Celebrate the flavors of fall with this charming pumpkin-shaped bread, filled with a rich cream cheese mixture and coated in sweet cinnamon sugar. Each bread is artfully crafted to resemble a mini pumpkin, making this not only a delightful treat to eat but also a joyous addition to any autumnal table setting. The bread itself is soft and fluffy, subtly flavored with pumpkin and a blend of spices, and the cream cheese filling adds a creamy, decadent touch.
Why You’ll Love This Bread
This pumpkin-shaped bread combines the festive joy of seasonal decorations with the irresistible taste of spiced pumpkin. The process of shaping the bread into pumpkins adds a fun and creative element to baking, making it a perfect project to share with family. The warm spices and pumpkin purée blend beautifully to create a flavorful bread that smells as good as it tastes, while the cream cheese filling provides a surprise burst of sweetness.
Perfect Occasion for This Bread
These adorable pumpkin-shaped breads are perfect for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dinners, or any fall gathering. They make great gifts for friends and neighbors and are sure to be a hit at school events or seasonal bake sales. Their delightful appearance and delicious flavor make them a standout addition to any festive buffet.
Decoration Tips
To enhance the pumpkin look, tie each bread with kitchen twine before baking to create sections that mimic pumpkin ridges. After baking, brush with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar for a sweet finish. Insert small pieces of cinnamon sticks at the top to resemble pumpkin stems. You can also use a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter to make leaves from dough scraps or colored marzipan to place next to the stem for an extra decorative touch.
Ingredients:
- For the Pumpkin Bread:
- 8 grams dry instant yeast
- 100 ml (about 1/2 cup) room temperature milk
- 100 grams pumpkin purée
- 1 room temperature egg
- 200 ml (about 1 cup) sugar
- 960 ml (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 2.5 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix (or individual spices as listed)
- 100 grams room-temperature butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 150 grams cream cheese
- 100 ml (about 1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix (or individual spices as listed)
- For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 100 grams butter, melted
- 200 ml (about 1 cup) sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Cinnamon sticks for decoration
Instructions:
- Prepare Yeast Mixture:
- Dissolve yeast in room temperature milk.
- Mix Dough:
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the dissolved yeast, sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, half of the flour, and butter. Mix until sticky.
- Add salt and remaining flour, mix until smooth and slightly sticky, about 10-15 minutes.
- Rest and Shape:
- Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Divide into 17 pieces, roll each into a ball.
- Cut 68 strings about 15-20 cm long. Lay strings in a crisscross pattern, place a ball in the center, and tie loosely to form pumpkin shapes.
- Place on a baking sheet and let rise 2-3 hours.
- Bake:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (395°F).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.
- Cool and remove strings.
- Prepare Filling and Coating:
- Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and spices until smooth.
- Melt additional butter for coating.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon for coating.
- Assemble:
- Cut a small hole in each bun and fill with cream cheese mixture.
- Brush each bun with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
- Insert a piece of cinnamon stick at the top to mimic a stem.
Enjoy these delightful pumpkin-shaped breads, a perfect treat to celebrate the autumn season with a touch of sweetness and spice!
