Pumpkin Milk Bread as rolls and a loaf of bread
Pumpkin Milk Bread

Pumpkin Milk Bread

Recipe by Sarah Jampel
Not Yet Reviewed

This Pumpkin Milk Bread is exceptionally soft, squishy, and feather-light, while also packing in a lot of pumpkin. Pumpkin can often weigh down baked goods, but here the combination of a tangzhong, bread flour, and a long mix makes this bread simultaneously moist and high-rising. Pumpkin provides not only a rich marigold color, but also a savory flavor that’s unhindered by the usual spices (you won’t find any cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg here). Bake it as pull-apart pumpkin milk bread rolls for a holiday dinner or as a loaf to make autumn-inspired French toast (OK, now add that cinnamon!) or an over-the-top grilled cheese with Gruyère and sage.

Prep
30 mins
Bake
35 to 40 mins
Total
5 hrs 20 mins
Yield
ten rolls or one loaf
Pumpkin Milk Bread as rolls and a loaf of bread - select to zoom
Pumpkin Milk Bread as rolls and a loaf of bread - select to zoom
Pumpkin Milk Bread seen from the side - select to zoom
Detailed close up of Pumpkin Milk Bread from above - select to zoom
Pumpkin Milk Bread on a counter baked as rolls and a loaf of bread - select to zoom
Taking a Pumpkin Milk Bread roll from the baked roll loaf - select to zoom
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Instructions

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  1. To make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk the milk and bread flour until no lumps remain. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a flexible spatula, until the mixture is thick enough that the spatula leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture will be slightly lumpy and uneven — that is OK. 

    Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls – Step 2

  2. To make the dough: Scrape the tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Attach the dough hook. Mix on low speed to combine, about 2 minutes, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix, scraping down the bowl once or twice during the process, for 8 to 12 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and mostly clears the sides of the bowl (some stickiness is OK). Use a bowl scraper to gather the dough into a neat ball in the center of the bowl, then cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  

  3. To make rolls: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Use a bench knife or sharp knife to divide it into 10 equal pieces (about 82g each) and shape each into a tight ball. Place in a greased 8" or 9" round pan (with two balls in the center and eight around the edge). 

    Alternatively, make a loaf: Divide the dough into five equal pieces (about 164g each). Roll each piece into a 5" x 8" rectangle with the short side facing you, then fold it like a business letter, bringing the bottom third of the dough up and the top third of the dough down and over the top. Flatten into a 3" x 6" rectangle and, starting with the short end, roll into a 4" log. Place in a greased 9" x 4" Extra Tall Loaf Pan or a 9" x 5" loaf pan, seam-side down.

  4. Cover the pan and let the dough rise until very puffy, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours; the dough should hold an indentation when gently pressed with a floured fingertip. Toward the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position. 

  5. When ready to bake, uncover the dough and brush it gently with milk. Sprinkle all over with pumpkin seeds and flaky salt, if using. 

  6. Bake the Pumpkin Milk Bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil after the first 25 minutes to prevent overbrowning, until the bread is well-browned and the internal temperature is at least 200°F when measured with a digital thermometer. Let cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.  

  7. Storage information: Store leftover Pumpkin Milk Bread, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.  

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