Best 2 Chef Johns Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Combine yeast, 1/2 teaspoon white sugar, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Pour pumpkin puree, cream, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, ginger, allspice, 2 cups flour, and the egg into stand mixer bowl with the yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook attachment until combined, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour and mix on low with the dough hook, adding more flour if the mixture is too sticky, until dough is slightly sticky, smooth, and elastic, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Remove dough and shape into a ball. Coat the bowl of the stand mixer lightly with vegetable oil, return dough to the bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface. Use your hands to flatten into a rectangular shape about 1-inch thick. Generously sprinkle flour over both sides of the dough; roll out to about a 20x12-inch rectangle. Pour melted butter over the top and brush evenly over the surface, leaving 2-inches along one wide edge unbuttered. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the dough and moisten the unbuttered edge with water. Starting at the wide edge with butter, roll dough tightly into a log; press firmly along moistened edge to seal.
• Trim uneven ends from the roll and discard. Cut rolled dough into 16 equally-sized pinwheels. Place the pinwheels, cut side up, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes; set aside to cool slightly while mixing glaze.
• Whisk cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth; drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the rolls to serve.

PUMPKIN-SHAPED DINNER ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine warm milk, yeast, honey, and butter in a bowl; stir. Add salt and most of the flour, reserving the rest for dusting. Stir using a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
• Dust a work surface with the leftover flour. Knead the dough until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, adding more flour as needed. Form dough into a ball that springs back lightly when pressed.
• Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with greased foil, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cut kitchen string into 4 dozen 8- to 10-inch strands. Place strings in a bowl and toss with oil to coat; set aside.
• Press risen dough down on a work surface; reserve 3 to 4 tablespoons for forming "stems." Cut remaining dough in half and cut each half into 6 wedges. Roll each into a round ball by cupping your hand over the dough and pressing and rolling lightly in a circular motion for 10 to 15 seconds. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with silicone liners.
• Place 4 pieces of string on your work surface. Crisscross strings over a center point into a star formation. Place a dough ball, smooth side-down, onto the center point. Firmly tie each string into a knot over the center of the roll. Snip off excess string using scissors.
• Place tied roll onto a prepared baking sheet, knot side-down. Repeat with remaining strings and dough balls.
• Let rolls rise for about 30 minutes.
• Sift a little flour on top of rolls. Shape reserved dough into "stems" and place them on the sheet next to the rolls.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool until safe to handle, about 15 minutes. Cut strings off of each roll at the tops and peel down carefully and slowly to remove. Cut a small hole in the tops of each roll and press "stems" into each hole. Transfer pumpkin rolls to a serving platter.