Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

1 TBSP active dry yeast, not instant! 

1 C. Hot-to the-touch tap water

1 TBSP Sugar

Combine and let the yeast do its thing for about 10 minutes. 

2 C. Whole Milk

1/2 C. Butter

Combine and warm in the microwave until the butter is melted. Let cool until it’s warm to the touch but doesn’t burn your finger. Very important friends! If it burns you it will kill the yeast, remember?

2 Eggs

1/4 C. Sugar

1/2 TBSP Salt

Combine and beat until foamy.

4-6 C. All-purpose Flour

Place all these mixtures into the bowl of a super awesome stand mixer that is made for dough. No names mentioned but it knows who it is. Turn onto low and slowly add the flour.

This next bit is very important! 

You might not use 4 cups or 6 cups. It totally and completely depends! Add it slowly until the dough is slightly sticky to the touch but not shiny and not slimy. 

Never ever slimy! 

Remove to a large greased bowl to rise for 1 hour. 

Filling:

1 can (29 oz) Pumpkin Puree

1 TBSP Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 TBSP Cinnamon

1 Egg

1 C. packed Brown Sugar

Mix the filling ingredients until all combined. 

Turn the dough out on a floured surface, thick enough that you could write your name in it, and gently roll the dough out until it’s a pretty uniform rectangle. Spread the filling mixture to the edges. 

Starting at the long edge, roll the dough slowly over itself. If it is sticky, throw some flour at it and keep rolling. Pinch the edges to keep it together. Slice the unsightly end pieces off to bake into a mini loaf, and then slice the pretty swirls about an inch to an inch and a half thick. Place each slice onto a greased baking sheet, leave plenty of room for them to rise. 

Because they will. 

Let sit, covered with a towel, for 30 minutes. This is a good time to heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake each sheet for about 13-17 minutes. They should be golden brown. Remove immediately to a cooling rack. 

Didjaknow that bread sweats? Totally does, if you leave the rolls on the hot sheet it will make the dough soggy. Yum, right? 

No. That’s a big no. 

Remove immediately and cool to the touch.

Now what?

Now, you cast your vote. Caramel or Cream cheese?

I think we’re ready to give caramel sauce a whirl, after that chocolate cake, we can do anything, right?!

Caramel Sauce

3/4 C. Buttermilk

1 tsp light Corn Syrup

1/4 C. Butter

3/4 C. Sugar

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a super huge pot. Don’t look at me weird, I know it’s only like 1 cup of liquid, but the baking soda gives it lofty ideas, so trust me on this one. You don’t want to be cleaning caramel off of your stove top.

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until it becomes a rich, deep caramel color, you know what I’m talking about. About 10-20 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. keeps in the refrigerator for 1 month but I seriously doubt it will last that long.

Drizzle some over the Pumpkin cinnamon rolls along with some chopped pecans! Yum!

Or, you can totally cream cheese frost them. Equally delicious and amazing!

Frosting:

1 pkg Cream Cheese

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 C. Milk

Powdered Sugar

Mix all the ingredients, then add powdered sugar (2-4 cups) until it is thick but spreadable, creamy, and so beautiful you want to cry.  You can admit it if you do, we are all friends here.