Lina Takahashi Eats
Happy pumpkin season and happy fall! As the weather gets colder and the leaves start changing colors, it finally feels like the perfect time for cozy sweaters, layers, and fall baking.
The true main character of the season, though, is these pumpkin-shaped breads. Pumpkin-shaped baked goods are irresistibly cute, and these soft, fluffy bread rolls are always a crowd-pleaser wherever I bring them. The pumpkin shape alone makes them festive and perfect for fall gatherings, Halloween parties, or Thanksgiving tables.I like to color my pumpkin-shaped bread using natural ingredients such as pumpkin paste or pumpkin powder. If food coloring is all you have on hand, that works too.
For a deeper orange color that leans slightly red rather than yellow, I recommend adding a very small amount of paprika, beet powder, or a drop of red food coloring. These additions enhance the pumpkin color without affecting the flavor of the bread.
This pumpkin-shaped bread dough is soft, fluffy, and slightly sticky, which helps create a tender crumb once baked. I usually prefer to hand-knead this dough, but a stand mixer works perfectly too and makes the process much less messy.
Because the dough is softer, avoid adding too much extra flour while kneading. A slightly sticky dough will result in a lighter and fluffier bread.
I like to change up the filling depending on what I have on hand. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling per bread, as overfilling will make it difficult to seal the dough and shape the bread properly.
Some filling ideas that work especially well include:
Feel free to have fun with the fillings and customize each bread to your taste.
Shaping the bread into pumpkins is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, but it’s not difficult. It simply requires a bit of patience, and anyone can do it.
Before tying the string around the dough, dip the string in a neutral oil such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or rice bran oil. This makes the string much easier to remove after baking without tearing the bread.
If the shaping process feels confusing, I recommend watching the video to see the technique step by step.
If you are confused, feel free to watch this video to see how I did it.
The full recipe with measurements and instructions is below. As always, if you try making this pumpkin-shaped bread, I would love to see it. Tag me @takahasheats on social media or send me photos when you do!
Itadakimas! 🎃🍞
