Pumpkin Buns with Cinnamon Sugar

Pumpkin Buns:

• 25 grams Fresh yeast (or 8 grams dry Instant yeast)

• 150 grams room temp milk (full fat)

• 100 grams pumpkin purée

• 1 room temp egg

• 110 grams granulated sugar

• 500 grams all-purpose flour

• 2.5 teaspoons pumpkin spice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 100 grams room-temperature butter

Cinnamon sugar coating

• 100 grams butter

• 200 grams granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

• Cinnamon sticks for decor [optional]

Instructions -

1. In a bowl, dissolve the yeast into the room temp milk. Mix until completely combined.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the yeast/milk mixture.

3. Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, spices, half of the flour, and the room temp butter.

4. Mix until a sticky dough forms.

5. Add the salt and the rest of the flour.

6. Keep mixing until gluten forms. The dough should be smooth, stretchy, and sticky (about 10-15 min in a stand mixer, double by hand)

7. Leave the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

8. Divide the dough into 17 pieces.

9. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.

10. Cut 4 x 17 strands of cooking string (About 15-20 cm long) (68 pieces)

11. Lay 4 pieces of cooking string in a crisscross pattern.

12. Place a ball of dough on top and tie together each string loosely (if you tie too tight the string will bake into the dough)

13. Place the buns on baking sheets fitted with parchment paper (6 pieces per sheet)

14. Let rise to room temp for about 2-3 hours depending on temperature.

15. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (395 Fahrenheit)

16. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 10-15 min until they’re golden.

17. Let it cool.

18. Carefully cut and remove all of the strings.

19. Melt the butter for the cinnamon-sugar coating.

20. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the cinnamon.

21. Brush each bun with butter one at a time (make sure you get every crease and make sure you have an even layer of butter, otherwise, the sugar will clump up)

22. Holding the bun over the cinnamon-sugar bowl, Grab a spoon and pour the cinnamon sugar on top, covering every side and every crease until it’s all covered.

23. Set aside and finish the rest.

24. Once they’re all covered, cut the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces and place them in the middle of the buns for decoration [optional]

Done!