Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns

I  made these pumpkin cinnamon buns the other week when my sister-in-law came over because I know that pumpkin baked goods and cinnamon buns are her favourite. At first I was a little skeptical to try and attempt making these but they ended up being such a moist cinnamon bun with a subtle pumpkin flavour. I will make these again! Plus they have a great orange colour to them.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup milk

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

4- 4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp - 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

In a saucepan melt butter.

While butter is melting place 2 1/4 tsp yeast in your kitchenaid mixer

Once your butter is melted, remove from heat and add 1/2 cup milk. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes and add to yeast. You don't want your milk to be hot but it needs to be quite warm.

Add 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt and 2 cups of flour. Mix

As it is mixing gradually add flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have used 4-4 1/2 cups flour. If you need more add 1 tbsp at a time

Cover and let rise approx 1 hour or until it has almost doubled in size

Lightly, flour your rolling area and roll out dough to 1/8" thick rectangle

Using 1/4 cup softened butter (minus 1 tbsp, that you will use later) spread across dough

Spread 3/4 cup brown sugar on top of butter

Sprinkle with 1 to 2 tbsp ground cinnamon. I never really measure my cinnamon so that is why I gave you room to make it as cinnamony (I know that isn't a word) as you like it. Ground approx 1 tsp fresh nutmeg over top of cinnamon

Starting with one of your long ends of your dough roll start rolling. As you roll, rub your preserved 1 tbsp softened butter and spread it across. Continue this until your whole dough has been rolled

Cut your roll of dough into 12 pieces

Place your buns in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover and let rest in a warm place for approx 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Covering if they brown to quickly. Remember all ovens cook a little differently so keep an eye on them so they don't burn

As your cinnamon buns are baking you can stir together a quick cream cheese frosting or regular frosting if you like icing on your cinnamon buns. My icing was 1/4 cup softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup icing sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and a little milk. I add my milk 1 tsp at a time until I get the consistency I need.

Once cinnamon buns are done, remove from oven. Flip your pan over onto a cooling rack (I place a piece of tinfoil under my rack for easy clean up). Ice once they have cooled for a few minutes. Now if you are like me, you are impatient and can't wait that few minutes. They were divine.