An Inspired Cook

The pumpkin puree is coming out of the freezer.  I’m fixing a big batch of brioche dough with my homemade puree and pumpkin spices to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls which are all the craze this season.  My family loves cinnamon rolls so these pumpkin and spice rolls really appealed to me.  It makes for an easier process when you make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate.  The dough will keep up to a week in the fridge until you’re ready to put the rolls together.  The dough needs to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes allowing the dough to relax enough to shape and roll out.  A mixture of sugar and spice gives the rolls a wonderful filling.  The aroma of pumpkin and cinnamon filled the kitchen with holiday cheer.  I put half aside in the freezer for the upcoming holidays!

The brioche dough consists of water, yeast, salt, flour, eggs, butter, brown sugar, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.

You can mix by hand, but if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook it makes for easy work.  I added 3/4 tablespoon yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to 3/4 cups lukewarm water.  Let it sit for several minutes to activate the yeast.

Mix together the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.

Whisk together until mixture becomes smooth.

Combine the pumpkin mixture into the bowl with the yeast and water.

Begin adding the flour a little bit at a time, kneading after each addition.

When all the flour has been incorporated, transfer the dough to a gallon size bucket with a lid.  An ice cream bucket works well here.

Set the lid on and place in a warm area to rise.  The dough needs to double in bulk before refrigerating.  It usually takes 2 – 3 hours.  Once doubled it can go into the fridge for up to a week.

Don’t worry if the dough settles a bit while in the fridge.  It will rise again, no problem.  Let the dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes before trying to shape and roll out.

While the dough is resting put together the filling.  You’ll need some white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  Melt 1/2 stick of butter for each half of the dough.

Mix together the sugars and spices.

Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on your work surface and shape into 2 rectangles.  Each piece of dough will fill a 9 X 11 inch baking pan.

Begin to roll out, try to roll out in a rectangle shape.  If the dough starts to stick, sprinkle some flour underneath.

You want to roll it fairly thin allowing for the dough to rise and expand.

I’ve melted a half stick of butter and measured out half of the sugar spice mixture for each half of dough.

Brush the butter over the entire layer of dough.

Sprinkle the sugar and spices over the butter and begin rolling the dough into a long roll.  These rolled out to about 14 x 20 inches.

Once you have it rolled up, take a sharp knife and gently slice rolls 3/4 inch thick.   Now do the same with the other half of dough.

Place in a buttered 9 x 11 inch baking pan.  Give them space to rise and expand.  Set in a warm place to double in bulk.

They are looking good, but there is still gaps around some of the rolls, I think they can expand a little more.

Now this is what I’m looking for.  Ready to go into a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes give or take.

While they are in the oven I’m going to make a cream cheese frosting to make them even tastier. You’ll need a package of cream cheese, a stick of butter, vanilla and some powdered sugar.

Combine the cream cheese, softened butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

Use the whisk attachment of a hand or stand mixer to mix the ingredients together.

Begin adding the sifted powdered sugar until you have the consistency desired, about 2 – 3 cups.

After 20 minutes the rolls come out lightly browned on the outside and so light on the inside.

Frost the pumpkin rolls while they are hot so that the icing will ooze into all those circular crevices.





Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Brioche Pumpkin Dough

3/4 cups Lukewarm Water
3/4 tablespoons Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 Eggs, beaten
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups All Purpose Flour

Filling

1/2 cup Butter, melted
1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 – 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Mix the water, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together until you have a smooth mixture.  Pour the pumpkin mixture into the mixing bowl to combine with the yeast mix.

Attach the dough hook on your mixer and begin adding the flour a little bit at a time, mixing after each addition until all the flour is incorporated.  Transfer the dough to a gallon size bucket with a lid.  Set the dough in a warm place to rise, approximately 2 – 3 hours.. After the dough has doubled in bulk place in refrigerator at least 3 hours.  Dough can be stored in fridge up to 1 week.

Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a separate bowl, set aside.

Allow dough rest for at least 30 minutes.   Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide dough in half.  Form each half into a small rectangle, then roll out into a larger rectangle approximately 14″ x 20″.  Brush melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle with the sugar and spice mixture.  Begin rolling the dough into a long log.  Using a sharp knife, gently slice 3/4″ slices and place into two greased 9″ x 13″ baking pans giving a bit of space around each roll to rise and expand. 

Cover with a towel and set pans in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

Combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  Using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix together until smooth and creamy.  Begin adding powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until you have the desired consistency, approximately 2 – 3 cups.

Spread frosting over warm rolls

Makes approximately 30 rolls.