These yeasted pumpkin bread rolls are the best dinner rolls ever! The pumpkin puree and the added almond flour pair really well and give these soft dinner rolls almost a buttery smooth flavor that most vegan dinner rolls don’t have. Almond flour also means that these pumpkin rolls are nutritionally dense and also very filling.
They are perfect by themselves, but they go great with pretty much everything. I recommend adding these scrumptious dinner rolls to your next gathering. They are delicious warm, or even toasted the next day with a dollop of jam or drippy pecan butter. Just prepare for the compliments! These delightfully chewy pumpkin bread rolls can truly brighten up anyone’s day.
Here's why I love this recipe
- vegan - no eggs, milk or butter required
- healthy AND delicious
- easy to prepare if you have a stand mixer or bread machine
- high in nutrients and fiber, thanks to the pumpkin puree and added almond flour
- perfect sides to any meal
Ingredients Used to Make Pumpkin Bread Rolls
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the baking aisle, or the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Bread Flour - Bread flour is highly recommended for this recipe for the best texture and structure. I used King Arthur Bread Flour. Please read the note on the substitution section below if using other flours.
- Almond Flour - I used blanched almond flour. But you can also make your own by blending raw or blanched, slivered almonds in the food processor and sifting them through a sieve.
- Instant Yeast - you can find instant yeast in the baking section near the flours. My favorite is SAF Instant Premium Yeast, which works quickly and consistently produces great results. I recommend using instant yeast over active yeast for this recipe since active yeast (unlike instant yeast) needs to be activated in water, which we don't add until the very end.
- Maple Syrup - I used maple syrup for this recipe but you can use other liquid sweeteners of choice like honey, agave syrup, or liquid stevia
- Salt - Pink Himalayan salt is what I have at home, so it’s what I use, but you can use any kind for this recipe.
- Pumpkin puree - I used canned pumpkin puree, which you can find in the baking aisle.
- Olive Oil - I like using light olive oil since it has a neutral flavor, but you can also any cooking oil of your choice like coconut oil, or avocado oil instead
Equipment
- I used a KitchenAid Stand Mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough. You're also welcome to use a bread machine, or knead the dough by hand.
More Pumpkin Recipes (HERE)
How to Make
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls
STEP 1
Mix all the dry ingredients (bread flour, almond flour, instant yeast, salt) in the bowl of the stand mixer.
STEP 2
Add the pumpkin puree and maple syrup next
Start to knead the dough at a low setting (speed 2) for about a minute.
NOTE: If there are still dry ingredients remaining, add water 1 Tbsp at a time* until all the ingredients are just barely combined, with no dry ingredients remaining.
*The water you may need to add can vary depending on the protein content of the flour, the water content in the puree, as well as the humidity and temperature of the kitchen. Be sure to add one tablespoon at a time, so you don’t overhydrate the dough.
STEP 3
Add the olive oil (and additional water or flour, if needed) and continue to knead for about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will appear sticky, but will be less so when the flours have a chance to absorb the liquid from the puree.
STEP 4
Remove the finished dough from the mixer bowl and place the dough in a lightly greased bowl.
STEP 5
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
***note: It's best if the bowl is put in a warm place, and personally, I prefer using the oven that's been preheated for just a quick 10 seconds and spritzed with some water. The moist and warm conditions are perfect for the yeast bread to rise without it drying out. You can also place a bowl of hot water inside the oven so that the steam helps to maintain the humidity. This is especially useful during the winter months, when the conditions are cold and dry.
STEP 6
Punch down the dough, then remove from bowl. Place on a generously floured surface and divide into 12 equal sized pieces.
STEP 7
Roll the dough pieces into balls, and place them on a parchment lined pan, spaced about 2 inches apart.
STEP 8
Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, or until the interior of the bread reaches 190°F.
STEP 9
Enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
I made this bread recipe as basic and neutral flavored as possible so that people can customize it to fit their own tastes. Here are some awesome ways you can make this bread your own 🙂
- Add more flavor! Add up to 1 Tbsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to bring out the fall flavors of this recipe. If you want a sweeter version of this bread, you can add an additional 3 Tablespoons of sugar (or healthier alternatives like coconut sugar).
- Add more texture! Adding chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruits or oats is a fantastic way to increase the nutrition and flavor in breads. If you're feeling indulgent, you can also add chocolate chips.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls Healthier
- Make this Pumpkin Bread Rolls even healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition. Here are some ideas
- Nuts - chopped walnuts, pecans, cashews
- Seeds - poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds or chiaseeds
- Dried Fruit - chopped apricot, raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, candied ginger, citrus zests, etc.
- Want to add more fiber? Substitute white whole wheat flour for up to half of the bread flour called for in this recipe. You'll need to add a few more tablespoons of water to adjust the hydration since whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour.
Note on Substitutions
- Unfortunately, gluten-free flours cannot be substituted for bread flour in this recipe.
- While bread flour is highly recommended, all-purpose flour can be used instead with 1 tsp of vital wheat gluten for every cup of flour.
- The almond flour can be subbed with other nut flour like pecan, cashew and walnut flour.
What are some ways you can eat and serve Pumpkin Bread Rolls?
- Plain and warm, right out of the oven
- Toasted the next day, served with jam, marmalade, honey or butter
- Sliced and use like a burger bun
How to Store
- You can store these Pumpkin Bread Rolls, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months, then defrost them at room temperature or microwave before eating.
Final Tips
- Weigh your flour for the best results. 1 cup of bread flour = 120 grams / 4.23 oz. This is recommended since scooping the flour directly from the bag can can pack the flour into the measuring cup, and this means you'll end up with more flour than what's called for in the recipe. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can measure the flour by spooning pre-sifted flour into the measuring cup, then using the straight end of the spoon to level the flour across the top to sweep off the excess.
- Baking time (as well as serving size) will vary based on the size of your baking pan, the material (silicone vs metal) of the pan. If you're not sure whether the bread is ready, you can insert a quick read thermometer into the bread - a finished bread will register 190 F (or 88 C).
- To make this recipe in the bread machine: add all the dry ingredients into the machine, stir briefly before adding the wet ingredients. The machine can be set for basic. Check the dough for consistency and adjust by adding additional water (or flour) before the end of the first kneading cycle. If you want to add additional nuts or dried fruits, leave them aside, and only them 3 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle.
More Bread Recipes (HERE)
Healthier Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls with Almond Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour (360 g), sifted and leveled*
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups pure pumpkin puree, from can ** (338 g)
- ¼ cup maple syrup, agave syrup or honey
- 1 Tbsp light olive oil melted coconut oil or avocado oil
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients (bread flour, almond flour, instant yeast, salt) in the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Add the pumpkin puree and maple syrup next
- Start to knead the dough at a low setting (speed 2) for about a minute, until all the ingredients are combined.
- Add the olive oil and continue to knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a slightly bumpy, but a stretchy -supple ball. Note: Additional 1-2 Tablespoons of bread flour (or additional water) may be necessary depending on the protein content of the bread flour, the water content in the pumpkin, as well as the humidity and temperature of the kitchen.
- Remove the finished dough from the mixer bowl and place in a lightly greased bowl.
- Cover and let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes***
- Punch down the dough, then remove from bowl. Place on a generously floured surface and divide into 12 equal sized pieces.
- Roll the dough pieces into balls, and place them on a parchment lined pan, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Let the rolls rise again for 30-40 minutes until puffy. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 350F / 180C
- Optional: To add some color and shine to the top of the rolls as they bake, gently brush the tops of the bread with 1 Tbsp of non-dairy milk mixed with 1 Tbsp of maple syrup. (Regular milk or egg wash also works).
- Bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, or until the interior of the bread reaches 190°F.
- Enjoy!
- Note: You can store these rolls, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months, then defrost them at room temperature or microwave before eating.
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