This recipe is such a cheat because I used the exact same dough from my sourdough pumpkin milk bread and baked it into dinner rolls instead of a full loaf. The result? The softest, fluffiest sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls, slightly sweet with that signature pumpkin spice flavor and a gorgeous orange color from the pumpkin puree. These are the rolls I’ll be making for all my fall and winter holiday dinners.
Key ingredients
🎃 Needless to say, pumpkin puree is key in this recipe. Nothing fancy is needed, canned pumpkin is what I used. This recipe doesn’t use the whole can so I transfer leftovers into a deli container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it as well.
Other key ingredients…
- pumpkin pie spice – pumpkin puree by itself is not going to create that signature autumn pumpkin flavor that you love, so you’re gonna need 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to create that cozy fall flavor. I usually use my own spice mix, but store bought works just fine too.
- half & half – since most of the liquid in this recipe is pumpkin, which is 90% water, it is not as rich as my signature sourdough milk bread.That’s why I opted for half & half instead of just milk to make it just a little bit richer. But I also made these with milk a couple times and they turned out just as well.
- brown sugar – I like pairing brown sugar with pumpkin for a little more flavor depth, but granulated sugar can be substituted. Note that I’m using a little bit more sugar in this recipe so the rolls did turn out sweeter, sort of like Hawaiian dinner rolls (but pumpkin!) rather than typical dinner rolls.
Sample baking schedule
These pumpkin dinner rolls are a same day bake but you still need to prepare your sourdough starter the day before. The schedule below accounts for that. Remember that the timeline is my best estimate to give you an idea what to consider when you bake these rolls. Time will vary depending on how long your starter typically takes to peak, the temperature the day you’re baking which will affect how quickly or slowly your starter and bread rise.
You can also split this bake into 2 days if you wish. You just need to add the cold fermentation step by putting your dough into the fridge after you finish your third stretch and fold and the dough has mostly finished bulk fermentation.
| Day 1 | |
| 7:00 AM | Feed your regular sourdough starter |
| 7:00 PM | Make pumpkin starter with active starter |
| Day 2 | |
| 8:00 AM | Scald half and half & prepare liquid |
| 8:15 AM | Autolyse |
| 8:35 AM | Knead the dough |
| 9:00 AM | Continue bulk fermentation |
| 9:45 AM | Stretch and fold #1 |
| 10:30AM | Stretch and fold #2 |
| 11:15AM | Stretch and fold #3 + continue bulk (or put in fridge if you want to continue next day) |
| 12:00PM | Finish bulk + divide dough |
| 12:15PM | Proof (this time will be longer if you cold ferment overnight and shape the rolls cold in the morning) |
| 2:45 PM | Bake |
Let’s make sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls!
1. Make pumpkin sourdough starter (night before)
This starter is pretty stiff so it might be easier to mix it in a bowl rather than a jar. I still like to transfer it to my Ball jar to let it rise so I can see how much it has grown.
NOTE: Make sure you have an active regular sourdough starter before making this pumpkin starter.
2. Prepare your liquid
I like blooming the pumpkin pie spice in the hot liquid to release its flavor. Once you scald the half and half with sugar and spices, the mixture should be hot enough to melt the butter, but if not, you can put it back on the stove. Then once you mix it with the pumpkin, the whole thing should be cool enough to start autolyse but if not, let it cool a bit more.
3. “Autolyse”
Mix together flour, salt and the cooled pumpkin mixture, cover and let this rest for 15-20 minutes.
NOTE: This is not a true autolyse since we are adding melted butter as well as salt to the mixture. However, I do find that this step, while short and non-traditional, helps with dough strength and extensibility in the stretch-and-fold steps. Without this “autolyse” step, the dough can break easily during stretch-and-fold.
4. Knead the dough
Add all of the pumpkin sourdough starter to the “autolysed” dough and knead with the dough hook for 20 minutes.
NOTE: This is also technically the start of bulk fermentation, as soon as you mix the starter into the dough.
5. Continue bulk fermentation
This dough is quite slack, so I would definitely use a bit of oil on your hand and your bowl scraper to prevent sticking while scraping the dough out and forming a ball. Don’t add more flour or you will risk drying out your rolls.
6. Stretches and folds
During bulk fermentation, you will perform 3 sets of stretch-and-fold to add strength to your dough at 45-minute intervals. Once you are finish with your last set, cover and let the dough finish bulk fermentation at room temp.
NOTE: You will notice the dough rising quite a bit during this step. That’s okay, don’t worry about deflating it. You want to build strength in this step and this dough can use it because it is so slack. It will continue to rise and you will notice it gets harder to pull and stretch during set 2 and 3.
7. Divide the dough
Cut the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll them into smooth balls.
NOTE: The dough shouldn’t be very sticky anymore. You can use just a bit of oil or flour to keep it from sticking to your surface and hand. I love using a silicone baking mat for this part and also I’ve recently started using vinyl gloves – they’re super nonstick!
8. Proof the dough
Proof the dough for 2-3 hours. The dough is ready when it is very puffy, has more than doubled in size, and a gentle press leaves an indentation that slowly springs back (but not immediately).
NOTE: Proofing time is highly dependent on temperature so make sure to pay attention to visual cues. This dough is less enriched so it will proof faster.
10. Bake
Brush milk wash generously over the top of your dinner rolls and bake at 400°F (205°C) for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 10 minutes. Total bake time is about 17 minutes. The internal temperature of your bread should reach ~200°F, any hotter they will be dry.
Storage
- Room temperature: you can store your sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls at room temperature, covered, for a couple days. Tear off and warm the rolls up in the oven when you want to eat them.
- Refrigerator: longer than a couple days, I would keep these in the fridge. They do dry out a bit the longer you store them, but will get softer in the toaster with cripsy exterior.
- Freezer: you can also freeze the rolls for up to 3 months. To preserve the flavor, wrap the whole thing in foil as well as plastic and then store in a freezer bag.
Leftover rolls along with leftover sourdough pumpkin milk bread are perfect for pumpkin bread pudding!
Sourdough Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Thermometer
- Stand Mixer
- Saucepan
- Spatulas
- Bowl scraper
- 8"x11" rectangular baking pan a standard 9"x13" pan should also work
- Silicone mat
- Vinyl gloves
Ingredients
Pumpkin sourdough starter
- 10 grams active sourdough starter
- 50 grams pumpkin puree
- 5 grams brown sugar
- 50 grams all-purpose flour 11.7% protein
Bread dough
- 50 grams half & half
- 55 grams brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 57 grams unsalted butter sliced into thin pats
- 175 grams pumpkin puree
- 280 grams all-purpose flour 11.7% protein
- 6 grams kosher salt
- All of the pumpkin starter
- Neutral oil for dough handling
- Extra half & half milk or egg wash
Instructions
- Make pumpkin starter (night before) – Mix all the ingredients for your pumpkin starter together before bed time and it should be ready for you in the morning. This starter is stiffer than a typical 100% hydration starter but should still more than double in size, with bubbles distributed evenly throughout.10 grams active sourdough starter, 50 grams pumpkin puree, 5 grams brown sugar, 50 grams all-purpose flour
- Prepare the liquid (8 am) – Heat the half & half with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the milk is simmering and the sugar has fully dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the sliced butter to the hot milk mixture, and stir until completely melted. Add to a stand mixer bowl and stir in the pumpkin puree. It should be cool enough to start autolyse, otherwise let it cool further.50 grams half & half, 55 grams brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 57 grams unsalted butter, 175 grams pumpkin puree
- “Autolyse” (8:15 am) – Make sure your liquid mixture is between 80 – 90°F (27 – 32°C), whisk together flour and salt in a separate bowl and add to the cooled liquid mixture. Use a spatula to mix until all the liquid is absorbed. Cover and let rest for 15 – 20 minutes.280 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams kosher salt
- Knead the dough (8:35 am) – Add all of the pumpkin starter to the “autolysed” dough. Knead with the dough hook on speed 2 for 20 minutes. This dough will be tacky and slack but should mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl. DO NOT add more flour.All of the pumpkin starter
- Continue bulk fermentation (9 am) – Oil your hands, a bowl scraper, and your clean countertop. Scrape the dough out and shape it into a ball on the oiled surface. Lightly oil the mixing bowl, then return the dough to the bowl. Cover and place in a warm spot. You will perform 2 – 3 sets of stretch and fold at 45-minute intervals. Set a timer for 45 minutes.Neutral oil for dough handling
- Stretch and fold #1 (9:45 am) – With oiled hands, lift the dough from the center. It will stretch as you lift it up and out of the bowl. If it’s too sticky, use your bowl scraper to help release it. Stretch the dough into a long strip and fold in thirds like you’re folding a letter. Turn it 90 degrees, stretch it out into a long strip again and fold in thirds. Place it seam-side down back into the mixing bowl, cover, and set the timer for another 45 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #2 (10:30 am) – Repeat the same process. At minimum, complete 2 sets if short on time.
- Stretch and fold #3 (11:15 am) – Repeat one final set. The dough should feel stronger and more elastic. It should also have risen and feel puffy. Cover and let it finish bulk fermentation at room temp for another 45 mins.
- Divide (12 pm) – Using your bowl scraper, scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and divided into 12 portions, approximately 60 grams each. Roll each into a smooth ball. Place them into a well-buttered rectangular baking pan. I like my silicone baking mat here on top of my work surface to prevent sticking.
- Proof (12:15 pm) – Proof your dough in a warm spot for 2 – 3 hours. My baking pan fits inside my typical 15-quart-plastic-proofing-box, but you can also proof your dough in the oven with the light turned on and a pan of hot water at the bottom of the oven to add humidity, or simply cover your baking pan with plastic or a damp towel. The dough is ready when it is very puffy, has risen well above the rim of the loaf pan, and a gentle press leaves an indentation that slowly springs back (but not immediately).
- Preheat the oven (2:15 pm) – Toward the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) for at least 30 minutes. If proofing in the oven, remove the dough before preheating.
- Bake (2:45 pm) – Brush the top of each dinner roll with extra milk, half & half or egg wash. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for another 10 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the internal temperature should reach ~200°F.Extra half & half
- Cool – Let your rolls cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Notes
- This dough is less enriched so it rises faster, take care not to overproof it.
- Rising time and proofing time are highly dependent on temperature. So make sure you watch your dough and not the clock, use my timeline as a general gauge but pay attention to visual cues to ensure you don’t under or over proof your bread.
- I prefer using oil to prevent dough from sticking to my hand instead of extra flour to avoid adding too much flour to the dough risking drier rolls.
- If you have to use extra flour during rolling, use very sparingly.
- The timeline is a suggestion, feel free to modify it to fit your schedule. You can also cold ferment this dough overnight, bake the next day and split the process into 2 days.
- My baking pan is not quite standard size but if you only have a 9×13 pan, it should also work. The rolls will sit further apart and they may grow larger but a bit shorter.
- If you want, brush the top of the hot rolls with salted butter soon after they come out of the oven.
- Best serve warm!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
