Pumpkin Rolls

In my desperate search to find more recipes to use up our organically grown Zucca Barucca squashes, I found a recipe for rolls in one of my German bread baking books. Have you ever heard of pumpkin rolls? They sell them in German bakeries this time of year. The perfect side to go with any festive dinner this season!

I changed up the German recipe slightly since I did not like that it used all white flour.

• 300 grams of pumpkin puree (acorn, butternut, or any kind of wintersquash will work!)


• 250 grams of whole wheat flour


• 250 grams of regular flour


• 1/4 tsp. of salt


• touch of nutmeg


• 200 ml of milk


• 3 tsp. of dry yeast

1. Sift flour, add the salt and nutmeg.Put milk in microwave for one and a half minutes and warm up to a little warmer than room temperature. Add yeast to milk and stir until it is blended in with the milk.


2. Add the milk yeast mixture to flour. Add pumpkin puree. Knead together until it sticks together. You want a nice dough that is not too sticky. Add more flour if needed.


3. Place dough in bowl and place towel over it. Let rise in a warm spot. I like to put mine on the radiators. Works great this time of year...


4. Once the dough has about doubled in size knead again. Shape into 15 little rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. While the oven is warming to 400 degrees let the buns rest and rise once more.


5. When the oven has reached temperature put buns in and bake for about 20-25 minutes. They are ready when they are turning brown and sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of a bun!

Delicious! The rolls can be decorated with an eggwash and raw pumpkin seeds before baking. I did not have any seeds around - so I left them naked. This is a good recipe for kids and people who don't like pumpkin normally. The buns are orange but the pumpkin flavor is not very strong. I really like baking them because they are so simple, and it helps me keep our drafty old house warm... ;)