Add a seasonal touch using pumpkin puree to your next batch of dinner rolls with these pumpkin dinner rolls. A simple and easy recipe that creates soft, light, and fluffy bread you can eat on its own or serve with your meal.
Table of Content
If you make homemade bread often, then a great way to add a little bit more would be to add some pumpkin or sweet potato puree.
Adding veggies to bread is a wonderful way to add more flavor, and of course, nutrition to your bread. We rarely have these go stale. But, if I do have stale bread, then I cut them into cubes and toast them like croutons with a sprinkle of milk, butter, and parmesan. Absolutely delicious.
Why make these pumpkin rolls?
- They are the easiest, softest, most delicious rolls you will ever make. Made using my dinner rolls recipes as a base with the addition of pumpkin puree. Sometimes, I even add some sweet potato puree because I love how pretty the color is.
- Most of the ingredients are easy to find or pantry staples.
- You can customize these rolls by adding things like herbs and cheese. For example, try these with roasted garlic and parmesan and olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Or, try adding a tangzhonge to make pumpkin Japanese milk bread. You can even substitute half all-purpose flour for whole wheat.
Timeline and process
- The timeline and process for these dinner rolls are similar to most bread recipes
- Knead dough - 20 mins
- Rise - 45 to 60 mins
- Shape rolls - 10 mins
- Proof - 30 to 45 mins
- Bake the rolls - 20 to 22 mins
Ingredients and substitutes
- Pumpkin puree - You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. I did not add any pumpkin spice mix, but you can also add ½ teaspoon if you want.
- Flour - Bread flour is highly recommended for making homemade bread soft and fluffy. But, I have always used all-purpose flour very successfully for these.
- Instant dry yeast - I like to use instant dry because I've always had great success with it. But you can also use
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or
- 21 grams of fresh bakers yeast
- Sugar - The sugar here is not really to add sweetness. So no, the one tablespoon won't make your homemade dinner rolls sweet. If you prefer you can substitute sugar with 2 tablespoon of honey as well.
- Butter - I like adding butter not just to feed the yeast but also to add flavor. You can substitute the butter for 2 tablespoon of oil in this recipe.
Pumpkin dinner rolls
Dough
- Yeast mixture - In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the hook attachment, combine warm milk (110 F), yeast, sugar, pumpkin puree, and butter.
Pro tip - if you don't have an electric mixer you can knead the dough by hand in a mixing bowl. - Combine - Add the flour and salt. Combine well on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until all the flour is well incorporated.
- Knead - Continue to knead on medium speed for 12 to 15 minutes until you have a soft, smooth, and elastic dough.
Pro tip - avoid the temptation to add more flour. A soft dough will give lite and airy rolls.
- Bowl - When the dough is soft and shiny, but still slightly sticky shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until doubles in volume.
Pro tip - in winter you may need 90 minutes or more but in summer the dough may double in 45 minutes. If you can't attend to it at that moment, de-gas, reshape, and let double in volume again.
Divide
- Punch - When the dough is double in volume, transfer it to a well-dusted floured surface but avoid adding too much flour. Punch down and reshape into a ball. Then roll it into a small log.
Pro tip - if you cannot attend to the dough now, you can place it back in the bowl and let it proof for another 30 to 45 minutes - Divide - Using a dough scraper divide this log into three portions and then each of those portions into 3 again. This should give you 9 dinner rolls.
Pro tip - the odd number 9 is because we are using a square baking pan. you can also divide into 8 medium or 12 small rolls, use an 8-inch round or quarter sheet pan.
Shape & Proof
- Shape - Hold each piece of dough in your hand and gather all the seams together. Pinch the seams at the bottom, then place the ball on a non-flour surface while still holding it in your hand.
Loosen the grip on the dough and roll it back and forth into a tight circle against the work surface. You will feel the dough become tight and smooth.
Pro tip - the goal is to create a tight, smooth ball. If you overdo the rolling you will rip the top surface so be careful. - Tray - Grease or spray a 9 x 9 square baking pan. Place the rolls in the pan.
- Proof - Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost double in size.
Pro tip - in summer the dough may be proofed quicker than 45 minutes so look for the size rather than the time.
Bake
- Oven - When the rolls are almost double in volume, after about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F 190°C/ Gas Mark 5
- Eggwash - Brush the rolls with egg wash.
Pro tip- Egg wash is a full egg with 2 tablespoon of water. An egg wash will give a nice golden color. If you can't use egg, milk or cream will work just as well. Do not use oil or butter as it will create a crust. - Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until lightly golden on top. When baked, brush with melted butter.
Pro tip - Butter is optional but adds a nice flavor and keeps the top crust soft. - Cool - Take them out of the pan and cover them with a clean kitchen cloth for at least 5 minutes to keep them soft.
Pro tip - do not leave them in the pan for more than 10 minutes otherwise the steam on the bottom will cool making them soggy. - These will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Troubleshooting
- My dough did not rise. Most often the simplest explanation for this is that the liquid (milk) used was not warm. You need the liquid to be no more than 110 F/ 41 C. Hotter than that will not activate the yeast. In some cases, it could also be that the yeast was old and not good.
- My bread is not soft but dense. If you add too much flour to the dough the bread will be dense, not soft. You want the dough to be soft, elastic, and still slightly sticky. Follow the recipe and look at the video to see the consistency of the dough.
- My rolls deflated when baking. Prove the rolls for only 45 minutes or until just almost double in volume. They will continue to rise some more in the oven when baking. If you overproof, they tend to rise and deflate when baking.
More pumpkin treats
How long will these rolls keep?
If stored properly, these rolls will stay for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. They can also be frozen for a month or more. Never store bread in the fridge as it dries out.
How to keep the bread soft?
The best way to keep homemade bread soft is to contain the steam within the bread. So, while they are still hot, place a clean kitchen cloth over them and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Keeping these dinner rolls covered will also keep them from drying out.
What do you serve with these rolls?
You can use these just like any other rolls. These are great with any soup, stew, chili, or slow-cooked meat.
Soup, salad, and bread are complete meals in our home.
They are perfect to soak up the gravy in slow-cooked lamb, beef, or chicken dishes.
My kids love lamb stew or chili with this bread.
How do you reheat these rolls?
My kids warm a single dinner roll in the microwave for 30 seconds or more as necessary.
If I am reheating a whole batch, I like to place them (room temperature) in a baking tray wrapped with foil and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes. The foil prevents them from drying out.
Printable Recipe
Soft Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 375°F 190°C/ Gas Mark 5
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 233kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 9 rolls
Description
Add a seasonal touch using pumpkin puree to your next batch of dinner rolls with these pumpkin dinner rolls. A simple and easy recipe that creates soft, light, and fluffy bread you can eat on its own or serve with your meal.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Total dough - 900 grams - 66% Hydration
- 240 g (1 cup) Warm milk ((110°F) )
- 120 g (½ cup) Pumpkin puree
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) Sugar (or honey)
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 7 g (2¼ teaspoon) Instant dry yeast (or 21 g Fresh Bakers Yeast)
- 500 g (4 cups) All-purpose flour
- 9 g (1 teaspoon) Kosher salt
Plus
- ½ Egg (beaten )
- 2 tablespoon Milk or cream (Or)
Instructions
Dough
- Yeast mixture - In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the hook attachment, combine warm milk (110 F), yeast, sugar, pumpkin puree, and butter.Pro tip - if you don't have an electric mixer you can knead the dough by hand in a mixing bowl.240 g Warm milk, 120 g Pumpkin puree, 30 g Sugar, 7 g Instant dry yeast, 30 g Unsalted butter
- Combine - Add the flour and salt. Combine on medium-high speed until all the flour is well incorporated for about 3 minutes.500 g All-purpose flour, 9 g Kosher salt
- Knead - Continue to knead on medium speed for 12 to 15 minutes until you have a soft, smooth, and elastic dough. Pro tip - avoid the temptation to add more flour. A soft dough will give lite and airy rolls.
- Bowl - When the dough is soft and shiny, but still slightly sticky shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until it doubles in volume. Pro tip - in winter you may need 90 minutes or more but in summer the dough may double in 45 minutes. If you can't attend to it at that moment, de-gas, reshape, and let double in volume again.
- Punch - When the dough is doubled in volume, transfer to a well-dusted floured surface but avoid adding too much flour. Punch down and reshape it into a ball. Then roll it into a small log. Pro tip - if you cannot attend to the dough now, you can place it back in the bowl and let it proof for another 30 to 45 minutes
- Divide - Using a dough scraper divide this log into three portions and then each of those portions into 3 again. This should give you 9 dinner rolls. Pro tip - the odd number 9 is because we are using a square baking pan. you can also divide it into 8 medium or 12 small rolls, using an 8-inch round or quarter sheet pan.
- Shape - Hold each piece of dough in your hand and gather all the seams together. Pinch the seams at the bottom, then place the ball on a non-flour surface while still holding it in your hand. Loosen the grip on the dough and roll it back and forth into a tight circle against the work surface. You will feel the dough become tight and smooth. Pro tip - the goal is to create a tight, smooth ball. If you overdo the rolling you will rip the top surface so be careful.
- Tray - Grease or spray a 9 x 9 square baking pan. Place the rolls in the pan.
- Proof - Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost double in size.Pro tip - in summer the dough may be proofed quicker than 45 minutes so look for the size rather than the time.
- Bake - When the rolls are almost double in volume, after about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F 190°C/ Gas Mark 5
- Eggwash - Brush the rolls with egg wash.Pro tip- Egg wash is a full egg with 2 tablespoon of water.2 tablespoon Milk or cream, ½ Egg
- Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until lightly golden on top. When baked, brush with melted butter.Pro tip - Butter is optional but adds a nice flavor and keeps the top crust soft.
- Cool - Take them out of the pan and cover them with a clean kitchen cloth for at least 5 minutes to keep them soft.Pro tip - do not leave them in the pan for more than 10 minutes otherwise the steam on the bottom will cool making them soggy.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Measure all ingredients ahead of time, so you don't forget anything at the last minute.
- For accuracy, use a weight measure for the ingredients because every cup of flour can weigh differently depending on how you fill it.
- The liquid (milk or water) must be warm (not hot) - about 110F. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Similarly, if the liquid is too cold, it will not activate the yeast.
- Though instant dry yeast has a long shelf life, it can get ruined. Always check the expiry date on the yeast. If unsure, combine the yeast with water/milk, sugar/honey, and oil/butter from the recipe and let stand 5 minutes. If it gets foamy the yeast is good to go. If not, it's best to buy fresh yeast or check the temperature of the milk.
- Keep salt away from yeast as it can kill the yeast. I like to combine salt with the flour then add the yeast mixture.
- A soft loose well-hydrated dough is not necessarily a bad thing. Often, it will give you soft fluffy bread. So, don't be tempted to add more flour than mentioned in the recipe.
- Kneading is key to making good bread. While kneading by hand can be therapeutic, using a stand mixer is easier and quicker.
- Leave the dough at room temperature to rise until double in volume. While not recommended, when in haste, you can place it in a warm (30 C / 75 F- not hotter) oven this will expedite the rise.
- Bread does not have to be time-consuming. You can leave the dough in the fridge to rise for a few hours (even overnight) while you go about your chores. A slow rise will give more flavor to the bread.
- Always preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before you place bread in or the low temperature will spread the dough too much.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 233- kcalCarbohydrates: 41- gProtein: 7- gFat: 4- gSaturated Fat: 2- gCholesterol: 9- mgSodium: 165- mgPotassium: 105- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 4- gVitamin A: 123- IUCalcium: 38- mgIron: 1- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
Mary
I am in the process of making these but a couple of comments to start. Your ingredients state 7 g (2 1/2 g) yeast and I presume you mean 2 1/2 teaspoons. Also you have butter listed after the flour and salt so I totally missed adding it with the milk/pumpkin/yeast/sugar mixture. Hopefully I can brush some melted butter on them after baking to make them taste good. Will keep you posted
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Mary, Yes, it is 21/4 tsp. The butter is 2 tbsp and it is also listed correctly with the instructions in the recipe card below. It is always a good idea to have all your list of ingredients out before you start baking, that way you don't forget. In this case, a little butter brushed on top will do the trick just fine. Thanks
Amanda
This was an easy recipe to make. They are really delicious rolls! We are a vegan/vegetarian family so this recipe worked well for us. It was a nice way for me to use up some of the pumpkin purée I had leftover in the refrigerator.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Amanda. Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.