Pumpkin Knot Rolls

One of my favorite things about my friend Julie is her fearlessness. This applies to her cooking and baking too, and I’m always learning something new from her. Like how to make these knot style squash rolls.

Julie substituted squash from her garden for this recipe, which gave them a beautiful orange hue. You can also make them with roasted and mashed sweet potatoes if you prefer. Or canned pumpkin works too I suppose, as the recipe instructs us to do!

Pumpkin Knot Rolls
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This pretty recipe comes from the Taste of Home website.

2 packages (1.4 ounces each) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, sugar, pumpkin, 2 eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half.

Shape each portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into a 10-in. rope; tie into a knot and tuck ends under on each side.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30
minutes. In a small bowl, beat water and remaining egg. Brush over rolls.

Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

24 Servings Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 15 min.

Recipe from Taste of Home 2010 submitted by Dianna Shimizu Issaquah, Washington. Rolls made by Julie Hopper. Picture by Laura Flowers.