Pumpkin Buns

Since it’s Fall and you can find a generous supply of canned pumpkin in the store I thought I would try out these pumpkin buns. I doubled the recipe so the pictures may seem like a lot more then if you made the version below. We were not a huge fan of them, they look amazing, but I think I added too much flour so they had a floury taste and you couldn’t really taste the pumpkin. Not 100% sure if I would make them again.

Pumpkin Buns
(Adapted from Family Circle October 2009)

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1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 can (15 ounces) solid packed pumpkin
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt

Filling:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, the eggs, butter and pumpkin.

Gradually add 5 cups of the flour and the salt, scraping side of bowl, until soft dough forms.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead remaining ½ cup flour into dough, adding more if sticky. Knead for 10 minutes, until smooth. Dough will be soft.

Grease a bowl; add dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 ¼ hours.

Coat two 13x9x2 inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Make filling: Mix butter, granulated and brown sugars, and cinnamon in a bowl.

Punch down dough.

Roll out half onto a lightly floured surface to form a 16x10 inch rectangle.

Spread with half of the filling. Starting on one long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to close. Repeat with second half of dough and filling.

Cut each log crosswise into 12 generous 1 inch pieces. Arrange 12 pieces, cut side down, in each prepared pan. (I cut with a piece of floss. Slide floss under the dough, pull up and cross over then tighten and you get a nice clean cut.)

Cover with plastic wrap; let sit in a warm spot until buns double in size, about 30 to 45 minutes. (You can refrigerate one pan overnight or cover with plastic then with foil and freeze at this point. Thaw in fridge overnight, then thaw on counter while preheating oven.) (Here’s what I did wrong…For some reason I spaced them out, they need to be close together or else the ends will come undone.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover pans and bake buns until they are golden brown and bubbly, 28 to 33 minutes (thawed buns, 36 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes.

Blend Confectioners’ sugar and milk. Drizzle over buns (about ⅓ cup per pan). Serve warm.