Soft Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls (Shaped Like Pumpkins!)
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When the leaves start to change colour, and that crisp chill hits the air, there is nothing quite like the smell of fresh, homemade bread baking in the oven. These adorable Soft Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls are about to become your ultimate go-to baking project for the Fall!
Made with pumpkin purée and a warm hint of pumpkin spice, this incredibly soft, fluffy yeast dough pulls double duty. It is delicious all on its own, smeared with a little salty butter, but it also makes the absolute perfect side dish for dunking into your favourite autumn soups and heavy winter stews.
The best part? These rolls are actually shaped like adorable mini pumpkins! You might have seen these beauties floating around Pinterest and assumed you had to buy an expensive, specialized baking pan to make them. The truth? All you need is a roll of standard butcher’s twine! They are the perfect, show-stopping addition to your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- That Soft, Fluffy Texture: Using heavy cream and bread flour ensures this dough bakes up incredibly pillowy and soft.
- Real Pumpkin Flavour: We use canned pumpkin purée and warm spices directly in the dough for authentic autumn flavour and a gorgeous golden-orange colour.
- A Show-Stopping Presentation: I will teach you my simple, step-by-step trick for using kitchen string to shape these rolls into perfect little pumpkins!
Ingredients You Will Need
You will need 10 pieces of standard kitchen butcher’s twine (cut into 40-inch lengths) and a few half-pecans for decorating!
For the Enriched Yeast Dough:
- The Dry Mix: 3 ½ cups bread flour (spooned and leveled), 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 standard envelope), 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- The Wet Mix: ½ cup canned pumpkin purée, ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature), 1 large egg (room temperature), ½ cup heavy cream, and ½ cup water.
For the Shiny Egg Wash:
- The Glaze: 1 large egg whisked with 1 teaspoon of water.
How to Make Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Phase 1: Mix and Knead the Dough
- The Oven Hack: Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (usually 170°F/77°C) for 10 minutes. Turn the oven off. This creates the perfect warm proofing environment!
- Add all of the dry ingredients (bread flour, brown sugar, instant yeast, pumpkin spice, and salt) to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Make a well in the center.
- Add the pumpkin purée, softened butter, and room-temperature egg into the well.
- Warm the Liquids: In a microwave-safe container, mix the heavy cream and water. Microwave for 30 seconds until it reaches 110°F (43°C). (If it is hotter than this, let it cool so you don’t kill the yeast!) Pour the warm cream mixture into the bowl.
- Attach the dough hook and mix on low until combined. Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
Phase 2: The First Rise
- Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place it in the bowl, and roll it around to coat it in the oil.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place it inside your warmed (but turned off!) oven to proof for 1 hour. No peeking!
Phase 3: Shape the Pumpkins with Twine
- Turn your oven to 170°F(77°C) for 10 minutes again, then turn it off to prep for the second rise.
- Punch down the risen dough to release the air bubbles. Roll it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into an even log. Cut the log into 10 equal-sized pieces. Keep them covered with a towel so they don’t dry out.
- Take one piece of dough and pinch/roll the bottom to create a perfectly smooth, tight ball.
- The Twine Trick: Lay one 40-inch piece of butcher’s twine flat on your counter. Place the dough ball in the center. Bring the ends up and tie them loosely across the top (do not tie tightly or it will cut into the dough as it rises!). Rotate the string 45 degrees clockwise.
- Flip the dough over and tie the string again (like you are wrapping a present). Repeat this process, crossing the string until you have 8 equal “segments” wrapped around the dough. Tie a loose bow on top and trim the ends. Repeat with all 10 rolls!
Phase 4: Second Rise and Bake
- Place the twine-wrapped dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking tray, spaced 2 inches apart. Place them back into the warmed oven for a second proof of 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. (As they puff up, the string will naturally create those deep pumpkin ridges!)
- Remove the tray from the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Brush the entire surface of each bun with the egg wash.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until gorgeously golden brown.
- Let them cool on a wire rack. Carefully cut and remove all the strings. Press a pecan or walnut half into the top center of each bun to look like a pumpkin stem!
💡Pro Tips for the Best Rolls
- Homemade vs. Canned Pumpkin: Always use canned pumpkin purée for baking! Homemade pumpkin purée holds vastly different amounts of water and sugar depending on the pumpkin you buy. Canned purée has a consistent moisture level, guaranteeing your dough turns out perfectly every single time.
- Tie the Twine LOOSELY: This is the most important step! When wrapping your dough balls, the string should just barely be touching the dough. As the dough proofs and bakes, it expands greatly. If you tie the string tight from the beginning, the dough will bake over the string, making it impossible to remove without ripping your beautiful bread!
- Want Sweet Pumpkin Buns? You can easily turn these savoury dinner rolls into sweet breakfast buns! Simply increase the brown sugar in the dough from 1 Tablespoon to ½ cup. You can even stuff the centers with cream cheese or Nutella before wrapping them in twine!
Complete the Fall Feast
Looking for something cute, delicious, and comforting for your Thanksgiving or Autumn dinner table? Pair these beautiful pumpkin rolls with the following:
- Turkey-Shaped Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry: Keep the adorable holiday-shaped food coming with these fun, savoury, flaky puff pastry appetizers!
- Pork and Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk: Looking for the ultimate pairing? Use your fluffy pumpkin rolls to soak up every last drop of this rich, comforting, and incredibly savoury autumn soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t have Bread flour. Can I use All-Purpose flour?
Bread flour is ideal because its higher protein content gives the yeast dough that perfect, chewy, fluffy texture. However, you can absolutely use standard All-Purpose flour! Because AP flour absorbs slightly less liquid than bread flour, I recommend reducing your heavy cream/water mixture to ¾ cup total, adding a splash more only if the dough feels too dry while kneading.
How do I make a foolproof yeast dough?
Temperature is everything! Always make sure your eggs and butter are completely at room temperature before starting so they blend smoothly. Second, always use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your liquid (the cream/water mix). It must be between 105°F and 115°F to wake up the yeast. Anything hotter than 115°F will kill the yeast cells, and your dough will never rise! You can read more about foolproof yeast dough here
What should I do with leftover dinner rolls?
If you have leftover rolls that are starting to go slightly stale after a few days, do not throw them away! Chop them up and use them to make a rich, spiced bread pudding!
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Soft Fluffy Pumpkin Dinner Rolls (Shaped Like Pumpkins!)
Ingredients
- 3½ cups bread flour spooned & levelled
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast 1 envelope
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup canned pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup water
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- 10 large pecans or walnuts cut in half for the stems
- 10 strings butcher's twine cut to 40-inch lengths
Equipment
Method
- Prep and Mix the Dough: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (usually 170°F / 77°C) for 10 minutes, then turn the oven off. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, brown sugar, instant yeast, pumpkin spice, and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the pumpkin purée, room-temperature butter, and the egg.
- Add Warm Liquid and Knead: In a microwave-safe container, mix the heavy cream and water. Heat for 30 seconds until it reaches 110°F (43°C). (Do not exceed 115°F or you will kill the yeast!) Pour the warm liquid into the bowl. Attach the dough hook and mix on low to combine, then increase to medium-low and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
- The First Rise: Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place it in the bowl, and roll it to coat in the oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a clean hand towel. Place the bowl in the warmed, turned-off oven to proof for 1 hour. (No peeking!)
- Portion the Dough: Turn the oven back to 170°F (77°C) for 10 minutes, then turn off. Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into an even log, then cut it into 10 equal pieces. Keep the dough covered with a towel while working.
- The Twine Trick: Pinch and roll one piece of dough into a perfectly smooth ball. Lay one 40-inch string of butcher's twine flat on your counter. Place the dough ball in the center. Bring the ends up and tie them loosely across the top. Rotate the string 45 degrees clockwise, flip the dough over, and cross the string again, repeating until you have 8 evenly spaced segments. Tie a loose bow to secure it and trim the ends. (Do not tie tightly; the dough needs room to expand!) Repeat with all 10 rolls.
- Second Rise: Place the tied dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking tray, spaced 2 inches apart. Cover with a towel and place back into the warmed oven for a second proof of 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Remove the tray from the oven.
- Glaze and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Whisk 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the entire surface of each bun. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then carefully snip and remove all the twine. Press a pecan or walnut half into the top center of each bun to create a stem. Serve warm!
