These Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls are as delicious as they are adorable. When fall rolls around, all things pumpkin start taking over, and these vegan pumpkin bread rolls fit the category. They're soft, fluffy, super easy, and a great centerpiece at any party!
I’m so excited to share these vegan pumpkin bread rolls with you! They are probably the cutest little bread rolls I have ever made, and I’m obsessed. I make these pumpkin rolls almost every year, and they are always a hit at every time. Some have said they also taste like my pandesal (Filipino bread rolls); I was shocked to hear that!
These rolls are great to serve alongside a comforting soup like my pumpkin soup or a filling main course like my vegan Wellington. But they’re also pretty tasty on their own!
✨ Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- They are fun and easy to make. Forming the dough into mini pumpkins is like a fun art project!
- Made with simple ingredients. These vegan pumpkin bread rolls only take eight ingredients, and chances are that you already have most of them in your pantry!
- The perfect fall centerpiece! Place these rolls at the center of your dinner table for a cute, adorable centerpiece that you can not only view in awe but also eat!
✏️ Ingredient Notes
- Dairy-free milk - When it comes to baking, I like using soy milk. Soy milk has more fat and proteins, which help with the structure of the bread and any baked goods that I make.
- Instant yeast - The critical ingredient when it comes to bread making. It helps the bread rise and gives it a light and fluffy texture. I like to use instant yeast in this recipe because you don't need to activate it before using it.
- Pumpkin puree - Pumpkin bread rolls won't be pumpkin bread rolls without pumpkin puree. Ensure you're looking for 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Bread flour - Bread flour is a high-protein flour designed for baking yeasted bread. Its high protein content means that bread flour has more gluten, which makes for a more elastic and light dough, which results in a chewy and airy texture when baked.
- Salt - When you add salt, it tightens the gluten strands that are formed, making them stronger. Not to mention, it also adds flavor to the dough!
- Granulated sugar - Sugar will add a touch of sweetness to the pumpkin bread rolls
- Vegan butter - Adding fat to bread will result in a higher rise, softer dough, and a better texture
- Pecan halves - This is merely for looks. They'll serve as the stems for the pumpkin bread rolls!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🍴 How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls
Here's a quick glimpse of the recipe, but for the complete details and step-by-step instructions, be sure to check out the full recipe card!
Step 1: Find the halfway point between the dough and the string. Place the dough top down over the twine.
Step 2: Bring both ends of the twine up and over and twist once. Don't pull the string too tight, as the dough will expand as it rises and bakes in the oven.
Step 3: Carefully flip the dough so the twist is on the bottom.
Step 4: Bring both ends of the twine up and over and twist again. You should have four sections.
Step 5: Flip the dough over again.
Step 6: Bring both ends of the twine up and over and twist again. You should now have six sections.
Step 7: For the last time, flip the dough over so that the twist is on the bottom. Now, you should have 8 sections. Bring both ends of the twine up, but this time, tie a knot at the top and cut off the excess. Repeat for the rest of the dough pieces.
Step 8: Place the shaped buns on a prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1-2 inches of space in between. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and allow them to rise for 30 - 45 minutes or slightly double in size. While you wait, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Step 9: Remove the damp cloth and brush the tops of each pumpkin roll with melted vegan butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned at the top.
Step 10: Once the bread has cooled, cut the cooking twine and insert a pecan half at the top. Serve with butter or jam.
⭐ Expert Tips
- Measure your flour correctly. My recipes are 100% tested in grams. Incorrectly measured flour is a common reason baked goods fail. I always recommend using a scale for accuracy when baking. It dramatically improves your chance for success and lessens room for error. My favorite way to measure ingredients is by using a food scale.
- Don’t pull the string too tight! The dough will expand as it rises and bakes, so you need to be careful. Keep the string fairly loose around it; otherwise, it will expand too much, creating tears in the final product.
- Soak your cooking twine in oil. This will allow the twine to adhere to the dough without sticking too much. Yes, it will stick a little bit because of the tension in the dough, but it will be easier to remove once the rolls have been baked.
💭 Common Questions
That's no problem; you can shape them into regular bread rolls or use kitchen shears to create eight equally spaced shallow cuts around the dough.
I have not tried baking gluten-free bread, so I can't say it'll work out the same.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
- Room temperature
These bread rolls are best eaten the same day, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. - Freezing Instructions
Bake the bread rolls and let them cool fully to room temperature. Do not brush the butter or place the pecan as the stem. Then, wrap in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, etc., and seal in an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months. - Reheating Instructions
Let the frozen bread rolls thaw for 10-15 minutes to reheat, then bake at 400°F for about 5 minutes. Brush with the melted butter and add the pecan.
❤️ More Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and comment below! Tag @flouredframe on Instagram & Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Bread Rolls
Equipment
- Food scale highly recommended
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment Paper or Silpat mat
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread Dough
- 120 grams Dairy-free milk (warmed at 105°F, I used soy)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Active dry yeast
- 120 grams Pumpkin puree
- 352 grams Bread flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 75 grams Granulated sugar (leveled)
- 42 grams Vegan butter (softened, plus more for brushing over top)
For Shaping & Topping
- 56 grams Neutral oil (to soak twine with)
- 8 pieces Pecan halves (to use as a stem)
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread Dough
- Combine all of the dough ingredients in a stand mixer bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until it forms a shaggy dough. Then, increase the speed to medium and continue to knead for another 10 minutes until you get a smooth and cohesive dough ball.
- Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with a warm, damp cloth or a bowl cover. Set the dough in a warm spot and allow it to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Then, cut cooking twine into eight pieces, each about 32 inches long. Soak the cooking twine in four tablespoons or more of cooking oil in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Shape
- Punch down the dough and transfer it to a work surface. Divide it into eight equal pieces and shape them into tight rounds.
- Work with one dough ball at a time, and cover the rest with a damp cloth. Take one cooking twine soaked in oil and find the halfway point between the dough and the twine. Place the dough top down over it. Bring both ends of the strings up and over and twist once. Make sure that you don't pull the string too tight, as the dough will expand a lot as it rises and is in the oven.
- Carefully flip the dough over so that the twist on the bottom. Bring both ends of the twine up and over and twist again. You should have four sections. Try to have the sections equal on all sides.
- Repeat this process two more times. You should have eight sections in total. At the end, tie a knot at the top and cut off the excess.
Bake
- Place the shaped buns on a prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1-2 inches of space between them. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and allow them to rise in a warm spot for 30 - 45 minutes or until they have slightly doubled in size. While you wait, preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Remove the damp cloth, and brush the tops of each pumpkin roll with melted vegan butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned at the top.
- Allow the pumpkin rolls to cool completely before cutting the cooking twine. Then, insert a pecan half at the top to serve as a stem. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. My recipes are 100% tested in grams. Incorrectly measured flour is a common reason baked goods fail. I always recommend using a scale for accuracy when baking. It dramatically improves your chance for success and lessens room for error. My favorite way to measure ingredients is by using a food scale.
- Don’t pull the string too tight! The dough will expand as it rises and bakes, so you need to be careful. Keep the string fairly loose around it; otherwise, it will expand too much, creating tears in the final product.
- Soak your cooking twine in oil. This will allow the twine to adhere to the dough without sticking too much. Yes, it will stick a little bit because of the tension in the dough, but it will be easier to remove once the rolls have been baked.
Jacqui says
I made these for a Halloween party. The recipe is easy to follow and straight forward! The rolls turned out delicious, and they were a hit at the party (they were gone within minutes)!!
Floured Frame says
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
niall says
Loved this, and your whimsical/chill writing style!
Floured Frame says
Oh thank you so much! I know I'm not the best at writing, but your comment made my day.