Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

These pumpkin dinner rolls give the classic dinner rolls a cozy fall twist, perfect for any holiday meal. Soft, fluffy, and easy to bake at home!

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin dinner rolls

Prep Time: 1 40

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 2 10

Servings:

Calories: 159kcal

Author: Louisa

Cook the cubed pumpkin over low heat until tender. Then, drain and mash until lump-free. Cool slightly.
Add the water, sugar, and yeast to a small bowl and briefly stir. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.
In a large bowl, add the pumpkin puree, yeast mixture, flour, butter, and salt. Mix and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until you form a smooth dough. It will be slightly sticky. If it's too tacky to knead, add a small amount of flour. It should be soft and elastic towards the end of kneading time.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and let it rise at warm room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough, then divide it into small balls.
Arrange them on a greased baking pan, close together.
Cover with a towel and let the rolls rise in a warm room temperature for about 30 minutes or until they start to touch each other.
Preheat the oven to 350°F towards the end of the rising time.
Whisk together the yolk and milk.
Brush the rolls with the egg wash, then bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Measure your flour correctly, as too much flour can make the rolls too dense. You also want the dough to increase by at least 75% during the first rise, and the rolls should look puffy after the second rise. A dough that has not risen enough will yield hard pumpkin dinner rolls!
After shaping the pumpkin bread rolls, cover the pan tightly and let them rise in the fridge for about 12 hours. If they have still not puffed up, let them rise, covered, at warm room temperature. Once puffy, brush with egg wash and bake according to the recipe.
Once cooled, transfer the pumpkin rolls to an airtight container and enjoy within 5 days. You can microwave them for 30 seconds if you prefer them warm. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.