One of the things I love about October is pumpkins. Pumpkins show up at the farmers’ markets, in the grocery stores, in my own garden, on the lawns of churches (& other organizations selling them for fundraisers) and in the fields along the bike path in October. Their bright orange color enhances the fall hues I use to decorate around the house for Halloween & Thanksgiving. The bigger pumpkins we buy or grow get carved and used as jack-o-lanterns on Halloween and the little sugar pumpkins get steamed and mashed into puree to be used in baking & cooking. (I know I can buy pumpkin puree at the store and that it is available all year round, but I’m a do-it-yourself New Englander at heart and I enjoy the whole farm to table experience!)

Pumpkin, by itself, really isn’t all that flavorful. What makes it a popular flavor at this time of year are the spices that are added to the plain pumpkin. They would be cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and sometimes ginger & cloves. These spices (plus a bit of sugar) make the pumpkin flavored foodstuffs we look forward to enjoying in autumn taste so good. This pumpkin flavored spin on a cinnamon roll recipe is no exception. The blend of spices combined with the pumpkin and the caramel make them a perfect seasonal indulgence.

While cinnamon rolls are commonly eaten as a breakfast item, this pumpkin version is sweet & satisfying enough to be a dessert. But why choose? Having them for both breakfast & dessert is an inspired way to get a double dose of pumpkin goodness before pumpkin season is over!

Pumpkin Caramel Rolls (adapted from willcookforsmiles.com)

Total time required: about 1 1/2 hours, Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pizza dough
• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup crushed pecans
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 6.5-ounce package caramel apple wraps

Instructions:

Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set it aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and pecans. Mix the filling until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Roll the pizza dough out into a rectangle that’s about 18 x 12 inches in size. Brush the dough with the melted butter and place the caramel wraps over the dough in a single layer. Spread the pumpkin spice mixture evenly over the caramel layer.

Starting on a long side, carefully roll the dough into a log.

Press the dough together on the long seam to seal in the filling. Slice the log into 12 sections of equal width.

Place each section in the prepared dish with one of the cut sides down. Set the baking dish in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes, until the rolls are lightly browned.

Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

These rolls are a deliciously sweet start or end to the day!  ~Linda

Pumpkin Caramel Rolls (adapted from willcookforsmiles.com)

Total time required: about 1 1/2 hours, Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pizza dough
• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup crushed pecans
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 6.5-ounce package caramel apple wraps

Instructions:

Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set it aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and pecans. Mix the filling until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Roll the pizza dough out into a rectangle that’s about 18 x 12 inches in size. Brush the dough with the melted butter and place the caramel wraps over the dough in a single layer. Spread the pumpkin spice mixture evenly over the caramel layer.

Starting on a long side, carefully roll the dough into a log. Press the dough together on the long seam to seal in the filling. Slice the log into 12 sections of equal width. Place each section in the prepared dish with one of the cut sides down. Set the baking dish in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes, until the rolls are lightly browned. Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes before serving.