Pumpkin Shaped Dinner Rolls for Thanksgiving

These dinner rolls are everything you want on a Thanksgiving table: soft, cheesy, lightly seasoned — and shaped like tiny pumpkins using kitchen twine. They look impressive, but the technique is simpler than it appears. A little patience during the shaping and proofing steps is all it takes.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups warm milk (100°F–105°F)
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 3 tsp sugar
• 4¼ cups bread flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg, plus 1 additional egg for egg wash
• ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
• 2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning

You'll also need kitchen twine and scissors.

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let rest for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Add the flour and mix on low with the dough hook. Add the remaining ingredients and continue mixing.
3. Knead for about 3 minutes until an elastic dough forms, pausing occasionally to reposition the dough on the hook.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm, draft-free spot. Let rise for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.

5. Lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, keeping unused pieces covered with the damp towel.
6. Shape each portion into a smooth ball using the boule method: pull all the edges into the middle to form a small pouch, then flip it over.
7. For each ball, lay 4 pieces of twine in an asterisk formation on your work surface. Place the dough ball face-down at the center, then bring the twine ends up and tie them gently at the top — don't tie too tightly, as the dough will expand significantly.
8. Trim the excess twine and flip the ball right-side up. Adjust the twine sections so they're evenly spaced.

9. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a towel, and proof in a warm spot until the dough is starting to puff beyond the twine loops.
10. Beat the egg yolk and brush it over the tops of the rolls for a rich, golden, glossy finish. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning if desired.
11. Preheat oven to 350°F.
12. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the twine before serving. Add a small pretzel stick or cinnamon stick to the top of each roll as a pumpkin stem if you'd like.