These pumpkin burger buns are tender and fluffy on the inside with a soft crumb topped with sesame seeds. Pumpkin puree adds a vivid and rich golden colour and makes the buns extremely beautiful. Very easy to make and perfect for any occasion.
Cold days are perfect for making bread at home. So I decided to make delicious pumpkin buns. I’ve seen them before at the local bakery, I’ve tried them and I simply had to bake them myself. Now, you might think, the pumpkin season is over. Well, I can assure you that pumpkins are still available, also in winter.
I’ve been looking for a flawless burger bun recipe for quite some time. Yes! I finally found it. Although this one is with pumpkin, it’s still amazing. Did you check the photos? Gorgeous. And they taste just like they look. Wink.
The ideal burger buns should be pillow-soft, squishy and tender. These pumpkin burger buns have also a tight but soft crumb and a distinct sweet note thanks to the pumpkin puree. More, they hold up great to the sauces and meat’s juices. Shortly said, they are perfect.
And, even though they are called burger buns, you can use them for sandwiches and panini, as appetizer bruschetta, for bread pudding or thicken cold soups, gazpacho for example.
If you fancy a couple of burgers, then you might try this juicy and fresh chicken pumpkin burger or this savoury sunny-side up burger.
Getting done something delicious like pumpkin buns involves quite some work. This recipe requires very little kneading and a lot of resting time (this considers the dough). Wink. For this reason, the weekend would be a perfect time to bake some golden pumpkin buns.
Tips and facts about the dough
Instead of proofing the yeast, make sure you add lukewarm pumpkin puree to it. The warmth and sugar will do the right work, without waiting for the yeast the get frothy and bubbly.
This recipe asks for the stretch and fold technique. That’s my favourite, which I use every time I make bread. So simple, you keep the dough in a bowl the whole time and it takes less than 30 seconds. If you are a sourdough bread lover, you might check this pumpkin seed sourdough bread.
Another curiosity, the butter is added after the dough is done. Butter is very important, as it gives moisture to the dough. By incorporating butter into the dough, you’ll notice the dough will get extremely wet and it will almost look like it’s falling apart. Try to avoid dusting with more flour. Keep kneading and eventually, it will come together. Wink.
After the first and second proofing time, there is almost no change in the dough volume. However, after the third and the fourth proofing time, the change is so evident. You’ll see it. It is like magic. Wink. There is something about it when you see the dough has doubled in size. Don’t you think?
Additionally, they freeze wonderfully. Therefore, make double the amount and pop them up in the freezer to have them on hand any time you want. I suggest putting 2-3 buns together in a bag and freezing up to 3-5 months. Before placing them in the oven, simply let them thaw.
Ingredients for about 8 pumpkin burger buns:
- 180 g Hokkaido pumpkin (or any other)
- 75 ml of luke warm milk
- 300 g flour
- 3 g dried yeast
- 25 g brown sugar
- 3 g salt
- 35 g butter (softened)
To begin, preheat the oven to 200º C and take the butter out of the fridge. Then, wash and cut the pumpkin into larger chunks or wedges. Place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with some olive oil and put to roast for 20 minutes or until tender.
After the pumpkin is soft, transfer it either to a food processor or use an immersion blender. Add the milk and blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Before adding it to the dough mixture, allow cooling to lukewarm temperature.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Once the pumpkin puree reaches the lukewarm temperature, add it to the bowl and mix until well combined. Using your hands, continue pressing and kneading it (directly in the bowl, until it comes together and the flour has disappeared).
Then, cover the bowl with transparent foil, place it in a draft-free place (a turned-off oven is the best) and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Furthermore, take the bowl with the dough and spread the butter on the dough and then squeeze it in by kneading. The dough will get sticky, wet and it will look it is falling apart. Keep going, keep kneading and eventually it will come back together. At this point, form a ball (the dough won’t be smooth), leave the dough in the same bowl, cover with foil and let it proof for 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
Afterwards, make 15 “stretch and folds” but keep the ball form. Simply take one side of the dough and fold it on itself. Repeat all the way around the sides. The dough will get less sticky. Form a ball, place it in the bowl, cover it with foil and put it back to proof for another 30 minutes.
After proofing time, the dough will double in size. Repeat the 15 “stretch and folds” around the sides. This time, the dough will get smoother and softer. Form a ball and, once again, allow to proof for 30 minutes.
Shaping the buns
Next, flip the dough onto a lightly dusted working surface and divide it into 8 pieces. Take the first piece and fold the dough into a ball, by stretching the top and tucking it on the bottom, going all the way around. Then, flip it around, pinch the edges together until smooth and lay it (pinched side down) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remaining pieces.
Again, allow to proof for 20 more minutes in a draft-free place. Then, repeat the previous step by folding each piece of dough again into a ball. Place them back on the baking sheet and let them rest for the last 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170º C.
Once the buns have doubled in size, gently brush them with milk. If you decide to add sesame seeds, now is the right moment. Push them in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 20-25 minutes.
At the end brush the pumpkin burger buns with some melted butter, leave to absorb for a minute and then transfer on a wire rack to cool off. Once chilled, eat them simple as they are, make a sandwich, a burger or anything else.
Enjoy!
