Cindy’s Rich Squash Rolls
I love these dinner rolls. I think you will, too. The addition of squash is what makes them so special. The squash adds beautiful color to the rolls. It also creates a soft texture and an earthy sweetness.
These rolls are wonderful for any fall or winter dinner or holiday. They are especially nice for Thanksgiving.
We have them every Thanksgiving. My sister Cindy always makes them, and has been making them for years. They are rich, soft and sweet and make a perfect addition to the dinner table. Even with all the other foods at Thanksgiving dinner- you always save room for these dinner rolls.
While I use cooked butternut squash in mine, pumpkin could be used, as well as other winter squashes.
The recipe makes a pretty big batch. You can bake them, then freeze some for later use.
I love slicing them in half, and making mini turkey sandwiches with them the day after Thanksgiving.
Cindy’s Squash Rolls
1 c. milk
4 T. butter
½ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 pkt. Yeast
4-5 c. flour
1 ½ c. cooked butternut squash, strained, or 1 (16oz.) can squash or pumpkin
2 eggs, room temperature
Scald milk and butter. Place sugar and salt in large bowl and pour in milk mixture. Cool to lukewarm. Add yeast and 2 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed with mixer for 2 minutes. Add squash and eggs and mix until smooth. Add flour gradually to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured board for 7-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning dough to coat evenly. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled. Punch dough down and shape into rolls. Dough can be placed in a greased cake pan where they will touch each other as they rise making softer rolls. You can also place them in muffin tins, or shape into rolls and place on greased baking sheet for crispier rolls. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Butter tops while warm. Makes 2 ½ -3 dozen.
Variation: you can also add ½ t. ground nutmeg, 1-2 T. chopped chives, or 1T. parsley flakes for a little different flavor.
Spelt Dinner Rolls
Spelt Dinner Rolls
Spelt flour is one of my favorites for making breads. Whole grain with all the fiber and nutrition of whole wheat flour, it has a softer texture. It is easy to work with and rises light and tender. Spelt doesn’t require as much kneading as other flours, too. For this recipe I just divided the dough into 12 pieces for pretty good sized rolls. You could divide the dough into up to 18 pieces if you prefer smaller dinner rolls. If you have family members who aren’t crazy about the heavier texture of whole wheat you might want to give spelt flour a try.
Spelt Dinner Rolls
3 ¼ c. whole spelt flour
1 pkt. Active dry yeast
1 c. water
¼ c. honey
¼ c. oil
1 t. salt
1 egg
Place 2 c. flour, yeast and salt in a medium bowl. Heat together water, honey and oil until warm (120-130 degrees) Add water mixture to spelt mixture and beat on low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds, or until moistened. Add egg and beat on high 3 minutes. Stir in enough spelt to make a soft dough. Cover bowl with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. Use a rubber scraper to transfer dough onto floured surface. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape each piece into dinner roll shapes, using extra flour to prevent sticking. Place on baking sheet and cover with a towel. Allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Cover and let rise until doubled, another hour. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until rolls are light brown on top. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 rolls.
