolls: After the second rise, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently stretch it into a 12 by 12 inch square. Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces (about 3 inches each). Roll each piece into a ball and place them evenly spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Proof Rolls: Cover the shaped rolls loosely and let them proof at room temperature until roughly doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Shape Pumpkin Design: When the rolls have doubled, use your hand to gently flatten each roll slightly without pressing completely flat. Make 5 to 6 vertical cuts around the edges of each roll carefully, avoiding cutting the center. This creates pumpkin-like grooves. Then, gently poke a small crater in the center of each roll to resemble a pumpkin stem spot.
- Bake Rolls: Place the rolls in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, switching the position of the pans halfway through (after 7 to 9 minutes) if using one oven rack, to ensure even browning. Rolls should be golden brown when done.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush their tops with melted butter for a glossy finish. Place a green pumpkin seed in the crater of each roll to imitate a pumpkin stem. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the milk is warm but not hot; too hot can kill the yeast.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling; it contains added sugars and spices that will alter the dough.
- For best results, allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area.
- If you prefer a softer crust, brush the rolls with butter once more after they cool slightly.
- These rolls can be frozen before the second rise; thaw and let rise before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
