What the Pumpkin?

Pumpkins are the stars of the most exciting week of the year.

So showy, they brighten dark porches and add pizazz to tabletops. It's also a perfect food making almost anything; dips, soups, breads and desserts extra delicious through out the holiday season.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

are traditionally shared with family, friends and neighbors when we get "Boo-ed" for Halloween, and then are requested till after the New Year.

Mix up the dough, cover and give it a good rise, for about 1 hour, in a warm spot till double.

I like to use a dough cutter or dental floss to cut the dough. Knives just rip it up.

Roll dough into a rectangle. Top with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Beginning at one of the short ends, roll the dough up tightly and pinch the edge together.

Using a dough cutter or dental floss, cut the roll of dough in half, then half each end too.
Cut each section into 3 rolls. You should have 12 fairly even cinnamon rolls.

Place them on a jellyroll pan covered with parchment paper. Let rise again till double and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Note: You can freeze them at this point. Store in ziptop bags to bake later. Thaw for 5 hours, covered on a baking sheet and then bake and finish as usual.

While your rolls are baking make the cream-cheese frosting. Cool baked rolls on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Make caramel frosting and carefully add it to a plastic squeeze bottle.

Using a hot pad, squeeze the caramel frosting over the frosted rolls.

Serve and share with lots of love!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (or more if you like)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or more if you like)
2 tablespoons melted butter

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/4 cup soft butter
4 ounces soft cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner's sugar

CARAMEL FROSTING
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash salt
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
2. In separate mixing bowl, combine flours. Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 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.
3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.
4. 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 12 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Frost with Cream-Cheese Frosting. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.

Cream-Cheese Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, cream soft butter, cream cheese, and vanilla with beaters. Add confectioner's sugar and beat well. Generously frost rolls.

Caramel Frosting:
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Blend with a wire whisk until well blended. While hot, use a funnel and pour into a plastic squeeze bottle. Use a hot pad, and drizzle over your cream-cheese frosted rolls.

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