Soft, gently spiced, and shaped like little pumpkins, these sweet buns capture all the cosiness of autumn baking. Shaping them takes a little time, but it’s the kind of hands-on baking that feels relaxing rather than rushed - perfect for a slow afternoon in the kitchen.
(Almost) too cute to eat!
I’ve been baking these little pumpkin-shaped buns every autumn for the past few years, and always get such lovely comments on how cute they look. They're easier to shape than you might think with the help of some baker's twine and a little care.
While they’re still warm from the oven, I like to brush them with honey and sprinkle over a little Demerara sugar. It gives the crust a gentle crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, fluffy bread inside.
The baker's twine is easy to remove once the buns are cooled. Just snip through the threads at the top with a pair of pointed scissors and gently pull them away.
Wrap up a few to share with friends and family - they make such a lovely homemade treat for this time of year. I hope you enjoy making (and sharing) these as much as I do each year.
Pumpkin Sugar Buns
Prep time: 30 minutes (hands on). Proving time: 2.5 hours. Bake time: 15 minutes.
Difficulty: Weekend Project.
INGREDIENTS
500g strong white flour
10g salt
7g yeast
80g golden caster sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
2 eggs
280ml milk
75g butter, softened
Clear honey, for glazing
Demerara sugar, to finish
Method
Step 1: To make the dough, gently heat the milk until warm, but not hot. Set aside.
Step 2: Tip the flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a large mixing bowl if you are kneading the dough by hand). Add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt, sugar and mixed spice to the other side and mix using a spoon or spatula. Add the warmed milk along with the butter, vanilla and egg, and run the mixer on a medium speed for 8-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. If you are kneading by hand, this may take a bit longer.
Step 3: Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave it to rise until doubled in size - around 2 hours.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 pieces, roughly the same size. Take each piece of dough and shape it into a ball. (One easy way to do this is to cup your hand over the top and gently roll it in circles).
Step 5: Cut 12 lengths of baker’s twine (approx 30cm each). Take one dough ball and loosely wrap a length of twine around the ball, crossing the two ends over each other where they meet in the centre underneath. Lift the ends up and back over the top of the dough, without pulling it too tightly. Repeat twice more, until you have 8 evenly spaced sections. Tie a knot at the top, and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Step 6: Place the buns on a lined baking sheet, allowing space between them. You will probably need to use 2 sheets. Put these inside a plastic bag and leave for 30 minutes to prove. Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F).
Step 7: Once proved, bake the buns for 13-15 minutes, until evenly baked and golden brown.
Step 8: Remove from the oven, and allow to cool a little before removing the baker’s twine. Do this just snip through the threads at the top with a pair of pointed scissors and gently pull them away.
Step 9: Finish by brushing the surface with honey and sprinkling over some Demerara sugar. This is best done while they are still a little warm as the honey will be easier to brush.
