Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

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  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (1)by Alyona Demyanchuk
  • Published September 15, 2020
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My favorite way to use up winter squash is to make these Squash Dinner Rolls! This recipe came from a Mennonite woman who brought these along to a lunch gathering. They are scrumptious and can easily be swapped out for pumpkin!

Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2)

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I will literally can or freeze any type of winter squash for these dinner rolls! Don’t have any canned squash or pumpkin? Roast or boil your squash until it’s tender then simply puree it!Love squash? Make our Zucchini fritters!

Dinner Rolls

Fall is here and that means many of you have winter squash to can, freeze, or cook! I’ve got the perfect recipe for you! Make these dinner rolls from garden-fresh squash or if you’re like me you probably already have a bag of frozen or canned squash sitting around. I was never really big on dinner rolls besides the Costco ones, but are these a fluffy treat!

These golden yellow rolls get their hue from the winter squash and canned pumpkin will work just as good! I was introduced to squash dinner rolls from the Mennonite ladies who love to serve rolls with butter and homemade jam! It’s become a family favorite along with green beans. You cannot detect any squash flavors in these but if you’re wanting to add extra fiber to your diet consider these.

I know this recipe makes a huge batch, and many Mennonite women know how to be frugal and take shortcuts like freezing the majority of these rolls for many dinners to come. So trust me, it’s not an error that this recipe makes 80 rolls! Besides, if you’re getting any mixing bowls dirty then might as well make enough for a crowd! These moist and soft rolls can easily become a family staple bread like it has for us! A huge thanks to Margaret K, for sharing these delicious Pumpkin rolls that I’ve altered with squash because any mashed winter squash works for this recipe.

How to Make Squash Dinner Rolls:

FAQ

How to cook Squash for dinner rolls?

Canned pumpkin is already pureed and ready to use. If making these rolls with fresh garden squash you’ll have to either roast them or boil them until tender. This is typically done with the skins on. Here’s how;

  • Wash and slice the squash lengthwise.
  • Remove the seeds using a spoon.
  • Place into a kettle or roasting pan. If cooking in a pot, pour 2-inches of water to the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. and cook until tender. If roasting in the oven put face up and bake until tender.
  • Scoop the flesh out of the skins and puree with a little water until smooth.

Instant Yeast or Dry Active Yeast?

This recipe calls for dry yeast, although wet yeast can be used too. There are two types of dry yeast;

Active Dry Yeast-has to be activated or awakened by warm liquid.

Instant Dry Yeast-can be used directly into doughs without the need for dissolving or activating beforehand.

How to shape Dinner Rolls?

Dinner rolls are typically shaped into balls then placed into a baking dish or sheet pan to further rise for soft and fluffy rolls. Here’s how to shape them:

  1. Divide the dough into smaller portions using a bench scraper.
  2. Score the dough to give you equal pieces. Doing this also allows you to remark any piece.
  3. Cut the dough.
  4. Shape the dough into balls (there are 2 ways to make dinner rolls either pinch down the seams or push the dough through your finger and thumb.)

What to serve with Squash Dinner Rolls?

Dinner rolls aren’t only for dinner! These squash rolls are like traditional rolls only with a tint of color and extra fiber so you won’t detect any squash or vegetables in them! Here are some creative ways to serve this bread;

  • Sliders-breakfast sliders or cheeseburger sliders!
  • Breakfast Sandwiches-swap the croissants for these breakfast sandwiches!
  • Side to Soups-serve to a bowl of hot broccoli cheddar soup or meatball soup.
  • Side to Pasta Dishes-fettuccine alfredo or 5-cheese ziti al forno.
  • Appetizer to the main dish!

How long to knead the dough?

This recipe makes a huge batch (80 rolls) so invest in a huge 18-quart mixing bowl and expect to do some hand kneading unless you have a commercial mixer. But no worries kneading by hand can take as quick as 5 minutes or more. I only knead my dough until it’s soft and slightly tacky. Pounding or whacking dough can also help bring out the gluten. I recommend a bread flour in this case as big portions can be hard to knead thoroughly.

How to prevent the bread from sweating?

Homemade bread can sweat if it’s baked on parchment paper or directly in the pan which is why moving it to a cooling rack is essential. However, if you invest in some silicone mats you can leave the rolls to cool right in the pan since silicone won’t sweat your bread! My macaron mats even work for this as it’s the same quality!

Can I freeze Dinner Rolls?

Yes! This batch feeds a crowd so leftovers are likely! I like to freeze my baked rolls for easier serving later. However, if you wish to freeze your dough balls prior to baking simply shape into balls and flash freeze. Then transfer frozen dough balls into a freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Long periods of freezing can kill the yeast.

When ready to use simply proof or thaw in a warm place until tripled in size.

What flour to use?

These dinner rolls make 80 buns! So unless you have commercial equipment you’ll need to knead by hand. Kneading by hand can be hard work and since such a mass of dough is being made it can be hard to thoroughly knead or bring out the gluten. I recommend an enriched type of flour like bread flour in this case. Although all-purpose flour will work too! Flours like Patent flour or Occident flour are also good choices.

Tips for Squash Dinner Rolls:

  1. Cook, roast, and puree fresh winter squash first.
  2. Buy canned pumpkin or squash!
  3. Use a bench scraper.
  4. Say good-bye to wet rolls! Silicone mats won’t sweat your dough!

More Favorite Yeast Recipes:

  • French Bread Recipe
  • Naan Bread (Stonefire Copycat)
  • Olive Garden Breadsticks (Copycat Recipe)
  • Panera Bread Focaccia (Copycat Recipe)
  • Moist Wheat Bread Recipe

Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (3)

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Squash Dinner Rolls

Prep Time: 3 hours hours

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 4 hours hours

Servings: 80 rolls

Author: Alyona Demyanchuk

My favorite way to use up winter squash is to make theseSquash Dinner Rolls! This recipe came from a Mennonite woman who brought these along to a lunch gathering. They are scrumptious and can easily be swapped out for pumpkin!

Equipment

Ingredients

Dinner Rolls:

  • 4 Tbsp yeast

  • 1 cup of warm water

  • 1/2 tsp sugar

  • 1 cup oil

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar

  • 3 tsp salt

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup hot water

  • 4 cups canned pumpkin or squash*

  • 16 cups flour

Instructions

How to make Squash Dinner Rolls:

  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (4)

    In a large mixing bowl dissolve the first three ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients reserving 10 cups of flour. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes.

  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (5)

    Knead in the reserved flour until soft and slightly tacky.

  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (6)

    Let rise for 45 minutes in a warmed oven or until doubled. Punch down and let rise again for 50 min.

  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (7)

    Form into 80 balls (by cutting the dough into four equal pieces then each piece into 20 pieces.) Place rolls side by side onto a sheet pan and let rise until doubled (20 min.)

  • Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (8)

    Bake at 325°F for 15 min on the bottom rack. Brush hot rolls with melted butter if desired.

Notes

Squash-any winter squash can be used including acorn, butternut, or pumpkin. Fresh squash must be cooked then pureed or simply buy canned pumpkin or squash.

To Roast Squash:Wash and slice the squash in half lengthwise. Arrange onto a baking sheet and roast open for 1 hour or until flesh is fork-tender. Scoop out of skins and puree with a little water until smooth. One small butternut squash equals about 1 cup of puree.

Altitude:depending on your elevation you may need more flour. Add an Additional 2-3 cups of flour if your elevation is over 65′.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1rollCalories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 64mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 761IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Easy Squash Dinner Rolls Recipe - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade dinner rolls hard? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

Should you brush dinner rolls before baking? ›

Butter basting: Rolls can be brushed with butter before, during, or after baking. While it doesn't brown the surface as much as egg wash will, it does promote browning and adds a lot of flavor.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

How do I make my rolls more airy? ›

Tips for Making Fluffy Dinner Rolls
  1. Don't get the milk too hot. The optimal temperature for milk is around 100 degrees F. ...
  2. Make sure your yeast isn't old. ...
  3. Use a combination of all-purpose and bread flour. ...
  4. Mix your dough long enough. ...
  5. Don't rush the rising time. ...
  6. Don't over-bake.

What happens if you add too much flour to dinner rolls? ›

Too much flour results in a dry, crumbly dough that's unpleasant and difficult to work with. It doesn't stick to itself and tends to fall apart when kneaded.

How do you make homemade rolls less dense? ›

How to Make Bread Less Dense?
  1. Proof The Dough Longer. As explained, under-proofing has been among the most popular reasons behind a dense bread texture. ...
  2. Give Your Yeast Better Environment. ...
  3. Activate The Yeast. ...
  4. Knead The Dough For Longer. ...
  5. Use Folds and Stretch For Bulk Fermentation. ...
  6. Adjust The Water Level.
May 27, 2023

How long do you let buns rise before baking? ›

The dough rises in about 1-2 hours in a relatively warm environment. Punch down the dough to release the air and shape into rolls. Let the rolls rise for about 1 hour. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Is it better to wash with egg or butter? ›

Is it better to use an egg wash or butter on your pie crust? We are Team Egg Wash (or Cream Wash). While melted butter adds more flavor than the washes, it is less effective in look; it gives a speckled appearance to pastry.

Should I put melted butter on bread before baking? ›

Do you brush the bread with butter before or after baking? It's best to brush on melted butter after your bread is baked in the oven, but while it is still warm and cooling on a wire rack.

Should I use parchment paper for dinner rolls? ›

I suggest using parchment paper to line the baking dish to ensure that the rolls are easy to remove from the pan to serve. Once the homemade dinner rolls are formed and placed in the baking sheet, let them rise again until they are doubled in size (30-60 minutes).

What type of pan is best for baking rolls? ›

Cast iron can be used on the stove top or directly in the oven. If you don't have a large 11 inch cast iron pan, you can use a glass baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. A 9×13 size would work well. It's best to have the rolls all touching each other when you arrange them in the pan, and I'll tell you why…

Why are my dinner rolls bland? ›

Flat flavor in bread is almost always because of not enough salt. I agree with you that you don't have enough. About 2% of the flour weight. In your recipe with 5 cups of flour (600g) that would be just over 2tsp of table salt (12g).

Can dinner rolls rise too long? ›

If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape.

How can I make my bread lighter and fluffy? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

Why are my homemade rolls so dense? ›

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Why is my bread heavy not fluffy? ›

The usual reason why bread becomes too dense is due to using flour with low protein content. When your loaf is spongy and heavy, you might have also put too much flour into it or made the dough in a cooler or too warm setting.

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