Pumpkin Honey Dinner Rolls…this Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day in the United States is soon here…November 22, 2012.
It is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

It’s a time to be grateful. It’s a time to celebrate with those we love. But, it’s a holiday time that can be stressful. There are many dishes that are served on this day. If not tackled like an event planner, you may fizzle out emotionally and physically from so much to do. To your benefit, it’s wise to write out your full menu, list ingredients to purchase, and start cooking and baking in advance of Thanksgiving Day. Oh, lest we forget, the home needs to get cleaned and other miscellaneous tasks need attention too. I’m dizzy already. You?

A great tradition we do “now” in our family is this…everyone brings a dish, be it savory or sweet. It really helps the host. So, instead of everyone bringing a gift to the host, they just bring a part of the Thanksgiving meal. Watching football is also a tradition that is a must. My brothers are Dallas Cowboy fans. And me, well, I’m the cheerleader.  Go Cowboys! Go Cowboys! See, told ya…

This year I want to make bread from scratch. I plan on baking rolls for Thanksgiving. I look forward to it because I just love bread…OMG…I can eat bread as a meal if I had to.

I found a recipe online by Susan S. Bradley of Luna Café named, Savory Pumpkin Honey Dinner Rolls. She has a beautiful website. It includes step-by-step recipe photo tutorials.

I found the pumpkin taste in the rolls subtle, not prominent. It had a bit of a sweetness to it, which I really liked.

Susan mentioned that the dough was very sticky to work with. Indeed it was. I had to add more flour than the recipe indicated. It was so sticky I could not manage it without the additional flour. Apparently, it worked out great with the addition of the flour. I kneaded the bread dough using my Kitchen Aid mixer for 25 minutes.

In shaping and second proofing of the dough, I opted to put the rolls in muffin tins. I proofed the shaped rolls for an hour.

The pumpkin rolls were baked until golden. I used an instant read thermometer to check the rolls for doneness at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. I opted out of sprinkling seeds on the rolls. I wanted to try them plain. Susan also has a recipe for Maple Pumpkin Spice Butter, which you may like.

Visit The Luna Café for the
FULL RECIPE 

Savory Pumpkin Honey Dinner Rolls

By Susan S. Bradley of The Luna Cafe
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of sometimes SAVORY

INGREDIENTS

1 packet (2½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
1 cup pureed pumpkin
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup honey
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
3–4 cups bread flour- (*I used 5 cups)
olive oil, for greasing bowl

Topping
2 tablespoons melted butter

My Notes:
• I Used 5 cups bread flour.
• Kneaded dough for 25 minutes using my Kitchen Aid mixer.
• Second proofing of shaped dough rolls was for one hour.
• I omitted sprinkling seeds on rolls.
• Baked rolls. Check rolls for doneness at 200 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant read thermometer.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” – Thornton Wilder

Carmen

Sometimes SAVORY…cooking is art revealed

NOTE: Dessert recipes can be found on my dessert blog, Baking is my Zen.

Photography by Carmen Ortiz ~All Rights Reserved.
Not to be used without permission.