pumpkin nut | The Rowdy Baker

I promise this is my very last pumpkin-related recipe for the season. Honest! I wasn’t going to open another can of pumpkin until it was time to make pies for Thanksgiving, but the thought of a pumpkin filled cinnamon roll got into my head and wouldn’t leave…and I’m glad I paid attention, because these are so good!

Nothing compares to the fragrance of cinnamon rolls warm from the oven. Except, perhaps, cinnamon rolls with a spicy pumpkin-walnut filling. Add a vanilla glaze dripping down the side, and you have a pastry worthy of company―or an afternoon indulgence for a busy day.

They also freeze well and can be quickly microwaved for an impromptu snack. The recipe makes 20-24 rolls (depending on what kind of pan you plan to use) and just for the record I want you to know I had ONE of them. And then they were gone. So you got the two-thumbs-up seal of approval from my menfolk.

Here you go:

Gooey Pumpkin Nut Cinnamon Rolls

Author: The Rowdy Baker

Makes 20-24 rolls.

Ingredients

Dough
⅓ cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ cups buttermilk
⅓ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
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Filling
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soft butter
¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
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Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon soft butter
Cream or milk for desired consistency

Instructions

Lightly grease two or three round cake pans or one 12-inch by 18-inch rectangular pan. Feel free to improvise―rolls spaced closely together will rise higher, and rolls placed farther apart in a rectangular pan will be more uniform.
In a large bowl combine water, yeast, and ½ teaspoon sugar. Let the mixture sit until bubbly – about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, ⅓ cup sugar, melted butter, eggs and salt. Whisk together.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the yeast mixture and mix until combined.
Add the flour slowly. (If using a stand mixer, use your dough hook.) Mix for one minute. If you will be kneading by hand, put dough on a floured surface and knead for 8 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer, it will take 5 minutes. The dough should come cleanly away from the bowl. If it doesn’t, add flour a little at a time. This should be soft, elastic dough, but should not be sticky.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double – about an hour.
While the bread is rising, combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
When the dough has doubled, punch it down. Working with half of the dough at a time, roll into a 10-inch by 14-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you. Spread with half of the filling.
Beginning at the long edge facing you, roll the dough, gently pulling towards you as you roll, to keep it snug. Slice into 12 pieces. (If using just two round cake pans, slice into 10 pieces) Repeat with the remaining dough.
Place pieces in greased pan. If using 3 round pans, arrange 8 slices in each. If using 2 round pans, arrange 10 slices in each. For a large rectangular pan, space all 24 slices evenly. Cover and allow rolls to rise for about an hour.
Heat oven to 400 F.
Bake rolls for 17-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool in the pans on a rack until they are slightly warm, and transfer to a serving platter.
When the rolls are cool, combine all of the ingredients for the glaze, beginning with 1 tablespoon of cream or milk, and mix well. Add additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour or brush over the rolls.