Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter are slightly sweet and totally festive with their easy and adorable pumpkin shapes. Your family will LOVE these!
Yield:
15 bread rolls
Prep Time:20minutes
Cook:20minutes
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: Is there anything better than the combination of slightly sweet pumpkin with cinnamon? Texture: Super soft and slightly chewy, every bite is bread roll heaven. Ease: I think you’ll be surprised by just how simple this recipe is! Appearance: The best part of these rolls. How freakin’ adorable are they?! Pros: Fun seasonal twist on bread rolls. These will become highly requested for every holiday dinner! Cons: None at all! Would I make this again? Absolutely.
Being festive during the summer doesn’t really mean much. But when fall rolls around it’s so easy to get excited about all the adorable decor, crave-worthy flavors, and even the warm-scented candles.
It means the holiday season is right around the corner which often comes with family gatherings (which can be good or bad), huge feasts for meals, cute boots and jackets, time off work, and a rekindled spirit of giving. Who doesn’t love it all (unless you’re the Grinch). As a food blogger the end of the year is my prime time, it’s when people are most often baking and I LOVE it.
(This post was originally published in 2014. I updated it in 2017 with new photos and the step-by-step video below where I explain EVERYTHING!)
These Pumpkin Bread Rolls will be perfect for ANY fall festivity and they’re as delicious as they are adorable. The rolls are incredibly soft with hint of pumpkin flavor and the butter is just epic. They’re also surprisingly easy to make. Win win win.
The idea for the shape of these Pumpkin Bread Rolls came from Beyond Kimchee blog. I knew I wanted to make pumpkin bread rolls, and it wasn’t until I was actually in the kitchen that I remembered seeing something online for an adorable way to form rolls into pumpkin shapes.
I’m so glad I remembered to Google it and that I found Beyond Kimchee because I think that extra step just makes these rolls so adorable and memorable. They would look absolutely beautiful on any holiday table!
The dough comes together quite easily in your stand mixer. If you don’t have a mixer, see my instructions for how to knead by hand here. I just love the color of this dough! Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Make Ahead Baking Tips
While the dough rises I like to make the cinnamon butter, which takes just a few minutes using an electric mixer. You can make the butter ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To make the rolls ahead of time, simply refrigerate the dough after kneading in a container wrapped in plastic wrap or in a ziptop bag. Leave room for the dough to rise (it will still happen even in the colder environment).
In this case, the overnight refrigeration is the first rise so once you’re ready to proceed with shaping the dough into little pumpkins, remove the it from the fridge, punch it down, and allow it to rest and warm to room temperature before shaping, about 30 minutes. The final rise may be longer than directed by the recipe because the dough is still cool.
You can also freeze the dough after it has risen for the first time and been shaped into the pumpkins. Cover immediately with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Loosen the plastic wrap and defrost to room temperature. Let rise until an indentation made with your finger into the dough remains. Proceed with the recipe as written.
Lastly, you can parbake the rolls to make the ahead of time. Bake for half the baking time, or until the bread begins to hold its own shape. Remove from the oven, cool completely, then wrap well in plastic wrap and tin foil. Refrigerate overnight or store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature then bake for the remaining time from the recipe in the oven (label the time and temperature on the bread before storing). Feel free to wrap and freeze bread rolls individually to bake off as many as needed.
If you make this recipe and would like to have it featured, upload it to Instagram and tag me and use the hashtag #handletheheat!
5 from 16 votes
How to make
Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter
Yield:15bread rolls
Prep Time:20minutes
Cook Time:20minutes
Inactive Time2hours
Total Time:2hours40minutes
Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Cinnamon Butter are slightly sweet and totally festive with their easy and adorable pumpkin shapes. Your family will LOVE these!
Ingredients
For the bread:
1packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1cupwhole milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1/4cup(50 grams) granulated sugar
3tablespoons(43 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/2cup(113 grams) pumpkin puree
2large eggs, divided
1teaspoonsalt
3 3/4cups(476 grams) all-purpose flour
Sliced pecan pieces, for the “stems”
For the butter:
1stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4cup(31 grams) powdered sugar
1/4cup(84 grams) honey
1teaspoonground cinnamon
Directions
For the bread rolls:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir the yeast, milk, sugar, butter, pumpkin, one egg, and salt until well combined. Gradually add the flour and knead on medium-low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Continue to knead the dough on medium-low speed for another 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and smooth. If it seems too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and shape into balls. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball slightly. With a pairing knife, cut 8 slices around each ball, being careful not to slice all the way into the center, to make the pumpkin shape. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Using the wooden end of a small utensil or your finger to poke an indentation in the center of each roll to create a space for the “stem.” In a small bowl beat the remaining egg with 2 teaspoons of water and brush all over the rolls. Bake the rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Place a sliced pecan piece into the indentation of each roll.
For the cinnamon butter:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 30 seconds, or until pale in color. Add the powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon and beat until well combined, light, and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
So excited to see these. I am a pumpkin fan and I make my own pumpkin puree every year for the whole season. Its normally two days in the kitchen to roast all the pumpkin and store it for cooking. These great little rolls will be a fantastic side or appetizer in my Harvest Party with all my friends.
They look so lovely! I’m glad that I found this recipe because Halloween is a big thing in our family. Many neighbors come to visit us so this is a perfect thematic piece for the party. I used to eat gluten-free things but then, I realized that even some restaurants which have a gluten-free sign might not be 100% gluten-free. Eventually, I decided to stop this lifestyle and I started eating generally healthy food. I like your recipes because they bring me back to my home where my mom used to bake a lot. You also brought me back to baking with traditional ingredients. Thank you for that, Tessa!
These look adorable and delicious! I would love to make them for my daughter’s “our little pumpkin is turning one” birthday party, but not sure I would have time to make them the morning of. If I made them a day or two ahead of time, would they keep okay?
Peachie Octaviano Have — October 12, 2014 at 2:11 am
Hi, these look fabulous! I want to try and serve them on our Halloween brunch. I am considering of baking them for freezing. Is this advisable? Thanks in advance.
While they’re best fresh, you can freeze the baked rolls: Bake the rolls normally and let cool completely. Wrap all the rolls tightly in a sheet of foil then place in a resealable bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Take the foil-wrapped rolls out of the freezer bag and loosen the foil. Place the loosely-wrapped package of rolls directly on an oven rack and bake at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are piping hot to the touch and warm all the way through. Serve these rolls immediately and while still warm as they tend to become dry once cooled. Do not reheat.
Hi Jaime! I would not recommend freezing the dough. Instead I would bake the rolls first then freeze: Bake the rolls normally and let cool completely. Wrap all the rolls tightly in a sheet of foil then place in a resealable bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Take the foil-wrapped rolls out of the freezer bag and loosen the foil. Place the loosely-wrapped package of rolls directly on an oven rack and bake at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are piping hot to the touch and warm all the way through. Serve these rolls immediately and while still warm as they tend to become dry once cooled. Do not reheat.
I made these for thanksgiving and their delicious! Being my first time making bread, it was surprising simple and extremely easy to understand. The pictures really helped!
One question though, can you substitute the flour for gluten-free four?
rose- the second egg is to brush on the rolls before baking. Iryna-pumpkin puree is canned pumpkin (or homemake “mashed” pumpkin if you prefer). not to be confused with canned pumpkin pie mix.
Wanting to make these to sell tomorrow along with some muffins. I don’t have an electric or hand mixer though. I have made bread once or twice before without using a mixer. Would these be fairly difficult to do by hand? I love the muffin recipe I have, but I want to have something shaped like a pumpkin and I don’t have a pan with little pumpkin shapes in it.
If these would be too difficult, what is another option for doing something with a pumpkin shape that I could do by hand?
Thanks for posting a fun Fall recipe. I’m not sure what “instant yeast” is though. Does that mean quick-rising yeast or just regular? Thanks in advance for clarification.
Sorry, I don’t know! I’m not a nutritionist and don’t feel comfortable providing that info, so I’d suggest popping the recipe into a nutrition calculator website.
I haven’t tried it but I think it would be okay, though you might want to start with half white whole wheat half all-purpose to see how that goes. Wouldn’t want the rolls to end up too heavy and dense due to the wheat flour.
Hmm I’m really not sure I haven’t tried it with this specific recipe, though I’d be a little weary because you really don’t want the rolls to loose their pumpkin shape! If possible, I would let the mass of dough rise overnight then let it come to room temp before shaping it. Or you could even freeze the baked rolls to make them ahead of time, I’ve left come detailed instructions for that in above comments.
I liked these very much. The texture was great, however i wanted more pumpkin flavor. Any ideas on how I could add more pumpkin to the mixture without throwing everything else off?
OMG! Made these and they were amazing! Even my picky brother loved them and asked for me to make them next time he ate with us! The butter is easy and perfect proportions! Some of my pumpkins were deformed but that was my own fault for not taking my time. Some turned out perfect though!
Can I reduce the amount of sugar? I know yeast needs sugar but I don’t typically like my dinner rolls so sweet. Aside from taste, would cutting the amount in half hurt the texture or otherwise mess up the result?
You are my VERY FAVORITE person in the world! Because of you I made the very best Apple Streusel Challahs! I Love You Tessa! And now for Succoth, which is our festival of harvests, I will be able to create these adorable little pumpkin rolls! Thank you so much for explaining, flour to liquid to yeast ratios, etc. It’s such a HUGE relief to understand that much better! G-d Bless You Always! Yea me! Pumpkin Rolls here I come!
Just curious if anyone has the answer to GF flour. I just tried it today… and they came out more like a corn meal or biscuit- really heavy and grainy. Is this because of the GF flour? I made 3 batches at once, so it’s really frustrating that all 3 came out this way. Should I just suck it up and do AP flour and pretend there isn’t any gluten in them?
GF flour doesn’t work well for bread since gluten is essential for the dough to develop its structure. There are some GF flour products made specifically for bread, but in general you’re much better off following bread recipes that were specifically formulated to be GF.
This sounds awesome. Not really a fan of pumpkin but this has only 1/2 cup of the puree, I’m gonna give it a try. When I print your recipes, they are so well designed…love it. Just a suggestion, the typeface you have chosen to use is so thin and light. It’s great on the screen but it prints out so faint that it’s a struggle to read.
just wanted you to know that I made these today and they were divine! I’ve changed them slightly and have written about them on my blog (with a link back to you of course)… they’re not as sweet as I thought they would be. We love them toasted with honey! Thanks for the inspiration x
I’ll let you know how it turns out. I am at 8,800ft in Harris Park, Bailey, CO. I just moved up here from Denver and I’m learning how to bake and cook all over again! 🙂 I am going to add a few tbsp of flour and 1/8cup water… we’ll see what happens! I think I may have to leave them in the oven longer also.. So far everything takes longer to bake.. fingers crossed!!!
After the rolls have risen a second time and formed into unbaked pumpkin rolls, can I store in the refrigerator the day before Thanksgiving, and then on Thanksgiving Day take them out, bring them to room temperature, brush with egg wash, and then bake? Does refrigerating the unbaked rolls overnight deflate or compromise the successful outcome of these pumpkin rolls?
Made these for Thanksgiving the day before. Really easy to make and came out looking like the photo except, as another person mentioned, they didn’t taste like pumpkin at all. I wasn’t sure if it was because I used skim milk. My husband compared the taste to a plain bagel.
I stored them in a plastic container after Thanksgiving and they did not store well. Aside from already lacking flavor, I couldn’t even eat a piece the day after.
I live in Japan and sweets made either with pumpkin or sweet red-bean paste (Anko in Japanese) are very popular. I’m thinking that filling the center with a small ball of the sweetened cooked pumpkin would be a great way to use these as a not-too-sweet dessert instead of as a dinner roll.
thank you for this recipe, even in the summer because, why not? thanks also for sharing the pumpkin shaping recipe! Pumpkin is great anyway, it should be used regularly in more stuff, even out of season!
Noticed in your recipe for the cinnamon butter that you call for 1 stick (4 ounces) butter … but isn’t a stick 8 ounces? So … am I using a stick of butter or 4 ounces?
These were wonderful! I made them for the cute factor and it was a bonus that they were so tasty! The instructions were super easy to follow and they certainly made an impact at our Thanksgiving feast. Thanks so much for sharing!
if you can’t handle gluten spelt flour is a great alternative. I usually mix some millet with it maybe about 4 parts spelt and 1 part millet. Happy Baking!
wthese look so adorable! only one problem for our family. no one likes pumpkin! i want to do the challenge, what can i use in place of tthe pumpkin??
thanks
Debbie
Hi Tessa!
These look awesome! As a vegan, the switches for me to make these look fairly straightforward but I wanted to check beforehand. Are flax eggs okay? Is using oil going hugely affect these? I would use vegetable oil as I wouldn’t want the coconut oil to overpower. Help!
Hey Tessa, I’m making these adorable pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving and was wondering if there was any way to make them cheesecake flavored with a cream cheese filling? Thanks!
these look so cute! my family doesnt like pumpkin though
any idea what i could substitute in place of the pumpkin?
thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
I’ve made these three times now and always to rave reviews. I made them last weekend for my 7 little grandchildren as a Halloween treat. Because they are all young they really wouldn’t finish a whole roll, I halved the dough pieces again and made 30 small ones instead of the 15 . Also so they could take them in their school lunch to their nut free school , I used short pieces of a brownish licorice. They turned out adorable! I would like to attach a photo of them but not sure how!
Thanks for another great and fun recipe!
Hi there!
can this recipe be made glutenfree?
And can I bake these rolls without yeast?
If not, is there any substitude for the yeast?
By the way, they are just gorgeous!!!
I made these for Thanksgiving 2018 and they came out perfect. I was rushed so they were various sizes and some looked like a pumpkin and others not so much. By the way, I used my bread machine and followed my manufacturers directions with this recipe and it’s perfect!
Rave reviews from family. I will absolutely make these every year. And probably for Christmas, too!!
Pretty disappointed with this recipe, the bread didn’t really have any flavor and was a bit chewy. I followed the recipe exactly and while they look cute, it’s more style over substance as they don’t taste great.
I like the general idea, so I’ll probably tweak the recipe, I think it either needs a stronger sweeter or savory flavor. Like an egg yolk/sugar wash, maybe with a little more sugar in the dough, would improve them alot. Or increase the salt in the dough for a savory roll with some flavor. I’ve never made something off this site before though, so I might just look for another recipe source entirely.
I made these in 2016 for Halloween, we had Trick or Treaters come to the door with their parents and they could smell the rolls baking, needless to say, the parents got a better treat than the children. (The children got them too, if they wanted them, and most wanted more!)
This is a great recipe and it makes wonderful rolls. The cinnamon butter tops them off with just the right amount of flavor.
I lost half of my recipe and I am so glad that you have it updated, I am making them today for a sewing group that meets twice a month with potluck treats and meals. Tonight is the night for “Spooktacular” treats, I bet they will love these!
WOW, Tessa, these were AMAZING!!! They were so light, fluffy, and chewy. Just the perfect texture. And that honey butter, YUM!!! I actually left out the powdered sugar since we don’t like things too sweet and it was perfect.
So yummy, cute and easy to make! I can’t wait to do it again. The butter is unbelievable! I used a razor blade instead of a paring knife to cut the rolls. Great great great recipe!
Hi and thank you for the delicious and cute rolls.
I have a question, I like to add more flavor to my pumpkin rolls. so I thought to add another 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (total of 1 cup) and of course I have to add more flour ( how much????) or maybe reduce the amount of milk? I was wondering if you had this experience or if you have any tips for me.
These rolls are amazing!! I’ve made them three times now and each time I messed up (1-forgot to add salt until it was already all mixed, 2-did not punch down after taking out of fridge and let rise for 4+ hours before shaping, 3- had a hard time punching down out of the fridge) BUT nonetheless, they turned out fine EVERY TIME so the recipe is pretty forgiving! I used scissors to cut them into the pumpkin shape and was super easy! I made them for Thanksgiving and Christmas and par-baked them prior. They came out great!! I love the way you explain how the ingredients all work together – like Alton Brown but more layman’s terms! THANK YOU, I LOVE YOUR SITE and continue finding awesome recipes!
I made these last Thanksgiving and absolutely loved them! They were a huge hit among the family, especially when paired with the butter. Simple and oh so rewarding!
I absolutely loved these! They were a huge hit last Thanksgiving among family, even the picky eaters! The butter is a perfect pair. Oh so simple and delicious!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made these today. I I watched your video on how to knead dough by hand and this video with helpful instructions. I had the confidence to try it and use my intuition as well. Thanks for giving me the confidence and tools to cook my first bread rolls. They came out great. Will be back to your site. 🙂
These were delicious. My first attempt at making bread ever and they came out so well! The subtle subtle sweetness is so nice. Thank you for the clear instructions and the handy video!
As a trained chef and cookbook author, I share trusted baking recipes your friends & family will love alongside insights into the science of sweets. I help take the luck out of baking so you *always* have delicious results! Learn more here.
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I LOVE these! They are super cute! I’m going to have to find an excuse to make these, although I don’t think that’ll be hard! 🙂
So excited to see these. I am a pumpkin fan and I make my own pumpkin puree every year for the whole season. Its normally two days in the kitchen to roast all the pumpkin and store it for cooking. These great little rolls will be a fantastic side or appetizer in my Harvest Party with all my friends.
They look so lovely! I’m glad that I found this recipe because Halloween is a big thing in our family. Many neighbors come to visit us so this is a perfect thematic piece for the party. I used to eat gluten-free things but then, I realized that even some restaurants which have a gluten-free sign might not be 100% gluten-free. Eventually, I decided to stop this lifestyle and I started eating generally healthy food. I like your recipes because they bring me back to my home where my mom used to bake a lot. You also brought me back to baking with traditional ingredients. Thank you for that, Tessa!
These look delicious! Any alternative stem ideas for my nut allergic son? Thanks!
Hmmm maybe a shortened pretzel stick?
These are so cute! Such a fun idea for Fall!
So gorgeous!
These look adorable and delicious! I would love to make them for my daughter’s “our little pumpkin is turning one” birthday party, but not sure I would have time to make them the morning of. If I made them a day or two ahead of time, would they keep okay?
They’re definitely best fresh but they should keep fine – I would reheat briefly in the oven.
Have you ever used sweet potato’s? I will definitely try! Love the design. Perfect with my sweet potato soufflé cooked in a pumpkin .
No but I’m sure that would be wonderful!
How much flour? 4 1/2cups of bread flour?
Oops read over too quickly found the flour 3 3/4 cups ap. Cannot wait to make them.
Those are sooo good I mixed whole wheat and all purpose I had to add about a half A cup though . Thank u
Hi, these look fabulous! I want to try and serve them on our Halloween brunch. I am considering of baking them for freezing. Is this advisable? Thanks in advance.
While they’re best fresh, you can freeze the baked rolls: Bake the rolls normally and let cool completely. Wrap all the rolls tightly in a sheet of foil then place in a resealable bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Take the foil-wrapped rolls out of the freezer bag and loosen the foil. Place the loosely-wrapped package of rolls directly on an oven rack and bake at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are piping hot to the touch and warm all the way through. Serve these rolls immediately and while still warm as they tend to become dry once cooled. Do not reheat.
So excited to try these! Thanks for such thorough directions and pictures, sooo helpful. 🙂
These look great! Quick question.. If I don’t wanna make all the roles at once… Can I freeze the dough until I want to bake them another time?
Hi Jaime! I would not recommend freezing the dough. Instead I would bake the rolls first then freeze: Bake the rolls normally and let cool completely. Wrap all the rolls tightly in a sheet of foil then place in a resealable bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Take the foil-wrapped rolls out of the freezer bag and loosen the foil. Place the loosely-wrapped package of rolls directly on an oven rack and bake at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are piping hot to the touch and warm all the way through. Serve these rolls immediately and while still warm as they tend to become dry once cooled. Do not reheat.
I made these for thanksgiving and their delicious! Being my first time making bread, it was surprising simple and extremely easy to understand. The pictures really helped!
One question though, can you substitute the flour for gluten-free four?
I really don’t know, unfortunately. I don’t have any experience using GF flour in bread baking.
The recipe lists 2 eggs but the directions list 1. Could you please clarify?
Thanks! I can’t wait to try 🙂
Hello! Please advise: “pumpkin puree” – is it a fresh mashed / blended pumpkin or I have to cook the pumpkin before?
Thank you 🙂
rose- the second egg is to brush on the rolls before baking. Iryna-pumpkin puree is canned pumpkin (or homemake “mashed” pumpkin if you prefer). not to be confused with canned pumpkin pie mix.
Wanting to make these to sell tomorrow along with some muffins. I don’t have an electric or hand mixer though. I have made bread once or twice before without using a mixer. Would these be fairly difficult to do by hand? I love the muffin recipe I have, but I want to have something shaped like a pumpkin and I don’t have a pan with little pumpkin shapes in it.
If these would be too difficult, what is another option for doing something with a pumpkin shape that I could do by hand?
Hi! Please read the post: “You can knead by hand, it should take about 5 to 7 minutes.”
Just wondering if you have to use whole milk or if you could get away with skim. That is normally all we have in the house! Thanks!
You should be okay with skin.
Thanks for posting a fun Fall recipe. I’m not sure what “instant yeast” is though. Does that mean quick-rising yeast or just regular? Thanks in advance for clarification.
Any idea how many carbs are in each roll? I have a diabetic son and the nutrition info would be very beneficial. Thank you.
Sorry, I don’t know! I’m not a nutritionist and don’t feel comfortable providing that info, so I’d suggest popping the recipe into a nutrition calculator website.
These look wonderful. Can you think of any reason I couldn’t use my bread machine to make the dough? Thanks!
Should work fine in a bread machine!
I love this! These are perfect for Thanksgiving. Is shaping the bread into the pumpkin shape do-able with a more brioche like bread recipe?
I’ve never tried!
Would white whole wheat flour work in this recipe ?
I haven’t tried it but I think it would be okay, though you might want to start with half white whole wheat half all-purpose to see how that goes. Wouldn’t want the rolls to end up too heavy and dense due to the wheat flour.
Can I let the dough rise overnight (in its “pumpkin” form) and bake it the next day? Or would the dough rise too much?
Hmm I’m really not sure I haven’t tried it with this specific recipe, though I’d be a little weary because you really don’t want the rolls to loose their pumpkin shape! If possible, I would let the mass of dough rise overnight then let it come to room temp before shaping it. Or you could even freeze the baked rolls to make them ahead of time, I’ve left come detailed instructions for that in above comments.
Dear Tessa,
i tried and the bread came our beautiful, the next morning i noticed the bread became dry. wonder why…any tips…
Looks wonderful and I will do it!
I liked these very much. The texture was great, however i wanted more pumpkin flavor. Any ideas on how I could add more pumpkin to the mixture without throwing everything else off?
OMG! Made these and they were amazing! Even my picky brother loved them and asked for me to make them next time he ate with us! The butter is easy and perfect proportions! Some of my pumpkins were deformed but that was my own fault for not taking my time. Some turned out perfect though!
Can I reduce the amount of sugar? I know yeast needs sugar but I don’t typically like my dinner rolls so sweet. Aside from taste, would cutting the amount in half hurt the texture or otherwise mess up the result?
That should be fine!
Oh my gods, we need these in my house!
But I’m gluten intolerant. Do you know if one-to-one would work or would AP be better or what? I may have to experiment. We need these!
I’m sorry Jenn, but I have little experience in gluten-free bread baking :/ Let me know if you give it a try!
Can I freeze these.they look great.
I’m curious why the milk needs to be scalded– can you explain?
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Emily, I explain that in detail in the video 🙂
You are my VERY FAVORITE person in the world! Because of you I made the very best Apple Streusel Challahs! I Love You Tessa! And now for Succoth, which is our festival of harvests, I will be able to create these adorable little pumpkin rolls! Thank you so much for explaining, flour to liquid to yeast ratios, etc. It’s such a HUGE relief to understand that much better! G-d Bless You Always! Yea me! Pumpkin Rolls here I come!
So thrilled to hear that, Rita! I’m glad the explanations were helpful 🙂
Hi I made the rolls and they are amazing and so easy and delicious.
However I followed the butter recipe to a tea b it was dark in colour and runny. Not sure what I did wrong?
Wonderful! Hmm the butter may not have been whipped enough.
Just curious if anyone has the answer to GF flour. I just tried it today… and they came out more like a corn meal or biscuit- really heavy and grainy. Is this because of the GF flour? I made 3 batches at once, so it’s really frustrating that all 3 came out this way. Should I just suck it up and do AP flour and pretend there isn’t any gluten in them?
GF flour doesn’t work well for bread since gluten is essential for the dough to develop its structure. There are some GF flour products made specifically for bread, but in general you’re much better off following bread recipes that were specifically formulated to be GF.
Can i make these with bread flour instead of AP?
That should work!
How sweet are these rolls? I was thinking of having these in place of the usual Dinner roll, but I don”t want my rolls to be like a desert!! ty
How sweet are these rolls? I’m thinking of making these for thanksgiving instead of the usual dinner rolls ,but I don’t want a roll as a desert!
Definitely not overly sweet. We love them because they taste good with everything else on the Thanksgiving table 🙂
May we use apple instead of pumpkin?
I made these and they are delicious. Not sweet at all, a great dinner roll. And that butter, yum! Added a tad of nutmeg, so good!
I would love to make these but I have an egg allergy, any recommendations on how to substitute?
This sounds awesome. Not really a fan of pumpkin but this has only 1/2 cup of the puree, I’m gonna give it a try. When I print your recipes, they are so well designed…love it. Just a suggestion, the typeface you have chosen to use is so thin and light. It’s great on the screen but it prints out so faint that it’s a struggle to read.
I can not use milk at my thanksgiving dinner. Any ideas on whether I could use scalded soy, almond or other milk? thank you
Could I get the make ahead instructions. Thanks
just wanted you to know that I made these today and they were divine! I’ve changed them slightly and have written about them on my blog (with a link back to you of course)… they’re not as sweet as I thought they would be. We love them toasted with honey! Thanks for the inspiration x
How do I store these breads for later?
How do I account for high altitude?
I’m not sure, Tiffany. I’ve only ever lived at sea level.
So cute!! Making these for my sons preschool tomorrow! Perfect festive snack. Thank you for sharing this
I am so excited. The dough is rising right now and can”t wait to put them in the oven!!
Once baked, how do I store them and how long will they keep fresh?
I’ll let you know how it turns out. I am at 8,800ft in Harris Park, Bailey, CO. I just moved up here from Denver and I’m learning how to bake and cook all over again! 🙂 I am going to add a few tbsp of flour and 1/8cup water… we’ll see what happens! I think I may have to leave them in the oven longer also.. So far everything takes longer to bake.. fingers crossed!!!
Just did a dry run for Thanksgiving. There is no pumpkin taste. Would have liked that. They are bland and pretty
I have made these at least three years in a row and and they are now a Halloween tradition with White Chicken Chili. Yum! Thank you.
Where is the print button
oops found it
After the rolls have risen a second time and formed into unbaked pumpkin rolls, can I store in the refrigerator the day before Thanksgiving, and then on Thanksgiving Day take them out, bring them to room temperature, brush with egg wash, and then bake? Does refrigerating the unbaked rolls overnight deflate or compromise the successful outcome of these pumpkin rolls?
^^ This was my exact question. Has anyone else tried? Maybe using regular rise yeast instead of instant would facilitate that?
Hello, You mentioned in your video that there were make ahead instructions on your blog. I haven’t been able to locate them. Can you help? Thanks!
Tiffany…how did your rolls turn out at high altitude?
Made these for Thanksgiving the day before. Really easy to make and came out looking like the photo except, as another person mentioned, they didn’t taste like pumpkin at all. I wasn’t sure if it was because I used skim milk. My husband compared the taste to a plain bagel.
I stored them in a plastic container after Thanksgiving and they did not store well. Aside from already lacking flavor, I couldn’t even eat a piece the day after.
My breads flatten in during second rising and flatten again in oven. What can i do to they become fat like yours ???
Have you baked bread on the grill? I’m wondering if it would work for this recipe.
I haven’t! Let us know if you give it a shot 🙂
I live in Japan and sweets made either with pumpkin or sweet red-bean paste (Anko in Japanese) are very popular. I’m thinking that filling the center with a small ball of the sweetened cooked pumpkin would be a great way to use these as a not-too-sweet dessert instead of as a dinner roll.
thank you for this recipe, even in the summer because, why not? thanks also for sharing the pumpkin shaping recipe! Pumpkin is great anyway, it should be used regularly in more stuff, even out of season!
Noticed in your recipe for the cinnamon butter that you call for 1 stick (4 ounces) butter … but isn’t a stick 8 ounces? So … am I using a stick of butter or 4 ounces?
I made this recipe and it came out great. I used carrot instead of pumpkin. Yummy and delicious
These were wonderful! I made them for the cute factor and it was a bonus that they were so tasty! The instructions were super easy to follow and they certainly made an impact at our Thanksgiving feast. Thanks so much for sharing!
if you can’t handle gluten spelt flour is a great alternative. I usually mix some millet with it maybe about 4 parts spelt and 1 part millet. Happy Baking!
wthese look so adorable! only one problem for our family. no one likes pumpkin! i want to do the challenge, what can i use in place of tthe pumpkin??
thanks
Debbie
The pumpkin flavor is very mild, Debbie!
Does using a metal bowl in a kitchenaid kill the yeast? Do I need to use a glass bowl kitchenaid or just by hand? thanks
Hi Tessa!
These look awesome! As a vegan, the switches for me to make these look fairly straightforward but I wanted to check beforehand. Are flax eggs okay? Is using oil going hugely affect these? I would use vegetable oil as I wouldn’t want the coconut oil to overpower. Help!
Hey Tessa, I’m making these adorable pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving and was wondering if there was any way to make them cheesecake flavored with a cream cheese filling? Thanks!
these look so cute! my family doesnt like pumpkin though
any idea what i could substitute in place of the pumpkin?
thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
ignore my question since I forgot i asked it and you answered it already….
Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you, Tessa. This is the second year I’ve made these for Thanksgiving. They are always a hit and are a great conversation starter.
Hi Tessa, thanks for sharing this great fun recipe. I made them for Thanksgiving dinner, they turned out great, and were a big hit.
What is the flat scooper thing you used in the video called?
I’ve made these three times now and always to rave reviews. I made them last weekend for my 7 little grandchildren as a Halloween treat. Because they are all young they really wouldn’t finish a whole roll, I halved the dough pieces again and made 30 small ones instead of the 15 . Also so they could take them in their school lunch to their nut free school , I used short pieces of a brownish licorice. They turned out adorable! I would like to attach a photo of them but not sure how!
Thanks for another great and fun recipe!
Hi Tessa, Can I use unbleached all purpose flour for this recipe? I really do not know the difference..
Hi Tessa,
Can you use buttermilk instead of whole milk in this recipe? just curious. I love to use buttermilk for as much as possible… cuz it’s awesome 😛
-Rachel
Hi there!
can this recipe be made glutenfree?
And can I bake these rolls without yeast?
If not, is there any substitude for the yeast?
By the way, they are just gorgeous!!!
I made these for Thanksgiving 2018 and they came out perfect. I was rushed so they were various sizes and some looked like a pumpkin and others not so much. By the way, I used my bread machine and followed my manufacturers directions with this recipe and it’s perfect!
Rave reviews from family. I will absolutely make these every year. And probably for Christmas, too!!
Pretty disappointed with this recipe, the bread didn’t really have any flavor and was a bit chewy. I followed the recipe exactly and while they look cute, it’s more style over substance as they don’t taste great.
I like the general idea, so I’ll probably tweak the recipe, I think it either needs a stronger sweeter or savory flavor. Like an egg yolk/sugar wash, maybe with a little more sugar in the dough, would improve them alot. Or increase the salt in the dough for a savory roll with some flavor. I’ve never made something off this site before though, so I might just look for another recipe source entirely.
Lovely, but I had to add loads more flour to get a workable dough that wasn’t sticky and gloopy (I am using scales)
I made these in 2016 for Halloween, we had Trick or Treaters come to the door with their parents and they could smell the rolls baking, needless to say, the parents got a better treat than the children. (The children got them too, if they wanted them, and most wanted more!)
This is a great recipe and it makes wonderful rolls. The cinnamon butter tops them off with just the right amount of flavor.
I lost half of my recipe and I am so glad that you have it updated, I am making them today for a sewing group that meets twice a month with potluck treats and meals. Tonight is the night for “Spooktacular” treats, I bet they will love these!
WOW, Tessa, these were AMAZING!!! They were so light, fluffy, and chewy. Just the perfect texture. And that honey butter, YUM!!! I actually left out the powdered sugar since we don’t like things too sweet and it was perfect.
These rolls are AMAZING! They are soft and fluffy with a perfect subtle pumpkin flavor that really gets kicked up by the yummy butter. Thanks!
So yummy, cute and easy to make! I can’t wait to do it again. The butter is unbelievable! I used a razor blade instead of a paring knife to cut the rolls. Great great great recipe!
These are absolutely delicious and a favorite for Thanksgiving dinner.
I wonder if I can make these ahead of time and frozen for later use
Hi and thank you for the delicious and cute rolls.
I have a question, I like to add more flavor to my pumpkin rolls. so I thought to add another 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (total of 1 cup) and of course I have to add more flour ( how much????) or maybe reduce the amount of milk? I was wondering if you had this experience or if you have any tips for me.
Thank you,
Mahsa
These rolls are amazing!! I’ve made them three times now and each time I messed up (1-forgot to add salt until it was already all mixed, 2-did not punch down after taking out of fridge and let rise for 4+ hours before shaping, 3- had a hard time punching down out of the fridge) BUT nonetheless, they turned out fine EVERY TIME so the recipe is pretty forgiving! I used scissors to cut them into the pumpkin shape and was super easy! I made them for Thanksgiving and Christmas and par-baked them prior. They came out great!! I love the way you explain how the ingredients all work together – like Alton Brown but more layman’s terms! THANK YOU, I LOVE YOUR SITE and continue finding awesome recipes!
I made these last Thanksgiving and absolutely loved them! They were a huge hit among the family, especially when paired with the butter. Simple and oh so rewarding!
I absolutely loved these! They were a huge hit last Thanksgiving among family, even the picky eaters! The butter is a perfect pair. Oh so simple and delicious!
Can you use a bread maker to make the dough? How would that change the recipe?
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made these today. I I watched your video on how to knead dough by hand and this video with helpful instructions. I had the confidence to try it and use my intuition as well. Thanks for giving me the confidence and tools to cook my first bread rolls. They came out great. Will be back to your site. 🙂
So cute!! Rolls are delicious, recipe and video were easy to follow. Happy thanksgiving!
So glad you loved these rolls! Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
These were delicious. My first attempt at making bread ever and they came out so well! The subtle subtle sweetness is so nice. Thank you for the clear instructions and the handy video!
Aw, yay! Congratulations on making bread for the first time! I’m so happy you loved them 🙂