Pumpkin Crescent Rolls are a sweet and savory, light and fluffy crescent rolls. Perfect recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!
Pumpkin crescent rolls are a bit different than traditional dinner rolls, but they are awesome! They are soft and buttery - like an good crescent roll should be.
The rolls are also a great mix of sweet and savory, and they would make a delicious addition to Thanksgiving dinner.
It may look like there are quite a few steps, but these rolls come together quickly. They're also easy enough that they are a good beginner roll recipe. So, if you're looking for a new recipe to try this Thanksgiving, make it these pumpkin crescent rolls!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Yeast: A package measures 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast.
- Warm water: Using water that's the correct temperature is key. Too hot, the yeast will die. Too cool, the rolls will take longer to rise. I recommend using a kitchen thermometer. However, if you don't have one, the water should feel like warm bath water, and if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast.
- Honey
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Instant nonfat dry milk
- Butter: I like to use salted butter in this recipe. Feel free to use unsalted if you prefer.
- Brown sugar: I don't pack the sugar for this recipe. However, you can pack the sugar if you want a slightly sweeter roll.
- Eggs
- Flour: You can use all all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Salt
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own blend with this recipe.
- Ground cinnamon
How to make pumpkin crescent rolls
In a large bowl, stir together yeast, water, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
Stir in pumpkin puree, dry milk, butter, brown sugar, and eggs until combined.
Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
Continue adding in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough. Knead dough for about 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
Place in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let rise until double, about 1-1 ½ hours.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, and divide into three pieces. Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat cinnamon honey butter ingredients together. Set aside.
Roll each piece of dough into 12-inch circle. Spread with ⅓ of cinnamon honey butter, and cut into 12 pieces. A pizza cutter works really well for cutting the dough.
Repeat with remaining two pieces of dough and remaining cinnamon honey butter.
Place shaped rolls on greased baking sheets, point side down, about 2-3 inches apart. Cover, and let rise about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven. Bake rolls for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Brush warm rolls with additional melted butter.
Serving suggestions
Pumpkin crescent rolls are right at home with the turkey and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving.
There's no reason to save this recipe just for Thanksgiving! The rolls are also great alongside hearty winter dinners like beef stew or even chili.
Storage
The rolls should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The rolls will keep for about 3 days when properly stored.
If you’ve tried this pumpkin crescent roll recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!
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Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water about 105 F.
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup pumpkin puree at room temperature
- ½ cup instant nonfat dry milk
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 5 ½-6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cinnamon Honey Butter
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Melted butter
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together yeast, water, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Stir in pumpkin puree, dry milk, butter, brown sugar, and eggs until combined.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
- Continue adding in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough.
- Knead dough for about 3-5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a lightly greased bowl, and cover.
- Let rise until double, about 1-1 ½ hours.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, and divide into three pieces.
- Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat cinnamon honey butter ingredients together. Set aside.
- Roll each piece of dough into 12-inch circle.
- Spread with ⅓ of cinnamon honey butter, and cut into 12 pieces.
- Repeat with remaining two pieces of dough and remaining cinnamon honey butter.
- Place shaped rolls on greased baking sheets, point side down, about 2-3 inches apart.
- Cover, and let rise about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Bake rolls for about 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.
- Brush warm rolls with additional melted butter.
Video
Notes
- Yeast: A package measures 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast.
- Warm water: Using water that's the correct temperature is key. Too hot, the yeast will die. Too cool, the rolls will take longer to rise. I recommend using a kitchen thermometer. However, if you don't have one, the water should feel like warm bath water, and if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the yeast.
- Pumpkin puree: Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter in this recipe. Feel free to use unsalted if you prefer.
- Brown sugar: I don't pack the sugar for this recipe. However, you can pack the sugar if you want a slightly sweeter roll.
- Flour: You can use all all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Originally published October 24, 2016. Updated with additional photos, tips, and information 11/6/21.
Adapted from BHG's 100 Best Pumpkin Recipes.
Marie Czarnecki
A video in how to curl the dough as such, shown would be much helpful.
Kate
Thank you for the suggestion! I appreciate the feedback so that I can make my site more helpful. =)
Elise
Who knew you could add pumpkin to a roll dough. They were so tasty and I liked adding such a healthy component as pumpkin.
Kate
Thank you!
Caroline
Delicious! You had me at "cinnamon honey butter".