Nutty Cinnamon and Currant Pumpkin Rolls

Ingredients

• Rolls:
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup solid-pack pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup dried currants (optional)
• Icing:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine milk and 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave until butter is just melted and milk is warmed (120 degrees F/49 degrees C to 130 degrees F/54 degrees C), 30 to 60 seconds.

Mix pumpkin, white sugar, and salt together in a bowl; beat in egg and yeast. Stir milk mixture into pumpkin mixture until evenly combined.

Whisk all-purpose flour and bread flour together in a bowl and divide mixture in half. Beat 1/2 the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture on low until well mixed, about 5 minutes. Add remaining flour mixture and beat until dough is very soft.

Turn dough into a bowl that has been greased or sprayed with cooking spray; lightly grease or spray dough. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm area until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Grease or spray an oblong baking sheet with cooking spray.

Punch the risen dough down and turn onto a well floured work surface; knead until dough is smooth and easy to handle, 1 to 2 minutes. Roll dough into a 10×12-inch rectangle and brush top with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, and currants, respectively, onto the butter layer. Roll dough, beginning with long side, around filling in a jelly roll fashion and pinch the other side onto the roll to seal. Cut roll into 12 slices.

Arrange rolls, cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise until nearly doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Remove towel from rolls and bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth; beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until icing is fluffy and smooth. Spread icing on pumpkin rolls.