Pumpkin Dinner Rolls with Pepitas

These simple pumpkin dinner rolls are the perfect accompaniment to any winter or fall meal, and are topped with toasted pepitas!

Hello, from Big Sky, Montana! Yes, we did that weird, somewhat insane thing that people sometimes do and went from cold, below-freezing temperatures at home in Michigan… on vacation… to cold, below-freezing temperatures in Montana! I know, I know.

We got settled into our condo on Saturday, and are spending one beautiful week here in the snowy town of Big Sky. Our week will be filled with skiing and dog sledding and hot tubbing – just some of my favorite things!

So today, in honor of our ski trip, I want to share a recipe with you guys that was inspired by one of my all-time favorite ski resorts: Alta!

Alta is a ski resort located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. We have been several times with my family, and it’s one of our favorites. Especially because we have a tradition of eating lunch in one of the tastiest restaurants on the mountain: Alta’s Rustler Lodge.

This lodge is the definition of sophistication, and there is nothing like being able to kick off your ski boots, warm up by the fire, and have a delicious 5-star white-linen-tablecloth meal in the middle of a ski day workout. And when we visited last time, their bread basket featured a pumpkin dinner roll with toasted pepitas – I was hooked! I absolutely love pumpkin, and so I knew I had to recreate it at home.R

For this recipe, I adapted the classic dinner roll recipe from The Kitchn and converted it into a pumpkin-lover’s delight. The Kitchn’s recipe is the perfect easy recipe for dinner rolls. Even people who don’t bake can still make perfect dinner rolls with their recipe, so I highly recommend it!

I adapted the dinner roll recipe to the Rustler’s flavor combo by adding canned pumpkin to the dough. You could also take it one step further if you want something even more pumpkin-y (for example, in the fall) and add pumpkin pie spice! I topped the rolls with pepitas before placing them in the oven, which gives the seeds a delightfully crunchy texture afterwards.

Now it’s your turn: what would you add to your dinner rolls? Share with me in the comments below!

5 from 1 vote

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Pumpkin Dinner Rolls with Toasted Pepitas

Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 48 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds

Equipment:

• Standing mixer or a mixing bowl if making rolls by hand
• Bench scraper or sharp knife
• Parchment paper
• 9 x13 baking dish

Instructions

1. Place the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to combine, and let sit until dissolved. Add canned pumpkin, milk, egg, oil, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add pumpkin mixture to the yeast and stir until combined. Add all the flour and stir until it forms a shaggy dough.
2. Knead dough on low speed or by hand against the counter until smooth but slightly tacky (it should spring back when poked), about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
5. To create rolls, dust work surface with a little all-purpose flour. Transfer dough to the work space. Using a knife, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. To shape into rolls, tuck the edges underneath to form a plump little package, then roll the dough against the counter or between your palms until round.
6. Arrange the rolls inside the baking dish so that they are spaced a little apart. Let the rolls rise until they look pillowy and fill the pan, about 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Melt the butter and brush it over the risen dinner rolls. Sprinkle the top of each roll with pepitas. Bake the rolls in the heated oven until golden-brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Grasping the parchment paper, lift the rolls from the baking dish to a wire rack and let sit until cool enough to handle.

Recipe Notes

Original roll recipe adapted from The Kitchn.