Fall baking doesn’t get much better than warm dinner rolls straight from the oven.
These pumpkin dinner rolls bring all the cozy flavors of autumn to your dinner table with their soft, pillowy texture and subtle spice.
The golden orange color alone will make your guests smile before they even take their first bite. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy to make and fill your kitchen with the most incredible aroma while they bake.
These rolls work perfectly for Thanksgiving dinner, but they’re too good to save for just one day a year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These pumpkin dinner rolls strike the perfect balance between fluffy bread and seasonal flavor. The pumpkin keeps them incredibly moist while adding just enough sweetness to complement savory dishes.
They’re also wonderfully versatile. Serve them alongside roast chicken, use them for leftover turkey sandwiches, or simply enjoy them warm with butter as an afternoon snack.
The dough comes together easily and doesn’t require any special techniques.
Even if you’re new to bread making, you’ll find these rolls approachable and forgiving.
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
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Instructions
Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, warm milk, melted butter, and egg until smooth.
Form the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.
Knead: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky. The dough should spring back when poked gently.
First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Shape the rolls: Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Second rise: Cover the rolls with a damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
Finish: Brush the warm rolls with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven. Serve warm.
Tips for Success
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Warm them briefly in the oven before serving to restore their soft texture.
You can make the dough a day ahead. After the first rise, punch it down, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before shaping.
For extra richness, substitute buttermilk for regular milk. The slight tang complements the pumpkin beautifully.
These rolls freeze well too. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
Print
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Soft, golden dinner rolls infused with pumpkin puree and warm autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. They just scream “fall is here!”
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, warm milk, melted butter, and egg until smooth.
- Form the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.
- Knead: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky. The dough should spring back when poked gently.
- First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape the rolls: Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Second rise: Cover the rolls with a damp towel and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Finish: Brush the warm rolls with melted butter immediately after removing from the oven. Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
