These Pumpkin-Shaped Dinner Rolls are pleasing to the eyes and a perfect way to celebrate pumpkin flavors.
They are buttery and have a subtle flavor of pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and sweetness that goes perfectly with any savory dish. This recipe will make you an expert on these beautiful, tasty dinner rolls, like my whole wheat rolls. and cheesy bread rolls. Oh my goodness, it's my favorite dinner roll recipe. If you want to skip the rolls, try this homemade bread or crispy French bread.
Fall is all about coziness, from the snug embrace of a knitted sweater to the rich, comforting flavors that define the season. Pumpkin, a quintessential symbol of autumn, adds a burst of color and a hint of sweet, earthy flavor to dishes add this pumpkin loaf cake, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin spice donuts to your list of amazing fall or thanksgiving recipes to try.
Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls Ingredients
For Pumpkin Spice
Cinnamon Powder: Cinnamon powder gives the spice deep, sweet, and earthy flavor. It is also super aromatic.
Ginger Powder: Ginger powder has intense pepper zing and a hint of sweetness.
Nutmeg: Nutmeg has citrusy notes that give a nutty taste and subtle sweetness.
Cloves: Cloves have a strong aroma and a richer flavor than all the other ingredients. Their flavor is subtle, sweet, and bitter, and the bitterness complements the spice mixture's overall taste.
For Pumpkin Shaped Dinner, Rolls
Dry Ingredient: All-purpose flour is the base of the dinner rolls. It gives them a slight chew and a soft, fluffy texture.
Wet Ingredients: The only thing you need to knead the dough is Warm water. Some recipes call for warm milk, too, but milk makes the dough too heavy for dinner rolls.
Flavoring: Pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, and sugar or honey will give the dinner rolls a deep fall, as well as pumpkin and sweet flavor. I am adding salt to enhance the sweetness. Honestly, a teaspoon of salt can do wonders in such dishes.
Poofing Agent: Instant yeast is all you need to make these dinner rolls. The yeast will not only help raise the dough but also give the rolls an earthy flavor. You can also use active dry yeast.
Unsalted Butter: The butter gives the dough a smooth, soft consistency and a buttery flavor.
Egg: The egg is the binder, making the dinner soft and golden upon baking.
How to make these Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Make the Dough
- Activate the yeast: Pour warm water, yeast, and sugar into a mixing bowl. Stir well. Now add flour, pumpkin spice, salt, egg, pumpkin puree, and butter to the yeast mixture.
- Knead to form a dough: Now knead the dough. It will be soft yet a little sticky but okay to handle. Form a ball and put it in a greased bowl.
- Cover and rest the dough: Cover the dough with a plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place. Rest the dough to rise for an hour or an hour and 30 minutes. The dough should double in size.
- Take the dough out: Gently push it to release some air bubbles and transfer it to a clean work surface.
Shape the Rolls
- Divide the dough: Dust the dough and divide it into 8-10 equal pieces on a lightly floured surface. Form small balls by rolling them under your hand over the surface.
- Prepare Twine: Cut 4 equal pieces of twine, each about 10 to 12 inches per ball, and soak them in oil.
- Place the Twine: Place the four pieces of twine so that the center of each piece intercrosses and looks like an 8-sided star. Please make sure each side is of equal length.
- Shape the balls into Pumpkins: Place the ball over the point of the twine intersection. Tie the ends of one twine over the ball. Repeat with the rest of the three twine.
- Trim off the extra twine: Trim any extra twine for a clean finish.
- Repeat: Repeat making all the balls like Pumpkin with the twine. (Please watch the video below).
Bake the Rolls
- Prepare the baking sheet: Prepare your baking sheet or tray by placing parchment over it.
- Place the rolls: Place the rolls over the lined baking sheet, twine tied side up.
- Proof again: Cover the rolls with a clean towel and let them rise for the second time for 30 minutes.
- Brush and bake: Brush the rose rolls with egg wash and bake them in the oven at 350 F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the twine: Cut the kitchen twine with scissors. Brush the rolls with melted butter.
- Decorate by placing cloves, cinnamon sticks, or pretzels as stems over the pumpkin-shaped rolls.
- Serve: Serve them warm.
Recipe Tips
- Use lukewarm water: Use lukewarm water or warm water to the touch. Hot water will kill the yeast, and thus, the rolls will not rise.
- Use room-temperature eggs: We always recommend using them for baking because they mix well into the batter and help the dough rise more.
- Use room-temperature butter: Room-temperature butter will incorporate well and give you a soft and smooth dough. Using hard butter will form pockets in the dough, giving it a crumbly and flake texture upon baking.
- If using a standing mixer fitted or hand mixer: If using both electric appliances, ensure you don't overmix the batter. Overmixing might knock out the air from the batter, making it dense.
- Soak the twine: Soak it for at least an hour before using it. You can also cut it and spray oil over it.
Recipe FAQs
We will not recommend pumpkin pie filling for two reasons: first, it will make the dough watery and sticky. You might have to add more flour to balance the texture, but it will ruin the original flavor. Second, it's too sugary, and the spice may overtake the taste of the main dishes. The rolls should be slightly sweet and must complement the main dishes.
Yes, you can swap white sugar for brown sugar with the same measurements. But it will give the rolls a strong flavor—a dark molasses-like flavor—and might also change the texture.
Yes, you can store the pumpkin dinner rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze the leftover rolls in a ziplock bag for three months. Thaw them at room temperature and reheat them in the oven at 300 F for 4 to 5 minutes.
More Fall Recipes To Try
If you tried these pumpkin dinner rolls or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Pumpkin Shaped Bread Rolls
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Spice or use store bought
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ½ tspg Ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg ground
- ⅛ teaspoon Cloves ground
For the Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- 3½ cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup Warm water
- 2½ teaspoon Yeast
- 3 tablespoon Pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup Sugar Can add more
- 1 large Egg at room temperature
- ½ tablespoon Pumpkin spice
- 3 tablespoon Softened Butter
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Prepare Twine
- Get food-safe twine and cut about 4 pieces of 10 to 12 inches long per ball. Since we are making 8 balls, we are cutting 32 pieces.
- Soak them in neutral or vegetable cooking oil. You can spray oil over them, too.
To make Pumpkin Shaped Dinner rolls
- In a mixing bowl, add water, yeast and sugar. Whisk them well. Add flour, pumpkin spice, salt, pumpkin puree, egg, and butter to the mixture. Knead into a dough on medium speed with a stand mixer.
- Place the dough in a clean bowl. Cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 30 minutes and an hour.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch out the air. Then, place it on a floured work surface and dust some flour over it.
- Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll them into balls.
- Now, place the prepared twine so that it interacts with each other and is shaped like an 8-sided star. Place the dough ball over the twine intersection and tie the ends of each twine to form a pumpkin shape. Cut off excess twine.
- Repeat with all balls to shape into a pumpkin. Place the prepared balls over a parchment-laid baking sheet.
- Cover the rolls and let them rise for a second time for 30 minutes. Brush them with a mixture of egg and water. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake them at 350℉ for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Cut the twines with a scissors.
- Brush them with butter and place cloves on the pumpkin. Serve.
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Claudy says
This recipe was so delicious and my family enjoyed it, I hope you do too. Thanks
Bilikis says
The shape is nice and it looks so yummy