Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

This is a recipe I developed for Rogers Foods.

• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 cup milk, warm
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 7-8 cups Rogers All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (if using canned, choose 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water

1. Dissolve 1 tsp of the sugar in the warm milk; add yeast and let stand 10 minutes, until frothy.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, salt, cloves and nutmeg. Add the yeast mixture, pumpkin puree, melted butter, oil and egg; stir until well combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, turning once to coat dough completely. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow dough to rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 equal sized portions. Roll each into a ball. Place on a greased baking sheet (or in a greased 9″x13″x2″ pan) and cover. Allow to rise for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in bulk once again.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat egg yolk with 1 tbsp water, and brush evenly over rolls. Bake in centre of oven for approximately 45 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Best served warm.

You may reheat the rolls by wrapping with aluminum foil and baking at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes, 30 minutes if frozen.

YIELD: 16 rolls