Jan's Pumpkin Rolls

  • ~40 rolls
  • 250 F
  • 4 h.
  • Jan Schroeder

Ingredients

  • 9 c. flour
  • 6 c. milk
  • 1 1/2 c. squash (or pumpkin)
  • 1 1/2 c. shortening (or butter)
  • 3 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 yeast cakes (each 2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • oil

Directions

  1. Scald milk in a pan by heating until it boils and immediately stop. Then pour over sieved squash. I don’t really sieve it for squash in a can.
  2. Add sugar, shortening (we use butter), and salt.
  3. Dissolve yeast in 1 1/2 C of warm water.
  4. Add to squash mix.
  5. Add baking soda and 9 cups of flour. This will be like a yeasty batter. Mix pretty well and let it rise in a warm place until it gets lighter and bubbly. Maybe 45 minutes.
  6. Add remaining 3-5 C or more flour and 1 C sugar. You add and stir until the dough comes away from the sides and forms a ball.
  7. At this point I would put it on a floured surface and knead in flour until you have a nice soft ball. (Not too much, or the dough gets tough.)
  8. Clean your other bowl and oil it. Put the kneaded soft smooth ball in the oiled bowl. Turn it once, cover and let rise until double in size (about one hour).
  9. Cut the ball into half and then half again. Then cut into pieces and roll into 2-3 inch balls which you place in oiled baking pans.
  10. Let rise again and then bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. To know if a pan is done, lick your finger and place on the bottom middle of the pan. If it sizzles, it is done all through inside.

Notes

9 inch round cake pans or rectangular 8x8 or 8x13 pans all work. Oil pans well first.

Jan: I sometimes turn the oven on to 250 for three minutes then turn it off and use it for the first two risings. Not too hot, though just 90 degrees is good

In 2018, I baked for 30-35 minutes at 350.

Originally due to Schroeder Grandma Mac.