3cupspowdered sugar- more or less, depending on consistency
1teaspooncinnamon
Instructions
For the dough:
In a large standing mixer, combine yeast, brown sugar, and warm water. Be careful to use WARM water, not hot. If the water is too hot, the yeast will disappear and you can't make bread without yeast. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working. You should see little bubbles in the water.
Add the melted butter, pumpkin, salt, and powdered milk. Stir with a spatula. Attach dough hook to mixer and add about half of the flour. Start the mixer and let the flour absorb.
Gradually add more flour, a little bit at a time until the dough is less sticky and pulls away from the sides of the mixer. You want the bread dough to be slightly sticky, but not too much. When you touch the dough, it should bounce back slightly. Be sure to leave the mixer on for several minutes after you get the right consistency.
Grease a large bowl with canola oil. Add dough to the bowl, making sure you smooth it into a ball, by punching it down - starting in the center of the dough. Place dough with smooth side up and cover with a clean towel. Let the dough double (approximately) in size.
Once doubled, punch down the dough again - by pushing down with your fists in the middle of the dough, pulling the outer edges in towards the middle. Re-grease the bowl with oil and place the dough with smooth side up. Let rise until doubled in size again.
Adding the pumpkin sugar mixture:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until well combined.
Take about 1/2 of the dough, and press it on a well-greased surface, into a rectangle. (See pictures above.) Using your hands, spread half of the pumpkin sugar mixture on the dough.
Gently roll the dough up into a long log. (See pictures above.) Using a serrated edge knife, cut dough log into about 1 inch sections. Place sections into greased pans, and press down slightly, so that the cinnamon sugar is visible on top.
Continue with the other 1/2 of the dough. This recipe should make about two pans of rolls, depending on how big you make them.
Cover the pans with a clean dishtowel, and let rise again until dough is almost doubled. This dough rises fast in Texas, and only takes about 20-30 minutes to be ready to bake.
Bake rolls in 350 oven, for about 20-22 minutes, or until rolls are nice and golden on the top, and slightly golden on the bottom. Remove rolls to cooling racks.
For the pumpkin spiced frosting:
Combine the melted butter, cream, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Then add powdered sugar to get your desired consistency. If it's too dry, add more cream. If too runny, add more powdered sugar.
Drizzle the frosting all over the rolls, and serve.
Notes
Tips:
When you add the warm water to the yeast and sugar – be careful to use WARM water, not hot. If the water is too hot, the yeast will disappear and you can’t make bread without yeast. Also, do not use cool water because it won’t activate the yeast.
Don’t add all the flour at once because every baking day is different. Some days you will need a bit more flour and some days, you will need less.
The powdered milk is a must. I’ve tried it with regular milk, but the powdered milk seems to make the softest dough.
The dough should be slightly sticky when ready, as opposed to bread recipes. Over time, you will learn exactly how much flour is needed to make the ultimate rolls.
When done, the bottom of the rolls should be slightly brown, and the top, a nice golden brown.
These rolls freeze well, unfrosted, using freezer bags.