"Lil' Pumpkin" Dinner Rolls with Spiced Honey Butter!

I know...... I posted a "pumpkin-based" recipe last week......You're thinking, "Here we go again...."  However, these might not be what you're expecting. If you're looking for a soft, pumpkin-spiced roll, that's NOT what these are. Yes, they are soft, but they're only spiced if you top them with the honey butter. Otherwise, they're just a WONDERFUL, very cute, very soft, very easy-to-make dinner roll. 

I wasn't going to post this recipe, as I imagine it's everywhere on the internet right now. But, since it's such a standard at this time of year, I thought I'd better have it "on file" here at EZ DOH. I baked them twice this week! Once for card club - My friends just loved how beautiful they were. However, they didn't believe me when I told them how easy it was to make them. Just to prove it to myself, the next day I had the grand-girls over to make dinner, which and THEY baked the pumpkin rolls. They ADORED making them. And they were soooooo proud to show "Momma" and "Daddy" their creations. 

I think you'll be proud, too, to put these on your fall dinner table. And your family and friends will be "wow-ed!" Enjoy! 

“Lil’ Pumpkin” Dinner Rolls with Spiced Honey Butter!

For Dough:

1 pkg/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast

1 Cup warmed milk

¼ Cup sugar

3 Tbsp. butter, softened

½ Cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 tsp. salt

3 ¾ Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

For wash:

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water

For “stems”:

Sliced pecan pieces

For spiced honey butter:

½ Cup softened butter

¼ Cup powdered sugar

¼ Cup honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

Beat all ingredients thoroughly together.

Place warm milk and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated. Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Divide dough into 16 equal-sized pieces. Shape into balls. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. With a sharp, serrated knife, make 8 cuts around the perimeter of the ball, being careful not slice all the way into the center. Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. When doubled, uncover and brush each roll with the egg wash. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Place on a wire rack to cool. Gently push a pecan slice into the center of each roll for the pumpkin “stem”. If desired, serve with spiced honey butter. Enjoy! (Recipe can be easily halved)

Recipe adapted from “Handle the Heat” 
Visit http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/ for more delicious breads

"Lil' Pumpkin" Dinner Rolls with Spiced Honey Butter!