Get creative with bright pumpkin by putting it in some drool-worthy brown-butter pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

MAKES 12–18 // HANDS-ON 50 min //  HANDS-OFF 120 mins

INGREDIENTS
For the rolls
80 ml milk, warm
5g yeast
175g brown sugar
180 ml pumpkin purée (±225g pumpkin)
90g butter, melted
1 egg
½ tsp salt
375g flour
2–3 tsp cinnamon
For the icing
60g butter
70g icing sugar
1–2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla paste

METHOD
For the rolls
1. Whisk together milk, yeast and ½ tsp sugar. Set the mixture aside until foamy.
2. In another bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, 60g sugar, 30g butter, egg and salt.
3. Add 125g of the flour to the yeast mixture. Then add in the pumpkin mixture. Add the rest of the flour, 60 ml at a time, until a dough forms.
4. Knead the dough for 5–10 minutes, until elastic. Place in an oiled bowl and leave to proof for 1–2 hours, until doubled.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a muffin tray.
6. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy pot over low heat and allow to darken, giving it an occasional swirl to prevent it burning. Once the butter is light brown, remove from the heat.
7. Mix the remaining sugar and the cinnamon together.
8. Punch down the proofed dough and roll it out to about 1½ cm thick. Brush with the browned butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
9. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 5 cm pieces.
10. Place the rolls in the muffin tray with the cut sides facing up. Allow rolls to proof for another 30 minutes.
11. Bake for 20–30 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.
For the icing
1. Cream together butter and sugar, then add enough milk to thin the icing to pouring consistency. Add the vanilla.
2. Decorate the cooled buns with the icing.

If you grew up on a diet of your mom’s crunchies and rusks, you’ll love our ode to local treats with these delicious crunchie rusks!