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These pumpkin shaped dinner rolls are buttery, soft, and so much fun to make. They have a subtle pumpkin flavor, a golden brown crust, and a fluffy center. They’re adorable and perfect for fall!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItI first spotted these adorable pumpkin dinner rolls in Taste of Home magazine and knew I had to try them. They turned out so soft, buttery, and full of pumpkin flavor that I immediately added them to my Thanksgiving menu.
I kept the recipe a little simpler by leaving out some of the extra herbs, and honestly, they were perfect just like that. These rolls make such a charming side dish and look so festive on a holiday table!
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin cornbread and pumpkin bread!
Pumpkin Rolls Ingredients
Instant yeast or active dry yeast: Either works well for this recipe. The yeast gives the rolls their soft, pillowy texture.
Warm water: Helps activate the yeast. The liquid should be warm, not hot. You can use milk too.
Pumpkin Puree: Adds natural pumpkin flavor, moisture, and color. You can use canned or homemade pumpkin purée.
Garlic powder, onion powder & Red Pepper Flakes: Add savory flavor that pairs beautifully with herbs. You can use cayenne pepper too.
Bread flour: Bread flour creates a slightly chewier texture, but all-purpose flour works too. You may need additional flour during kneading.
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Melts into the dough for richness.
Melted butter: Adds softness to the dough and is brushed on top as melted butter for a golden finish.
Braided pretzel twists: Used for the pumpkin stems, but cinnamon sticks or pecans work well too.
How to Make Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Prepare the yeast mixture: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk or water with active dry yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
Mix the dough: Add pumpkin purée, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, herbs, and flour. Mix until a smooth dough forms, adding a little extra flour if needed.
Knead and first rise: Knead on a floured work surface for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature (or a warmer area) until doubled, about 1 hour.
Shape the rolls: Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then tie with four pieces of baker’s twine to create pumpkin segments. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Second rise: Cover and let rise again until puffy and light, another 30 mins to an hour.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. and bake 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
Finish: Brush warm rolls with melted butter, remove the twine, and add pretzel twist or cinnamon stick stems.
Eden’s Recipe Tips
Use instant yeast for ease. If you want to skip proofing time, instant yeast can be mixed directly with the ingredients. It speeds things up and still creates a soft, fluffy dough.
Lightly grease your bowl. A lightly greased bowl prevents the dough from sticking during the first rise and makes it easy to punch down later.
Knead just enough. Don’t overwork the dough. Stop when it’s smooth and elastic to keep the rolls soft and tender.
Create a warm environment. If your kitchen is chilly, place the dough in the oven with just the light on for gentle warmth—or turn the oven on low and set the bowl on top. This encourages a beautiful rise without drying out the dough.
Serve them warm. These rolls are at their very best within the first hour after baking. Serve them warm and fluffy with plenty of butter. A compound butter with herbs or garlic makes them even better.
Finish with melted butter. Brushing the rolls with melted butter right after baking gives them a soft, rich top and that classic golden brown look.
Storing and Freezing
Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
To freeze, wrap the rolls in foil and place in a freezer bag. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
For the best texture, brush them again with melted butter after reheating.
You can also keep shaped, unbaked dough in the fridge overnight and bake the next day.
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls FAQs
You can make the dough, shape it, and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove the rolls from the refrigerator, let them come to room temperature, and allow them to rise before baking. This method works exceptionally well for Thanksgiving when you want to prep the dish in advance.
Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm liquid before use, while instant yeast can be added directly to the ingredients. Both work for this recipe. Instant yeast is faster, while active dry yeast gives a slightly more developed flavor during the first rise.
Yes. Homemade pumpkin purée works perfectly and can give the rolls an even richer pumpkin flavor. Just make sure to drain out excess liquid before adding it to the dough.
Bread flour gives a soft, slightly chewy texture and helps the rolls bake up tall and fluffy.
Check that your oven is fully preheated and that you’re baking on the center rack. Brushing with egg wash before baking encourages color, while brushing with melted butter afterward adds shine and flavor.
These rolls are best served warm, right out of the oven, but they can absolutely be stored. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. To bring them back to their soft, fluffy texture, reheat briefly in the microwave or warm in the oven at a low temperature until heated through. Brush with a little melted butter after reheating to make them taste freshly baked again.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Recipes
Cranberry Cornbread
Thanksgiving
How to Cook a Turkey in The Oven
Thanksgiving
Easy Stuffing Recipe
This is the kind of recipe that becomes part of your fall tradition year after year. Let me know in the comments if you make them!
My new Entertaining book is here! Order Now!
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, extra for brushing the rolls after too
- 12 small braided pretzels
Instructions
- Combine the active dry yeast with warm water and let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy. (If using instant yeast, skip this step and add it with the flour.)
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add pumpkin purée, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, red pepper flakes.
- Pour in the yeast mixture (or warm water if using instant yeast).
- Add half of the flour and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add remaining flour a little at a time until the dough is soft and slightly tacky but clearing the bowl.
- Mix in the shredded cheddar until evenly distributed.
- Knead 5 minutes (stand mixer on low to medium-low or by hand on a lightly floured work surface) until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 60–90 minutes.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment. Cut baker’s twine into 48 pieces (4 per roll), about 10–12 inches each. Lightly oil the twine to prevent sticking (optional but helpful).
- Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
- Lay four twine pieces in a star or plus pattern on the parchment. Set one dough ball in the center. Tie each piece gently over the top to create 8 segments. Do not tie tight; leave space for the second rise. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Cover the shaped rolls with a tea towel and let rise until puffy, 35–45 minutes. Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Optional for color: brush tops lightly with egg wash.
- Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool 10 minutes on the pan.
- Snip and remove the twine. Insert a pretzel twist half into the center for the stem. Then brush tops with melted butter.
- Serve warm. For later, rewarm briefly in a low oven and brush with more melted butter.
Notes
- Make Ahead: After kneading, refrigerate the dough in an airtight container overnight. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping. The second rise may take a little longer since the dough will be cool.
- Twine Tip: Lightly oil the baker’s twine so it’s easy to remove after baking. Tie gently so the dough can rise freely.
- Reheating: Warm leftover rolls in a 300°F oven, then brush with melted butter to refresh.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
