Sourdough Pumpkin Espresso Rolls

Thanksgiving breakfast, sorted

Hello there!

I have a special recipe for you today, the cinnamon roll version of my sourdough pumpkin milk bread. I’ve been making variations of this bread for (*rubs eyes*) 7(!) years now; and its vibrant color and soft, “shreddable” texture never fail to make me smile.

As pumpkin and espresso make a splendid pair, I’ve spiked the filling and frosting with espresso powder and strong coffee/espresso. If you don’t like coffee or don’t have espresso powder, you can leave the espresso powder and coffee out completely; increase the cinnamon in the filling to 1 Tbsp and add a generous pour of vanilla extract to the frosting.

If you want to make a non-sourdough version of this recipe, you can use the dough and timings in this recipe, substituting the 100g milk in the final dough with 120g pumpkin puree. But if you have access to a sourdough starter, I hope that you will give the naturally leavened version a shot. If you follow the temperatures and timings, you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeously textured, soft dough that is full of flavor (but not sourness).

This recipe does take some advance planning. If you want to serve these rolls on Thanksgiving morning, build your sweet stiff levain on Tuesday evening. Mix the dough Wednesday morning, shape them before going to bed, then bake them first thing on Turkey Day. Enjoy!