• Place the butter and pumpkin puree in a saucepan, let the butter melt, and cook with the pumpkin puree.
  ¼ cup Butter, ¾ cup Pumpkin puree
• Turn the heat off when the mixture starts having large boils. Let the mixture cool down.
• Warm the milk to lukewarm, 98℉ and 105℉ in a separate bowl, and add one tablespoon of granulated sugar and yeast. Let this sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is activated and foamy.
  ½ cup Milk, 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
• The total amount of all-purpose flour we need is 3½ cups; however, we will start with two cups first. Set your stand mixer to the hook attachment. Add the all-purpose flour, the remaining granulated sugar and the yeast mixture. To give this recipe the ultimate fall flavour, pumpkin spice is best. See this post for the recipe spice.
  3½ cups All-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pumpkin spice, 3 tablespoon Granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• While the mixer is running, add the pumpkin and butter mixture and keep mixing. Be sure the pumpkin mixture is not too hot, as this will kill the yeast.
• Add in the egg and vanilla extract and keep mixing. Gradually add more all-purpose flour. One tablespoon at a time. Do not add all the flour, as we might not need it all. Keep kneading the dough until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour, making the dough tough.
  1 Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• The dough should be slightly sticky but not too sticky. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead it until it forms a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rest in a warm spot for an hour until it has doubled in size.
• Transfer it to a clean surface and divide it into eight portions using a bench scraper. Roll each part on the surface in a rounding motion to have a small ball.
• Use some Kitchen String to tie around the dough balls going around it to make six to eight lines around each bun. Once the dough is raised and baked, these lines create deep groves into the bun, making it look like a pumpkin. Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them do the second rise for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the buns on a lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them.
• Lightly beat an egg in a small bowl, then egg-brush the buns or cover their surface with a cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake them for 15 minutes or until their surface is golden.
  1 Egg

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• Mix the cinnamon and sugar. Lightly wet the sides of the buns and rub the mixture all over the buns.
  ¼ cup Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Immediately after removing them from the oven, press a small piece of cinnamon stick inside the top of the bun to make it look like a pumpkin. These buns are best served warm with some butter or on their own.
  8 piece Cinnamon sticks