Easy To Make Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

With fall in the air, I want to share my pumpkin dinner rolls recipe with you today with a recent update. I love making dinner rolls, so I used my popular no-fail dinner roll recipe and traded out part of the milk for 100% pumpkin puree.

They turned out fabulous! Now, if you like pumpkin spice flavor you could add a bit of that spice too.

I opted not to add it. I can guarantee you, I spread a lot of butter on these dinner rolls instead. Life is good with real butter, right?

When Mark and I lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, there was a place called the “Lion House.” I must admit, I loved their dinner rolls. When they served them at the table they had plenty of butter to spread as much as you wanted, darn it.

The “Lion House” had a pioneer theme behind the restaurant since it is where Brigham Young lived and ate so many years ago. The servers dressed in pioneer dresses with aprons and bonnets. It’s funny how these memories stick with you.

They were famous for their “Lion House Rolls.” I’m not sure they are open for meals anymore, but we loved that place.

Let me tell you what I love about this recipe, no bread mixer is needed. It’s so easy to make these pumpkin dinner rolls at the last minute. Start to finish is less than 2 hours.

You can mix them, shape them, let them rise, and then bake them. They are super soft and fluffy, with a subtle pumpkin flavor!

As long as you have FRESH ingredients anyone can make these. Please don’t store your yeast or dough enhancer in your pantry. It must be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer. In case you missed this post, Easy To Make Soft Dinner Rolls

Easy To Make Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• Milk: Due to the fat content, milk helps to produce a softer bread and enriches the flavor; browns the dough while cooking.
• Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling): Acts as a sweetener; softens the dough; an additional fat that adds delicious flavor!
• SAF Instant Yeast: A leavening agent; that helps to produce a needed gas that causes the bread to rise; feeds on the sugar that is added which expels carbon dioxide in the rising process.
• Dough Enhancer: Makes your bread and rolls light and fluffy; used to help strengthen the texture of the bread or rolls.
• Salt: added to help tighten the gluten; acts as a preservative.
• Sugar: When used in yeast bread, it provides food for the yeast. Helps to speed up the rise time in the rolls. Used to maintain moisture, creating a softer loaf.
• Egg: Great source of protein, helps to bind the dough together. Increases browning in the bread. Adds a deliciously rich flavor and helps to extend the life of the rolls.
• Oil: Helps to keep rolls from crumbling; prevents the water from evaporating which creates a moist and soft roll.
• Water: helps to hydrate the dough keeping the bread soft and moist; strengthens the gluten in the dough.
• All Purpose Flour (I use bread flour!): All-purpose flour has a lower protein content. Bread flour has a higher protein and gluten content which helps to hold the shape of the rolls.

Kitchen Items You May Need:

• Large Mixing Bowl
• 11-inch Danish Whisk (I prefer the 11-inch whisk because it fits inside a wide-mouth quart mason jar) or dough hook
• Dough Scraper
• 10-Inch Cake Pan
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons

Step One: Gather Ingredients

Gather all the ingredients so you’re ready to make these yummy pumpkin rolls.

Step Two: Combine the Ingredients

Grease a 10-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and set it aside. Grab a bowl and a Danish Whisk. Dump everything in a large greased bowl. Stir until mixed thoroughly.

Step Three: Add More Flour if Needed

Add additional flour if needed to the dough if the dough is too sticky. Don’t add too much, we want the dough fluffy.

Step Four: Knead the Dough

Flour your countertop and scoop the dough out onto the countertop. Knead for about 3-4 minutes.

Step Five: Cut the Dough

Shape the dough so you can cut the bread dough into eight evenly spaced sections.

Step Six: Make the Dinner Roll Balls

Take the 8 equal dough pieces (never stretch your dough) and mound each one into a ball and place the eight balls in the lightly greased pan.

Step Seven: Cover with Plastic Wrap

Cover with plastic wrap or a warm wet towel.

Step Eight: Let Rise and Then Bake

Let rise for about an hour. Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until slightly brown.

Finished Product

Lightly butter the tops after baking, if you want a softer dinner roll.

I use a baggie slathered with butter to spread the butter on the warm rolls. Let cool. Store in bags to keep the dinner rolls soft. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls Recipe

How do I store these pumpkin dinner rolls after baking?

I store mine in freezer bags to keep them soft and moist for 2-3 days.

Can I freeze the baked pumpkin dinner rolls?

Yes, you can freeze these in an airtight freezer bag for 1-2 months.

Can I freeze the pumpkin dinner rolls before baking them?

I’ve never tried that, so I can’t recommend it. I’m pretty sure it would work fine if you thaw out the rolls first. Try it and see.

Would these pumpkin dinner rolls taste good topped with honey butter?

These pumpkin dinner rolls would taste absolutely amazing topped with either butter, honey, or honey butter! Jams are great too.

What is the difference between using all-purpose flour and bread flour in this recipe?

The biggest difference between all-purpose flour and bread flour is that bread flour has a higher protein content (11-13%) than all-purpose flour. This higher protein is needed to help bind the gluten. This helps the loaf or rolls to hold their shape, whereas all-purpose flour would give the bread a lighter feel and a smaller loaf or roll. The flavor would be the same regardless of the flour used.

Would these pumpkin dinner rolls taste good if I added a spice, such as cinnamon or pumpkin spice?

I really love the recipe as is, but you are welcome to add a little cinnamon or pumpkin spice. Either spice would taste delicious!

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

I like to use instant yeast because it eliminates additional steps that I don’t feel are necessary. The instant yeast can be directly added to the dry ingredients, whereas you would need to dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients. It’s all about simplicity, right?

Could I use a baking sheet or square baking pan to cook these pumpkin dinner rolls?

I really love the look that the 10-inch round baking pan creates with these pumpkin rolls! You really could serve them directly in the pan if desired! If you are interested in using something other than the round baking pan, a square pan would also work. I don’t recommend using a baking sheet. This wouldn’t give the effect that we are looking for. The rolls would be dense and flat. We want a plump, tight roll which is what the baking pan would offer since the rolls are allowed to rise in the pan before baking!

Would these pumpkin dinner rolls taste good served at a Thanksgiving dinner or gathering?

These pumpkin rolls are a great addition to serve at a Thanksgiving dinner or gathering! I love to serve them with some butter or honey butter, as mentioned above!

Could I add a nut to this pumpkin roll recipe, such as a pecan?

These pumpkin dinner rolls would taste delicious if you were to add a nut, such as a pecan! This recipe is very versatile! That’s what I love about it! If you do decide to add a pecan, what would be really fun is to add the pecan to the pumpkin dinner roll to create a “stem” right before cooking. Saute one pecan for each roll in a little butter. Make a small indentation where the “stem” would be and push the pecan in. Such a fun alternative to this delicious recipe!

In case you missed this post:

• Pumpkin Muffin Recipe-Only Two Ingredients
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
• Pumpkin Cookies-A Family Favorite
• 50 Pumpkin Recipes For Any Occasion
• Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• Best Zucchini Carrot Pumpkin Cookies Ever

Final Word

I hope you enjoyed my post today on how to make pumpkin dinner rolls. Oh my gosh, Thanksgiving is coming in a few weeks, my friends! It is truly one of my very favorite holidays and a good time to share a beautiful meal with family and friends. Please take time for yourself and stay healthy and safe. May God Bless this world, Linda