Orange Pumpkin Cloverleafs

Name: Orange Pumpkin Cloverleafs
Total time: 5 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: ¾ stick unsalted butter; 2 teaspoons active dry yeast; ¼ cup warm milk; 1 tablespoon honey; 2¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons salt; ⅓ cup canned pure pumpkin; 2 large eggs; ½ teaspoon orange zest; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 1 tablespoon water; 1 piece muffin pan

Soft, fluffy dinner rolls with a delicate blend of pumpkin and orange flavors, shaped into charming cloverleaf patterns. These homemade rolls feature a tender, enriched dough made with fresh orange zest, pumpkin puree, and honey.

12 servings

5 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•¾ stick unsalted butter
•2 teaspoons active dry yeast
•¼ cup warm milk
•1 tablespoon honey
•2¾ cups all-purpose flour
•1½ teaspoons salt
•⅓ cup canned pure pumpkin
•2 large eggs
•½ teaspoon orange zest
•2 tablespoons orange juice
•1 tablespoon water
•1 piece muffin pan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Butter muffin cups with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
5 min
2.
Stir together yeast, warm milk, and honey in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
5 min
3.
Mix flour, salt, pumpkin, 1 whole egg, yolk, orange zest and juice, and remaining 5 tablespoon butter into yeast mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, dusting surface and your hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is elastic and smooth, 6 to 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball.
10 min
4.
Put dough in an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
120 min
5.
Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Roll half of dough on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands into a 12-inch-long log (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap).
5 min
6.
Cut log into 6 equal pieces, then cut each piece into thirds. Roll each piece into a 1-inch ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion. Put 3 balls side by side in each of 6 muffin cups.
15 min
7.
Make more rolls with remaining dough in same manner. Cover rolls with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until dough is about 1 inch above rim of muffin cups, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
8.
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
10 min
9.
Whisk together remaining egg and water and brush on tops of rolls. (You will have leftover egg wash.)
5 min
10.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack and cool at least 20 minutes.
40 min

Orange Pumpkin Cloverleafs

12 servings

5 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Cooking Instructions

Butter muffin cups with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

5 min

Stir together yeast, warm milk, and honey in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)

5 min

Mix flour, salt, pumpkin, 1 whole egg, yolk, orange zest and juice, and remaining 5 tablespoon butter into yeast mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, dusting surface and your hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is elastic and smooth, 6 to 8 minutes. Form dough into a ball.

10 min

Put dough in an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

120 min

Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Roll half of dough on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands into a 12-inch-long log (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap).

5 min

Cut log into 6 equal pieces, then cut each piece into thirds. Roll each piece into a 1-inch ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion. Put 3 balls side by side in each of 6 muffin cups.

15 min

Make more rolls with remaining dough in same manner. Cover rolls with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until dough is about 1 inch above rim of muffin cups, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

90 min

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

10 min

Whisk together remaining egg and water and brush on tops of rolls. (You will have leftover egg wash.)

5 min

10.

Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer rolls to a rack and cool at least 20 minutes.

40 min