Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

I saw these and knew I had to make them.  Matter of fact I am making them again today.  Why? Because they were so good, so tender, so cute!  This time I am going to change some of them up a little.  I will let you know how that goes.

By the way, these are obviously not just for dinner.  I only called them that because I did not want them to be confused with cake like pumpkin roll.  My daughter did have hers with some butter and maple syrup.

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
The idea for these rolls came from this recipe at Handle The Heat but I changed it up a bit.

1 cup milk scalded
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons or 1 package Instant Yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

1. Heat the milk until it just begins to bubble, like its going to boil.
2. Mix hot milk with butter, letting it melt.  Add in pumpkin puree until combined and finally the egg. 3. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. When adding them to the bowl, don't let the yeast and salt touch.  When it is all combined, no worries.
4  Mix the wet into the dry, thoroughly.  If you have a mixer, great, if not, your hands will work just fine.
5.  If the dough is super sticky add a tablespoon more of flour. You want it a little sticky though.  You don't want to add too much flour.
6.  If you are using your hands, clean your hands and your work surface and spread a little oil out.  Stretch the dough onto itself from the bottom up, making a ball.  This will make it easier to handle.
7. If you are using a mixer, turn the dough onto an oiled surface and do the same thing. Once it is in an more smooth ball, place in oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
8.  Rise or proof in a warm spot.  I place mine in the microwave with a warm glass of water by its side.  One hour.
9.  Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces.  I weighed mine and they were about 2.5 ounces each.
10.  Shape into a ball and smush down a little.  Smush is a very technical word, don' t yah know.
11. Cut sides in five equal places.  Put and indent in the center.
12.  Rise for 30 minutes.
13.  Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.  If you have an instant read thermometer, you are looking for an internal temp of 190 to 200F.
14.  Remove from over and put a little half pecan in for a stem.
15.  Sit back and admire the product of your hard work. Or gratefully start scarfing warm bread into your mouth like the grateful baker you are.