Pumpkin Sandwich Buns

1. 1

   Whisk the milk and 2 eggs together in the bowl of a stand mixer; add the pumpkin puree and honey and keep stirring until smooth.

2. 2

   Add the white whole wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, salt, and white pepper to the pumpkin mixture. Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and mix on low speed with the dough hook for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice with a bowl scraper or stiff spatula. Increase the speed to medium-low, then add the butter one piece at a time, mixing until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.

3. 3

   Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

4. 4

   While the dough rises, draw designs with a permanent marker onto a flexible plastic lid. Cut out the shapes with a sharp paring knife or X-ACTO knife. Wash the lids with warm, soapy water to remove any remaining ink.

5. 5

   Punch down the dough and fold it over to release air bubbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until about 2 hours before you plan to serve the rolls.

6. 6

   Remove the dough from the refrigerator and scrape it from the bowl onto a flour-dusted work surface. Divide the dough into 12 even pieces and shape them into tight balls. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment; arrange the balls seam-side down on the prepared sheets. (You can also freeze the dough at this point. Refer to footnotes for tips for freezing.)

7. 7

   Cover the rolls with greased plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

9. 9

   Beat 1 egg and the water together in a small bowl with a whisk.

10. 10

    Grease your hands and gently flatten the dough balls into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Brush the egg wash over the top of each round.

11. 11

    Set a fine-mesh strainer on a plate. Pour the rye flour into the strainer. Place a stencil over one of the rounds and sift rye flour onto the stencil. Carefully lift the stencil off the roll, then tap any extra flour off the stencil onto the plate. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

12. 12

    Let the dough rounds stand at room temperature until fully risen, about 10 minutes. Test readiness by dabbing your index finger in flour and gently pressing it into the side of a roll; if the indentation springs back, let the dough rise until another such indentation remains, about 5 minutes more.

13. 13

    Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until the tops are golden and the bottoms are browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

• Calories 280.8 kcal — Moderate 14%
• Protein 10.54 g ↗ Good Source 21%
• Carbohydrate 48.76 g 18%
• Total Fat 4.94 g — Moderate 6%
• Saturated Fat 2.66 g — Moderate 13%
• Trans Fat 0.0 g ⌄ Low Source 0%
• Cholesterol 49.22 mg — Moderate 16%
• Sodium 35.96 mg ⌄ Low Source 2%
• Dietary Fiber 4.24 g — Moderate 15%
• Total Sugars 3.01 g --
• Added Sugars 0.05 g ⌄ Low Source 0%
• Calcium 39.47 mg ⌄ Low Source 3%
• Iron 2.73 mg — Moderate 15%
• Potassium 213.17 mg ⌄ Low Source 5%
• Vitamin A 204.0 mcg ↗ Good Source 23%
• Vitamin C 1.8 mg ⌄ Low Source 2%
• Vitamin D 0.41 mcg ⌄ Low Source 2%

Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

• Eggs 🥚
• Milk 🥛
• Wheat 🌾
• Gluten