These Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls will be the star of the show at your Thanksgiving dinner this year. By tying kitchen string around bread dough you get a fun, pumpkin-shaped dinner roll!
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I’m always looking for something unique to add to my Thanksgiving dinner. For one, it’s fun, but it also makes my guests happy. These pumpkin rolls will be on my table this year, along with this adorable turkey cheese ball. Who can resist!?
Why You’ll Love It
- Delightful appearance – These aren’t just any old dinner roll. Image how surprised your guests will be when you set these cute little pumpkin shaped dinner rolls on the table!
- Great side dish – These rolls can accompany all kinds for meals. Serve them with a warm bowl of butternut squash soup or alongside prime rib or roasted whole chicken.
- Double the recipe for company – You can easily double this recipe to accommodate a large dinner party or family gathering.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk – I always use whole milk, but you can use whatever milk you have handy.
- Yeast – 1 package of active dry yeast (.25 ounce). Make sure your yeast is active before proceeding to add the flour to the dough. If your yeast is dead, the rolls won’t rise. It will start to bubble in the milk mixture if it’s active.
- Honey – You want to select a good quality honey. Preferably one that is fresh and in liquid form. Honey can get crystallized over time.
- Butter – salted or unsalted is fine, whatever you have on hand.
- Salt – Salt goes a long way to boosting the flavor.
- Flour – We used all-purpose flour, though bread flour can also be used.
- Egg – The beaten egg is used to give the rolls a golden, glossy finish.
- Vegetable oil – Use vegetable because it’s a neutral flavored and colored cooking oil.
- Cinnamon sticks – Optional. I ended up using cinnamon sticks for the stems.
Equipment Needed
- Kitchen string – You should be able to find this at your local store or you can order it here.
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Additional Helpful Tips
- You can use homemade or store-bought dough.
- Make sure your yeast is active before proceeding to add the flour to the dough. If your yeast is dead, the rolls won’t rise. It will start to bubble in the milk mixture if it’s active.
- Be sure to get the strings as even as possible on the dough because you can’t fix it once they’re tied.
- You don’t have to pull the string tight as you wrap the roll, just wrap it so there isn’t slack in the string.
- Pull the string off carefully so you don’t rip the roll.
- If you want to skip the egg wash, dust the rolls with a bit of flour before baking.
How to Make Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Step One: Prepare the Dough
To prepare your dough, mix warm milk, yeast, honey, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a regular mixing bowl.
Add salt and most of the flour—save some for dusting. Mix or stir it into a sticky dough.
On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, adding flour as needed. Shape it into a ball and let it rise in a greased bowl, covered, for about 1.5 hours.
Step Two: Cut the String
Cut 12 pieces of kitchen string, each about 2 feet long. This is a little longer than you need but will give you some wiggle room, you can trim off the excess later. Pour the vegetable oil to a small bowl and add the string. Make sure each string is coated in oil. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step Three: Punch Down the Dough
Punch down the risen dough. Reserve some for “stems” and divide the rest into 12 balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
A Quick Note About Stems – I made little stems the first time I made these rolls. They resembled molars to me, a rounded bit on one end and pointy on the other. If you are going to go this way just remember that the dough will puff up so make them smaller than you think you need.
In the end, I used cinnamon sticks cut into pieces. I like the look of them better, though they aren’t edible.
Step Four: Tying the String
Start by laying the string across the roll then turn the roll over, cross the strings over each other and twist, turn the roll 90 degrees and wrap the string around the other side.
Turning the roll and wrapping the string until you get 8 even sections. Tie the string in a knot and trim the edges. Turn the rolls over so the knot bakes under the roll.
Arrange the rolls on the baking sheets, knotted-side down.
Form stems form the extra pieces of dough and place them on the baking sheet. They will take less time to cook.
Allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes. Whisk the egg and brush the tops of the rolls gently with the egg wash.
Step Five: Baking the Rolls
Bake the dinner rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove strings by carefully cutting the strings and gently pulling them off the roll. Go slowly so you don’t pull the roll apart. Insert the stems, either a baked dough stem or a piece of cinnamon stick.
Transfer rolls to a platter and serve.
Questions About the Recipe
How can I store these dinner rolls?
Although it’s preferable to eat them while they’re fresh, they can be kept in a sealed in an airtight container for up to three days if they are . Simply place them in the microwave for a few seconds to reheat. Make sure not to microwave them for long though because they can become hard.
Can I use store bought dough?
Yes, you can use the frozen Rhodes dinner rolls that you can find in the freezer section of the grocery store. Follow the directions on the package to thaw them and then pick up these directions for wrapping and baking.
Is it necessary to egg wash the rolls?
No, its not strictly necessary. It makes the rolls look nicer in the end because it makes them golden brown and shiny.
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Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (237 ml) warm milk
- 1 package active dry yeast .25 ounce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey or more to taste
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- Butcher’s twine
- 1 egg
- vegetable oil or as needed
Instructions
- Mix warm milk, yeast, honey, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a regular mixing bowl. Add salt and most of the flour—save some for dusting. Mix or stir it into a sticky dough.
- On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, adding flour as needed. Shape it into a springy ball and let it rise in a greased bowl, covered, for about 1.5 hours.
- Cut 12, 2 foot long pieces of Butcher’s twine and coat them in oil. Set aside.
- Punch down the risen dough. Reserve some for “stems” and divide the rest into 12 balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Start by laying the string across the roll and then turn it over, cross the strings over each other, turn the roll 90 degrees and wrap the string around the other side.
- Turning the roll and wrapping the string until you get 8 even sections. Tie the string in a knot and trim the edges. Turn the rolls over so the knot bakes under the roll.
- Arrange the rolls on the baking sheets, knotted-side down. Form stems form the extra pieces of dough and place them on the baking sheet next to the rolls.
- Allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes. Whisk the egg and brush the tops of the rolls gently with the egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then remove strings and insert stems. Transfer rolls to a platter.
Equipment Needed
- Kitchen string
- Parchment paper
Notes
- You can use homemade or store-bought dough.
- Make sure your yeast is active before proceeding to add the flour to the dough. If your yeast is dead, the rolls won’t rise. It will start to bubble in the milk mixture if it’s active.
- Be sure to get the strings as even as possible on the dough because you can’t fix it once they’re tied.
- If you want to skip the egg wash, dust the rolls with a bit of flour before baking.
Nutrition
Angela’s passion for discovering and experimenting with new flavors and recipes is at the heart of her culinary philosophy. Residing in a quaint Oregon town, she finds joy and inspiration in her kitchen. Angela has a lot of expertise in cooking and she eagerly shares her discoveries and unique creations with you.