Hello October!

Hi. It's October. This makes me happy. October means lovely fall weather, sweater/boots attire, my birthday, Halloween, and any and all things pumpkin. My first pumpkin baked good of the season is a real doozy. And by doozy, I mean awesomely AWESOME. Yes, "awesomely AWESOME." Pumpkin cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting. Hello, I'll take five please. Thank you. My lovely friend, Jade, helped me make these. Thanks, friend! :)








Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

1/3 c. milk
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg. dry yeast
2 c. bread flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted butter

In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tbsp butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

Add half of flour to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed for 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy enough to handle. Roll dough into 12X10 inch rectangle.

In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into twelve 1-inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting. (The original recipe uses a caramel icing, which is totally delicious as well. But I prefer cream cheese frosting!)