Looking for a special addition to your Thanksgiving feast? These adorable, tasty, little pumpkin rolls will definitely draw admiration from your guests. This recipe has a handful of steps, so get your little kitchen helpers ready to “roll.” It’s craft time with bread dough!
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine ¼ cup water, 1 packet active dry yeast, and a little brown sugar. Stir to dissolve and allow to sit until foamy.
In a medium bowl, combine 6 tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon dried ginger, ¾ cups milk, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 2 ½ teaspoons salt. Stir until combined. Add egg and mix well.
Add pumpkin mixture to the bowl of the standing mixer. Using the paddle, mix in 2 cups flour on low speed. Add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time until a sticky dough forms. Switch the paddle to a dough hook. Knead for about 5 minutes.
Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl, coating the entire dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours. Prepare baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut dough in halves, cutting into 32 pieces, about the size of a golf ball.
Working with a few at a time, roll the balls into 12-inch ropes on a surfaced that has not been floured. The dough will stick slightly to the surface, making it easier to roll out.
To shape the dough into a pumpkin, lightly flour the ropes and surface so the ropes do not stick when trying to wrap into a pumpkin.
Make a loop with one end of the rope. Taking the longer end, wrap the rope in and out of the circle. When the rope is too short to wrap, tuck it underneath the pumpkin.
Place pumpkins on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Allow the pumpkins to rest and rise a second time for about 10 minutes.
Brush pumpkins with an egg wash. Place pecans in the center of each pumpkin before baking if you like roasted nuts, or wait and place after rolls have baked.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until light golden brown.
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