Pumpkin Breakfast Rolls (Bread Machine)

My maternal grandmother, Eleanor, lived a fairly spartan life, raising eight children on limited means. As a young girl, I always found the way to spend more time with my grandmother was to bake for her. Usually I would coax her over to our home with breakfast muffins or something similar. However, around the holidays the tables would turn. “Want some pumpkin roll, Kris?” This is a breakfast version that makes me think of her.

This recipe was developed with ChatGPT and then modified to enrich the dough. It is a riff on the traditional brioche-based cinnamon roll, with more emphasis on pumpkin, toasted pecans, lemon, and crème fraîche. I used Nielsen-Massey lemon extract in place of lemon juice and vanilla bean, because I adore lemon. Also less sugar. Please modify icing to suit your tastes.

Even with all the flour the dough remains slightly moist, so monitor and make sure to roll out on a base of plenty of flour. Also make sure to cook through so that the ones in the middle are not too doughy. Happy Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

For the Dough (Bread Machine):

  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree (180 g)

  • ½ cup milk (120 ml)

  • 2 large eggs (approximately 100 g)

  • ½ cup white sugar (100 g)

  • 1 teaspoon salt (5 g)

  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (2 g)

  • 5 cups bread flour (600 g)

  • 2½ teaspoons quick rising yeast (7 g)

  • 7.5 ounces crème fraîche (212 g)

Pumpkin Cinnamon Filling:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (60 g)

  • ½ cup brown sugar (100 g)

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (8 g)

  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (2 g)

  • ¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped (30 g)

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (115 g)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5 ml)

Directions

For the Dough:

  1. Add Liquids: Start by adding the pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, and crème fraîche to the bread machine pan.

  2. Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice evenly over the liquids.

  3. Add Flour: Add the bread flour on top, covering the wet ingredients.

  4. Add Yeast: Make a small well in the center of the flour and add the quick rising yeast.

  5. Set Machine: Select the "Dough" cycle on your bread machine. This will mix, knead, and allow the dough to rise.

  6. After the Cycle: When the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough and proceed with shaping as detailed below.

For Shaping and Filling:

  1. Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18x12 inches (45x30 cm).

  2. Spread Filling: In a bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and toasted pecans until smooth. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border around the edges.

  3. Roll the Dough: Starting at one of the long edges, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.

  4. Cut Rolls: Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal pieces.

  5. Arrange Rolls: Place the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish, leaving a bit of space between them to allow for rising.

  6. Second Rise: Cover the rolls with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

  7. Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Icing:

  1. Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.

  2. Ice the Rolls: Spread the icing over the warm rolls immediately after baking for a gooey texture, or wait until the rolls cool slightly for a thicker layer of icing.