Jeepers Creepers

 Pumpkin Buns with Cinnamon Sugar

Pumpkin Buns:

• 1/4 cup Fresh yeast (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dry Instant yeast) 
• 3/4 cup room temp milk (full fat) 
• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 room temp egg 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2.5 teaspoons pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup room-temperature butter
• Cinnamon sugar coating  

• 1/2 cup grams butter 
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon sticks for decor [optional]

Instructions 

• In a bowl, dissolve the yeast into the room temp milk. Mix until completely combined. 
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the yeast/milk mixture. 
• Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, spices, half of the flour, and the room temp butter. 
• Mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Add the salt and the rest of the flour.
• Keep mixing until gluten forms. The dough should be smooth, stretchy, and sticky (about 10-15 min in a stand mixer, double by hand) 
• Leave the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 17 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
• Cut 4 (for each pumpkin) x 17 (pumpkins in all) strands of cooking string (About 10 inches long) 
• Lay 4 pieces of cooking string in a crisscross pattern. 
• 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)

• Place the buns on baking sheets fitted with parchment paper (6 pieces per sheet) 
• Let rise to room temp for about 2-3 hours depending on temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 395 degrees
• Bake in the middle of the oven for about 10-15 min until they’re golden. 
• Let it cool.
• Carefully cut and remove all of the strings. 
• Melt the butter for the cinnamon-sugar coating.
• In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the cinnamon. 
• 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)
• 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. 
• Set aside and finish the rest.
• 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!