Description
These golden, tender Butternut Squash Dinner Rolls are flecked with fresh rosemary and offer a subtle sweetness from roasted squash puree. Made with a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, these soft rolls are perfect as pull-apart dinner bread or individually baked for a crustier texture, bringing warmth and flavor to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter, softened or olive oil
- 1 cup butternut squash puree (230 grams) or substitute pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, instant yeast, and salt to evenly combine the dry ingredients.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add warm water, honey, softened butter (or olive oil), butternut squash puree, and minced rosemary to the flour mixture in the stand mixer bowl.
- Knead the Dough: Using the dough hook attachment on medium speed (setting 3), mix the dough for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes, scraping as needed until the dough is mostly smooth and sticky.
- Gather and Hand Knead: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Knead by hand about 5 turns to fully incorporate any remaining flour and achieve a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add flour sparingly only to prevent excessive sticking, avoiding a dry or heavy dough.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat the top and bottom with oil. Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape Rolls: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 balls for large rolls or 15 smaller ones. Arrange the dough balls in an oiled baking dish for pull-apart rolls, or space them out on a sheet pan for crustier individual rolls.
- Second Rise: Let the shaped rolls rest and rise in the baking dish or on the sheet pan for 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reaches 190-200°F. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Using roasted butternut squash puree adds natural sweetness and moisture, resulting in soft, flavorful rolls.
- Fresh rosemary provides a fragrant herbal note that complements the squash.
- For pull-apart rolls, place dough balls close together in a baking dish. For crustier rolls, space them apart on a baking sheet.
- Adjust flour quantity sparingly during kneading to maintain a soft dough without dryness.
- Check internal temperature with a thermometer to ensure rolls are baked through without drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 169
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 235.3 mg
- Fat: 2.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.9 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 6.1 mg
