Pumpkin Buns

5 from 4 votes

Soft, tender, and bursting with pumpkin flavor, Pumpkin Buns are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, and they’ll make your home smell incredible!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Rising2 30

Total Time3 5

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: buns

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Tatiana Kamakura

Ingredients

420 g all-purpose flour
24 g sugar
180 g pumpkin puree
1 large egg
7 g instant dry yeast
5 g sea salt
120 g milk whole, 2% or skim
75 g butter unsalted, melted
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie mix optional
1 egg yolk for the egg wash

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mix the wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, egg, milk, and melted butter.
In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, and pumpkin spice (if using).
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough with a stand mixer (using the dough hook) for 8 minutes. If kneading by hand, it should take about 10-12 minutes.
The dough should be tacky and silky with a good windowpane at the end. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for the first rise, which should take about 1 hour and 30 minutes, with the dough rising to about 85% of its original size.
On colder days, the rising time might be a bit longer. You can use your oven’s proofing function or leave the dough in the oven with the light on.
Deflate the dough and divide it into 9, 12, or 16 equal parts, depending on the size you prefer.
Fold each piece of dough over itself 4 to 6 times, then pinch the seams together to close, forming a small ball of dough.
Place the balls seam-side down on a lined baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish. Let them rise for about 1 hour, or until they look puffy and light.
Just before baking, brush the top of the buns with the egg yolk.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Using homemade pumpkin puree. Homemade pumpkin puree often has more moisture than canned. If using and your dough feels too sticky during kneading, add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup more flour. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl, but not the sides.

Baking during winter. Colder kitchens can slow down the fermentation rising process when baking with yeast. If your oven has a proofing function, use it! Alternatively, you can let the dough rise in the oven with the light on (oven off).

Reheating. To warm up, preheat your oven to 325°F. Brush the tops with melted butter for a soft crust, and heat them on a baking sheet or dish for 5 to 10 minutes, until they’re nice and warm.

Making These Buns in Advance. Mix and knead the dough, then let it rise for 20 minutes at room temperature before refrigerating it overnight. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge, divide, and shape it while it’s still cold. They should take about 2 hours to rise. Bake when they feel airy, look puffy, and have almost doubled in size.

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