Gooey Pumpkin & Raisin Cinnamon Buns
Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
Serves: 12
Yields: 12 buns
Ingredients
Gooey Glaze Topping
- 3⁄4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1⁄4 cup whipping cream
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1⁄2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Dough (Buns)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1⁄2 cup warm water (NOT BOILING)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin, mashed (can or fresh)
- 1 cup whole milk, divided
- 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1⁄4 cup maple syrup
- 4 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3⁄4 cup raisins
- vegetable oil
Filling
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted (NOT MARGARINE)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (from the zested orange)
Directions
- Glaze:.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, whipping cream, vanilla and spice. Pour into a 9x13x2-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.
- Dough:.
- Combine the yeast, water and white sugar in a large ceramic mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir until the yeast is dissolved; allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin, 1/2 cup milk, brown sugar and maple syrup; stir to make a paste.
- After the yeast has rested, add a 1/2 cup of flour and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin paste, the egg, remaining milk, and butter; stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the orange zest, salt, baking soda and remaining flour, - 1/2 CUP AT A TIME. Mix in the spices and raisins and work with wet hands until the dough forms - A dough that is tacky but can be handled with wet hands. When the proper consistency is achieved, remove from the bowl and knead by hand for 5 to 10 minutes to get the gluten developed; form into a ball. DO NOT knead alot since you want this to be a softer bun.
- Set the dough aside to rise in a well-oiled extra-large ceramic mixing bowl; toss it around to get it well-greased so that it stays nice and elastic as it rises. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel (or plastic wrap), and let the dough rise in a warm place that is free from drafts. Let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. COOK'S TIP: Turn your oven on to 250 degrees F and set the bowl on top (ceramic holds heat nicely).
- After the first rise, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface like your countertop. Dust with a little more flour and let sit for 4 or 5 minutes. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle (approx. 10 x 18-inches).
- Spread dough evenly with the filling:.
- Begin by mixing together in a small bowl the spice and brown sugar; break up the sugar clumps. Next, stir the orange juice into the melted butter and use a pastry brush to brush the mixture over the entire dough's surface. Lastly, sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Leave at least a 1/2-inch border.
- Roll up the prepared dough - jelly-roll fashion, starting at a long edge. Cut into 12 slices. COOK'S TIPS: (1) Cut the long roll in half, then each half in half, and then those into thirds - This will give you evenly sized buns. (2) Use a 10-inch length of thread or un-waxed floss to slice dough since a knife will squish your dough. Slide the thread/floss underneath the dough, bring the ends up and pull towards each other (as if you were about to tie a knot) and keep pulling until you've sliced through dough.
- Arrange the buns cut side down in the prepared baking pan. It's preferred that they not touch each other so that they'll get bigger. Let the buns rise a second time in a warm place, for about 30 minutes or unitl they double in size and 'kiss' each other.
- Cover top of the baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove buns from the oven and let cool a few minutes; invert buns and transfer to a cooling rack or a serving platter. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes, then let your family and friends devour! (For an evening desset treat: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a warmed bun.).
- COOK'S TIP: Instead of dressing your buns with the 'Gooey Glaze Topping', try this Cinnamon Orange Honey Butter:.
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 cup honey
- Juice of one orange.
- In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together. Shape into a ball and serve with your warm pumpkin-cinnamon buns.
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