Soft, tender and full of pumpkin flavor, Pumpkin rolls for dinner are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish and will make your home smell amazing!

Looking for a sourdough twist? Try my Pumpkin Sourdough Rolls — made with sourdough starter, pumpkin spice, and a sweet buttery honey glaze.

Ingredients and substitutes

All purpose flour: Use white all-purpose flour for soft, fluffy buns. If you want, you can replace 1 cup of white flour with whole wheat – just add 1 tablespoon more milk if you do.

sugar: You can use sugar, granulated or brown sugar.

Pumpkin puree: Use your favorite pumpkin puree for these rolls. If you use homemade pumpkin puree, keep in mind that it may have more moisture than store-bought. You may need to add a little more flour to balance out the extra moisture.

Tip: If you’re in the mood for sweet pumpkin rolls for dinner, you can replace the pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling.

milk: Skim, 2%, or whole milk work well. For a dairy-free option, almond milk is a good alternative.

oil: I prefer unsalted butter, but salted butter works too. For a dairy-free version, you can use vegetable, canola or sunflower oil.

Yeast: I use instant dry yeast, but if you use active dry yeast, activate it with the milk.

Pumpkin Spice: It’s optional, but if you’re craving the classic pumpkin spice flavor, add 1.5 teaspoons of this mixture to the batter.

Don’t have a pumpkin spice mix? Check out my Pumpkin Spice Granola post to learn how I make my own.

How to make pumpkin rolls for dinner

This dough is easy to make, especially if you have a stand mixer. In the recipe card, you will get the measurements in cups and grams. Make sure that measure the flour accurately if using cups.

If you use active dry yeast, be sure to activate it – just use the milk called for in the recipe instead of water. Mix the activated yeast with the wet ingredients.

Step 01. In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients: pumpkin puree, egg, milk and melted butter.

Step 02. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, and pumpkin spice (if using).

Step 03. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, mixing until a fluffy dough forms. Knead the dough with a mixer (using the dough hook) for 8 minutes. If kneading by hand, it should take about 10-12 minutes.

Step 04. The dough should be sticky and silky with a good glaze at the end. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place 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 proofing time may be slightly longer. You can use the proofing function of your oven or leave the dough in the oven with the light on.

Step 05. Deflate the dough and divide it into 9, 12 or 16 equal parts, depending on the size you prefer.

Step 06. Fold each piece of dough over itself 4 to 6 times, then pinch the seams together to close them, forming a small ball of dough.

Step 07. Place the balls, seam side down, on a lined baking sheet or in an ovenproof dish. Cover for the second lift.

Step 08. Let them rise for about 1 hour, or until they look puffy and light. Brush the egg before baking.

Step 09. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips for perfect pumpkin rolls

Use canned pumpkin puree. Homemade pumpkin puree often has more moisture than canned. If using and your dough seems too sticky when kneading, add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup more flour. Watch the recipe video to see the ideal dough consistency and be careful not to add more flour than necessary. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl, but not to the sides.

Baking in winter. Colder kitchens can slow the rising process of yeast baking fermentation. 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 a roll. To reheat your pumpkin scones, preheat your oven to 325°F. Brush their tops with melted butter for a soft crust and heat them on a baking sheet or pan for 5 to 10 minutes until they are thoroughly warm.

Avoiding Dense Rollers: Observe the rising time – during the first rising, the dough should rise by at least 80%. The second rise is complete only when the rolls look puffy and light. Touch one of the shaped rolls before the second rise – it will feel doughy and firm. After rising, it should feel much softer.

Make these rolls in advance

You can make these pumpkin breads in advance. Mix and knead the dough, then let it rise for 20 minutes at room temperature before chilling it overnight. Make sure you cover it well to prevent the dough from forming a crust.

The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator, divide it and shape it while it is still cold. They should rise for about 2 hours. Bake when they feel airy, look puffy and have almost doubled in size.

Storage and freezing

Allow the scones to cool completely before storing in a loaf pan or airtight container, away from direct sunlight. They will stay fresh for up to a week when stored properly. Pumpkin puree helps keep the rolls soft and moist longer than traditional dinner rolls.

You can also freeze these rolls, before or after baking, using freezer-safe bags. To freeze before baking, do so after shaping the roll. When ready to bake, place scones on a lined baking sheet, let them thaw and rise until fluffy and light, then bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.

To freeze baked rolls, let them cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe bag, squeezing out as much air as possible before sealing. In both cases, the rolls will be stored for up to 3 months.

More recipes for baking with pumpkin

Have you tried this Recipe for pumpkin rolls? Please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card below, I’d love to know how it went!

📖 Recipe

Pumpkin rolls for dinner

Tatyana Kamakura

Soft, tender, and full of pumpkin flavor, Pumpkin Dinner Rolls are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish and will make your home smell amazing!

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