There's something magical about warm bread on a crisp fall day, especially when it comes out of the oven shaped like tiny pumpkins. These pumpkin shaped dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and irresistibly cute. They look beautiful on any Thanksgiving table or fall gathering and are easier to make than you might think.
Why We Love This Recipe
- These are so cute, and perfect for fall entertaining.
- They're easy to make in the bread maker or by hand.
- These rolls are soft and fluffy and delicious.
- It's not difficult at all to form them into pumpkins.
A Quick Look At This Recipe
- 📋 Recipe: Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
- ⏲️ Ready: In 2 hours 50 Minutes
- 👪 Servings: Makes 8 rolls
- 🔪 Difficulty: Easy -Especially if you use the bread machine to make the dough.
- 💭Top Tip: Make these for Thanksgiving or a fall get together and wow your guests!
Jump to:
This dinner roll recipe is one I use all the time and I thought it would be fun to shape into pumpkins for fall. These turned out so great.
Whether you use a bread machine or mix the dough by hand, this simple recipe walks you through each step to create rolls that are as delicious as they are charming. The secret is a bit of kitchen string that gives each roll its pumpkin shape, and a touch of herbs for the perfect little stem on top.
These festive rolls are ideal for fall dinners, cozy Sunday meals, or any time you want to make your table feel special.
They're very similar to our Heart Shaped Hamburger Buns that we made for Valentine's Day. I think they'd be really delicious for your Thanksgiving dinner or any fall dinner party, like this Cozy Fall Soup Party. If you love pumpkin, you might also like our Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats, and Pumpkin Blondies.
Use Your Bread Machine Or Make By Hand
We made the dough for our pumpkin shaped rolls in the bread machine! It doesn't get any easier than that, and the dough always comes out perfectly. They take about 2.5 hours in my bread machine at the dough setting, and then you can take out the dough, form them into pumpkin rolls, let them rise and bake. They are a little time-consuming, but most of the time is spent waiting and they aren't difficult to make at all.
You can also make the dough by hand if you don't have a bread machine.
Ingredients
Exact measurements and a full list in the recipe card.
- Yeast: I use bread machine instant yeast, and it works great. Top tip: store it in your instant yeast in the refrigerator in a sealed container to extend its life and keep it fresh.
- Bread Flour: Bread and rolls are traditionally made with bread flour because it contains more protein that helps create stronger more elastic gluten, resulting in chewy rolls.
- Kitchen String: This recipe uses kitchen string tied around the dough to create the pumpkins shape. This basic, undyed string works best. Do not use a dyed string that might leach into the dough, or a jute twine that might remove easily from the rolls.
- Oil: We used olive oil to coat our string and finished rolls, but you can use vegetable oil if you prefer.
Substitutions
- All Purpose Flour: you can substitute all purpose flour for the bread flour in this recipe.
How To Make Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Step 1: If you are using a bread machine, layer all the ingredients into the bread maker. Starting with the butter, then warm water, sugar, egg and salt. Next, in the flour and lastly add the yeast. It's important to add the ingredients in order. And do not mix them together. Set your bread maker to the "dough" setting.
If you are making your dough by hand, in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy. Add in the butter, sugar, egg, salt, and flour. Mix by hand or in a stand mixer until the dough comes together. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, continue until the dough is smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large bowl, sprayed with oil, turning once to coat the top and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place to rise until it's doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
Step 2: When your dough is finished, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead to remove any air bubbles. Then divide your dough into 8 equal pieces to make 8 rolls, dividing the dough in half, then dividing each piece in half, and half again to make them equal.
Step 3: Shape each piece of dough first into a ball, then. And set the dough balls aside.
Step 4: Cut 8 pieces of kitchen string about 3 feet long. Pour your oil into a small bowl, and add in the string pieces and fully coat them in oil.
To make your pumpkin shaped bun, wrap the string around the dough ball, crossing in the back to make 8 equal sections, and secure the string by tying it together with a knot. Do these with all eight dough balls. The string should be taut, but not pressing into the dough ball.
Step 5: Place the tied dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet, and brush the tops with oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cook for 20 minutes or until the baked rolls are golden brown and sound hollow inside when tapped on the bottom.
Step 7: Allow to cool for a few minutes, until they're cool enough to handle and remove the string, using scissors to cut the pieces and then pull them off of the rolls.
Step 8: To make a pumpkins stem use some herbs, we used parsley stems and sage leaves, poked into the top of the roll.
Expert Tips:
Be sure to oil your kitchen string before tying, so it's easier to remove after baking. And don't tie your kitchen string too tightly, we want it to be taut, but not digging into the dough when we first tie it. As the dough rises, the indents will be formed.
Storage
These pumpkin shaped rolls are best eaten the day they are made. Store any extras at room temperature in an airtight container.
Serving Ideas
These pumpkin dinner rolls are wonderful with soups, stews, or roasted meats. Serve them at Thanksgiving with butter and honey, or use them as mini sandwich rolls filled with turkey and cranberry sauce for leftovers the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think uneven sections are fine, they give the rolls some character, and make them look more organic and natural.
Wait until the roll has cooled slightly and is firm enough to handle safely. Cut the string at the top and gently peel off, pulling each loop open carefully so you don't tear the roll.
Yes, prepare the dough through the first rise, then refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Once baked and cooled, freeze the rolls in an airtight container for up to two months. Thaw and then reheat gently in the oven before serving.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you tried this Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls Recipe or any other recipe on the blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Recipe
Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon softened butter
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ½ tablespoon sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 tsps instant yeast
- ¼ cup oil
- Optional: parsley stem and sage leaves
Instructions
- For the Bread Maker: Add the butter, warm water, sugar, egg and salt to the bread maker. Next, add in the flour, and lastly, add the yeast. It's important to add the ingredients in order, and not stir the ingredients together. Set your bread maker to the "dough" setting.
- To Make the Dough by Hand: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy. Add in the butter, sugar, egg, salt, and flour. Mix by hand or in a stand mixer until the dough comes together. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, continue until the dough is smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large bowl, sprayed with oil, turning once to coat the top and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place to rise until it's doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
- When your dough is finished, place it onto a floured surface and knead to remove the air.
- Divide your dough into 8 equal pieces to make 8 rolls.Shape each piece of dough first into a ball, then. And set the dough balls aside.
- Cut 8 pieces of kitchen string about 3 feet long. Pour your oil into a small bowl, and add in the string pieces and fully coat them in oil.
- To make your pumpkin, wrap the string around the dough ball, crossing in the back to make 8 equal sections, and secure the string by tying it. Do these with all eight dough balls.
- Place the tied dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet, and brush the tops with oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook for 20 minutes or until the baked rolls are golden brown and sound hollow inside when tapped on the bottom.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes, until they're cool enough to handle and remove the string, using scissors to cut the pieces and pull off of the rolls.
- Optional: To make a pumpkin stem use some herbs, we used parsley stems and sage leaves, poked into the top of the roll.
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