Jack O' Lantern Buns

Easy but yummy pumpkin buns that are decorated with either edible pen and/or melted chocolate as Jack O' Lantern. They are filled with cookie butter and/or chocolate.

These pumpkin buns would make great dinner rolls as well when they are not filled with sweets :)

• 3/4 c lukewarm milk
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 3/4 c packed pumpkin purée
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp each cinnamon powder and all spice powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• A pinch of salt
• 3 1/4 c AP flour
• pecans, as needed, for pumpkin stems (or pretzels or even chocolate chips)
• chocolate chips, as needed (for filling - you can use chocolate bars or even chocolate spreads)
• cookie butter (I got mine from Walmart, but No Frills also has some)

Method

• Let bloom yeast in sugary milk, 5 mins
• Heat pumpkin puree for 30 seconds in microwave
• Mix flour, spices, and salt in a bowl,pour in bloomed yeast, pumpkin puree, cooking oil and vanillaessence, knead
• Cover dough and let rest for an hour
• Punch down dough and divide into 10-12 balls
• Flatten each and fill either with cookie butter or chocolate chips, seam to seal
• Tie twine on the buns, shaping buns into pumpkin
• Let rest buns for 15 mins then bake on preheated convection oven 350 F for 18 mins
• Push in pecan and serve warm or at room temperature

• Once buns are cooled enough to touch, melt some chocolate chips and pour it into piping bag
• Pipe Jack O' Lantern on buns or for easier, use edible pen such as from Walmart

Enjoy :D