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by Crystal Schlueter
My grandma always made the best rolls and buns for Thanksgiving. She usually made lightly sweetened white finger rolls and sometimes a pan of wild rice pull-apart buns. Since she passed, I took on the role of our family’s bread baker. I decided to go with a take on her wild rice buns, but with a bit of extra fall flavor added in.
The pumpkin adds a lovely orange hue, while the cranberries, wild rice, and seeds add texture and crunch. I also added a hint of rosemary for a woodsy aroma. If preferred, you can substitute the herb for 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. I decided to serve a whipped honey spread to accompany the buns, but they would also be great with apple butter or orange marmalade.
Next month, I would like to feature another delicious bread and I need your help. Let’s talk pulla! If you have a great pulla recipe and are willing to share it, please send me an email at [email protected]. Lussekatter buns or any other Nordic holiday breads are welcome too. I look forward to hearing from you!
Cranberry Wild Rice
Pumpkin Buns
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 envelopes active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter (cooled slightly)
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon packed fresh rosemary, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 bag (5 ounces) dried cranberries, roughly chopped
6-61/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided) plus extra, if needed
Oil for greasing
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup pepitas or pepita/sunflower seed blend
Instructions:
In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Cover the bowl and let stand for 15-20 minutes or until foamy. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, molasses, rosemary, and salt. Stir until smooth. Add the wild rice and cranberries. Stir in 3 cups of flour until thoroughly blended. Gradually add another 3 cups of flour. Turn the dough onto a counter that has been lightly dusted with some of the remaining half cup of flour. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes or until it no longer sticks to the counter (it will still stick slightly to your hand), dusting with additional flour as necessary. Grease a large bowl with oil. Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Turn to coat the other side. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size. Once doubled, Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and cut the dough into 24 pieces. Roll into balls. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Nestle the buns on the baking sheet in six rows of four. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the buns have doubled in size, brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned on top, rotating halfway through baking time. Serve with whipped honey spread, if desired. Whipped Honey Spread: In a large bowl, add 1 stick of softened salted butter, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup honey, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Beat until light and fluffy. Garnish with an extra pinch of ground cinnamon.
Yield: 24 servings.
