Pumpkin Shaped Bread Rolls

These soft, fluffy and delicious pumpkin shaped bread rolls, with a hint of pumpkin flavour and warming fall spices, not only look like pumpkins, but also have homemade pumpkin purée in the dough. They are wonderful to bring to a family gathering for the holiday dinner party. To make 250 grams pumpkin puree, you need about 350-400 grams of pumpkin flesh. Cut the flesh into chunks and roast until tender. Blend it until smooth before using for the dough. I used pumpkin pie spice mix, but ½ teaspoon of cinnamon plus a large pinch of nutmeg would work lovely too.


400 g Plain flour 7 g Instant dried yeast 3/4-1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice mix 1/3 tsp Sea salt 85 ml Whole milk, lukewarm 250 g Pumpkin puree 2 tbsp Olive oil 3 Pecans, halved for garnish 1 Small egg, to glaze

Tip the flour into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the instant dried yeast, spice mix, and salt and mix to combine.
Warm the milk until lukewarm and add it to the bowl with the pumpkin purée and olive oil. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed slightly and knead for a further 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and leaves the side of the bowl.
Shape the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a mixing bowl and return the dough ball in it. Cover and leave the dough in a draught free place at room temperature for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it briefly. Divide the dough into 6-8 even portions. Shape each dough portion into a ball.
Grease the 6-8 pieces of kitchen cooking twines with a little olive oil. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
Lay a length of kitchen twine on the work surface. Place one dough ball in the middle of the string, then bring each end up and cross them over the dough ball as if wrapping a parcel. Without tightening the kitchen twine around the dough (don’t squeeze the twine into the dough), carefully turn the dough ball over. Repeat this wrapping with the twine so that it marks out 8 segments of the dough ball. Tie the kitchen twine in a knot to secure it and place the ball on a lined baking tray with the knot underneath. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover the balls loosely and leave them to prove at room temperature for about 45 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Lightly beaten the egg and brush over the bread rolls.
Bake the roll in the middle of hot oven for 25 minutes, until they are deep golden brown. Remove and cool for a few minutes, then carefully snip off the kitchen twine. Press a piece of pecan half into the top of each pumpkin for a stalk.

8 comments:

DEZMOND 18/11/25 13:20: I was wondering whether you would join the trend of pumpkin rolls LOL They are so gorgeous, fluffy und soft! Would eat the whole pan of them even though I avoid glutenzie.
Anonymous 18/11/25 13:36: Pretty shape -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Lola Martínez 18/11/25 13:51: Estas calabacitas son preciosas y deliciosas, propias de la estación actual y estupendas para ofrecer y regalar.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen 18/11/25 13:56: Oh, I remember this shape was super trendy a few years ago, and I wanted to make them myself - never happened lol. These look fantastic!
My name is Erika. 18/11/25 14:26: These are so cute and look so tasty. With Thanksgiving next week they would be perfect. I'm going to try these Angie. Thanks for sharing them.
Brian's Home Blog 18/11/25 15:18: Yum! We'll have a dozen to go please!!!
Federica Simoni 18/11/25 15:20: wow bellissime!!
Hena Tayeb 18/11/25 15:40: These look so good.