Pumpkin Yeast Dough for Sandwich Bread, Rolls, or Donuts

I take the idea of making pumpkin bread and turn it into something is perfect for a sandwich. Learn all about how to make a delicious loaf of pumpkin yeast bread. Get your favorite sandwich fixings ready.

I will also show you how to take the same dough and make dinner rolls that look like mini pumpkins and one that looks like a whole turkey! Did I mention yet that this dough also can work to make pumpkin yeast donuts!

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I have seen tons of pumpkin bread recipes that were quick breads. I thought why not add some pumpkin to some yeast bread instead and make pumpkin sandwich bread.

After doing some research I came across a recipe from King Arthur Flour that I really liked.

But I wanted to do some tweaking to the recipe and also find other ways to use the dough (dinner rolls and donuts please!).

The coolest thing about this recipe it that it makes enough dough so that you can make a loaf of bread and 12 dinner rolls or just 2 loaves of bread or 24 dinner rolls. Or you can even make donuts!

Maybe make them all!

Jump to:

• 📋 Changes to the Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients
• 💡 Rising Tips
• 🍞 Baking Tips
• 🎃 Pumpkin Yeast Rolls
• Turkey Shaped Loaf
• 🍫 How to Add Chocolate Chips
• 🍩 Pumpkin Yeast Donuts
• 🍴 Other Pumpkin Recipes You Might Like
• Pumpkin Yeast Sandwich Bread

📋 Changes to the Recipe

I did make a couple changes to the recipe.

First I used bread flour instead of all-purpose. The extra protein in bread flour will help assure us good gluten formation, thus a good looking loaf.

Also I don't think there is enough salt in the dough as the flavor fell a little flat unless you sprinkled on a bit of salt or served with salted butter. The original recipe called for 2 teaspoons to make 1 loaf and 12 rolls (or 2 loaves or 24 rolls).

Another roll recipe I have tried before, Alton Brown's Butter Flake Rolls calls for 2 ½ teaspoons of salt to make 12 rolls. I increased the salt. You could also make sure the pumpkin you are using is seasoned well.

🛒 Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make the dough.

• ½ cup warm water
• 2 packages 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• ⅔ cup warm milk
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 ½ cups fresh puréed pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 ½ cups Bread Flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

I marked the ground cardamom as optional. Some people don't like the flavor and may not have it on hand. But if you do have it, for sure use it! I found when I use it made a big difference.

Learn how to make your own pumpkin puree and what pumpkin is the best for cooking/baking.

💡 Rising Tips

A warm, moist environment is best for rising dough. What you can do is place a cake pan in the bottom rack of your oven. Put the dough in a large bowl that you cover with oiled plastic wrap. Place that onto the top rack, making sure you give plenty of room for it to rise as in you don't want dough stuck to the top of the inside of your oven.

Now bring some water to a boil, I use a kettle. Then pour the hot water into the cake pan and now you got yourself a warm, humid environment for your dough to rise in.

🍞 Baking Tips

Let me share with you a "horror story" from the first time I baked this bread. The first time I baked the rolls and the loaf at the same time in the oven. I thought the loaf was already done when the rolls were as it was nicely browned on top and sounded good when I tapped on it.

When I tried to remove the loaf from the pan the top part fell off much to my dismay. I noticed the inside was still too dough so I had to put the top back on and finish it in the oven. But now I could no longer use it for sandwiches.

The next time I tented the loaf with some foil, so I can cook it longer without being concerned that the top will burn.

Also never neglect to spray the pan with some non-stick spray even if you are using a nonstick loaf pan.

🎃 Pumpkin Yeast Rolls

You also have the option of instead of making sandwich loaves, you can make rolls. The dough is enough to make 2 loaves, or 1 loaf and 12 dinner rolls.

Let me share with you how to make the rolls.

Take your already risen dough and make tennis ball sized balls of dough. Using kitchen shears or a pairing knife, cut 5 or 6 vertical slits in the sides of each roll. When baked these will create ridges that look like a pumpkin.

Cover and allow the rolls to rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Then bake in 375 degrees oven for about 20 minutes or until the rolls have browned or have reached an internal temperature of 190 degrees. For the stems I immediately poke some pretzels in the top.

The thermometer I use to check to see if the bread is perfectly baked is The Thermapen® ONE from ThermoWorks. The one means 1 second to record the temperature. Its durable as well.

Turkey Shaped Loaf

One year my wife did something really cool with this dough for Thanksgiving, she turned it into the shape of a turkey!

Here are her instructions on how to make this fun loaf:

• Start by forming your ball of dough into a tight oval shape.
• Using kitchen shears, cut slits into either side of the top of the oval to create the wings.
• Take the tips of the wings and pull them upwards and attach them to the breast area of the turkey.
• Now using a large knife or bench scraper, cut two thighs off of the bottom of the oval creating a V shape in your loaf.
• Shape the two thighs into ovals and reattach them onto your loaf on either side of the V.
• Using a razor blade or bread lame score the surface of your loaf in a crosshatch or feathered pattern so it rises well and has the skin-like texture.

🍫 How to Add Chocolate Chips

An optional ingredient is chocolate chips. I know some of you say chocolate is never optional!

If you want to add chocolate chips to the dough, you want to add them in between bringing the dough together and shaping the dough. Carefully kneed in the chips once the dough is ready to be shaped. Try to evenly distribute the chips. Then shape your dough.

🍩 Pumpkin Yeast Donuts

You can also use this same dough to make yeast donuts. Now these donuts will be lower in sugar than other donut recipes. But I still think they are sweet enough with the icing I put on top.

Start making the donuts just like I instructed with the rolls. After the first rise of your dough, you are going to make tennis ball sized balls of dough. Then using your thumb poke a hole in the ball and gently stretch it to make a donut shape.

Allow them to rise after making them into donut shapes for 10-20 minutes.

Heat up your frying oil (I like doing this in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven) to 350 degrees and fry one at a time until golden brown. It's important to monitor oil temp regularly. The easiest way to do that is with an infrared thermometer. I use the ThermoWorks IR with Circle Laser. This will only give you the surface temp of the oil but it's quick and easy to read and you adjust the temperature by turning up or lowering your burner.

Flip when one side is golden brown and then cook the other half until golden brown. Once you have finished, make an easy icing that contains:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons whole milk

Start by adding 1 tablespoon of milk, if it needs more to get the right consistency then add the next. If it gets too runny, then just add a little more powdered sugar until it's just right.

🍴 Other Pumpkin Recipes You Might Like

There is plenty more pumpkin recipes on the blog I would love for you to check out, starting with my Overnight Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles.

• Pumpkin Tomato Sauce
• Pumpkin French Toast
• Pumpkin Mini Donuts
• Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies