This delicious butternut squash rolls recipe is perfect for your fall dinner or holiday gathering. Follow these step by step instructions with pictures to create these fluffy and flavorful rolls.
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Squash dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and full of cozy flavor. Roasted squash adds a hint of sweetness, a touch of nutrition, and a naturally golden color. A bit of whole wheat flour gives them a nutty taste and tender texture.
They’re simple to make (no mixer needed!) and perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall dinner. So good warm with butter or the next morning with jam — a cozy little roll everyone will love.
To sneak some more veggies into your baked goods, make my chocolate cake with sweet potato, carrot loaf cake recipe and zucchini lemon cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whole wheat flour adds a subtle nutty flavor and heartier texture.
- Roasted squash and brown sugar give just the right cozy sweetness. Roast your own squash or make these as a way to use up leftover roasted squash!
- Squash gives these rolls their beautiful color. They’re naturally pretty just like my preserved lemon tea cake!
- No fancy tools or perfect shaping needed to make these rustic roles. They’re meant to be simple and uncomplicated like my reader-favorite olive oil pumpkin cake.
- Brush with butter and sprinkle flaky sea salt right from the oven.
- Perfect with soup, holiday dinners, or even jam the next morning. My cozy nutella cinnamon rolls and browned butter cinnamon rolls are also perfect for the holiday season!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients for this squash rolls recipe.
- Yeast: Active dry yeast helps the rolls rise and stay soft and tender. Check the expiration date before using.
- Milk: Scald milk until it’s steaming with tiny bubbles around the edges (about 180°F). Don’t let it boil. If it gets too hot, it can kill the yeast later. Scalding helps dissolve the sugar and butter and makes the rolls tender.
- Butternut Squash: Squash adds natural sweetness, moisture, and a lovely golden color. You can make your own pureed squash with the instructions below. Roasting the squash is super easy. Just slice it in half, set it on a baking sheet and roast it for 40-60 minutes.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and extra warm flavor. Use light brown sugar for a subtle flavor or dark for a deeper note.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter adds rich flavor and a tender crumb. Cut into small cubes so it melts evenly. Brush melted butter on top for shiny, soft rolls.
- Flours: Use ½ cup whole wheat and around 2¼ cups all-purpose, or all all-purpose if you prefer. Whole wheat adds nutty flavor and rustic texture. All-purpose keeps the dough soft and light. Add a little extra if the dough feels too sticky.
- Nutmeg (optional): Use freshly grated nutmeg or ground. Nutmeg adds a hint of extra cozy flavor. It’s a classic pairing with squash.
- Topping (optional): Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt to finsih. The melted butter makes them shiny and adds extra flavor. Flaky sea salt enhances the flavor!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can use all all-purpose if you don’t have whole wheat flour.
- A pinch of nutmeg is optional. You can leave it out or add cinnamon for a different warmth.
- Instead of sprinkling the rolls with flaky sea salt, brush with salted butter.
- You can use thawed frozen butternut squash or pure pumpkin puree as a substitute for mashed squash.
- Swap in granulated sugar in place of light brown sugar.
- For sweeter rolls, add 1/3 cup of brown sugar.
How to Make Butternut Squash Rolls
Quick Video Recap
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Roast then mash the butternut squash.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). In a small bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let stand 5–10 minutes, until foamy and active. Scald the milk over medium heat. Don’t boil. Remove from heat. Stir the butter, squash, sugar and salt into the milk until butter has melted. Stir in the yeast mixture.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above).Whisk to combine the flours and nutmeg (if using). Pour the squash mixture into the flours til a dough forms.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough feels sticky, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour at a time onto the dough or surface.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Place dough in an oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Punch down the dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Flatten each piece slightly, tuck the edges under. Roll gently in your hands to form smooth balls. Place rolls side by side in a greased 9×13-inch pan, just touching.
Step 7: (See photo 7 above). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled, about 40–45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 20–22 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown on top.
Step 8: (See photo 8 above). Brush the rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (optional).
Expert Tips
- Measure out the butter, sugar, salt, and squash before proofing the yeast and scalding the milk. Set them next to the stovetop so you’re ready to add them immediately after the milk is scalded.
- Don’t skip either rise. It’s what makes rolls fluffy and tender. Time will vary depending on the temperature of the room.
- Don’t add too much flour. The dough should stay slightly tacky, but not dry.
- For easy shaping, flatten each piece slightly, tuck the edges under, and roll into a smooth ball in your hands.
- Check for doneness. Rolls should be golden on top and sound hollow when tapped.
Recipe FAQs
Roast cut squash cut-side down for 35–45 minutes, until tender. Time varies by size and type of squash—smaller or softer squash may cook faster, larger or denser ones may take longer.
Warm spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, sweeteners like brown sugar or maple syrup, butter, cream, and savory flavors like sage, thyme, garlic, and Parmesan all pair well with butternut squash.
Use a sharp chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board. Trim off the top and bottom. Lay the squash on its side, peel it, then cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, and it’s ready to roast.
Use delicata squash, acorn squash sweet potato as a substitute for butternut squash. You can also use thawed frozen butternut squash or canned pure pumpkin puree.
Store leftover butternut squash dinner rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Squash Rolls
Ingredients
- ½ cup (70 g) cooked and mashed butternut squash
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour plus up to ¼ cup (30 g) as needed while kneading
- ½ cup (60 g) whole wheat flour optional, or swap in equal parts additional all-purpose
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.25 g) ground nutmeg optional, freshly grated or ground
- 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) warm water 105–110°F / 40–43°C
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) milk whole or 2%
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted, for brushing, optional
- flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Instructions
- For the squash puree: Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a sharp chef knife to cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the the seeds. Drizzle each half with a little olive oil. Place each half flesh side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 40-60 minutes until the squash is very tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the squash. Allow to cool then scrape out the flesh and mash with a fork, potato masher or the end of a whisk or puree it in a food processor. Measure out ½ cup. Set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and ground nutmeg (if using).
- Gather and measure out the cubed butter, salt, brown sugar and mashed squash. Set it all next to the stovetop.
- Proof the yeast. Add the warm water (105 F -110 ℉) to a small bowl. Stir in the yeast. Set it aside until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. While the yeast proofs, scald the milk.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk. Watch for it to start steaming and look for small bubbles forming around the edges, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely and don't allow milk to start boiling. Once you see the small bubbles around the edges, remove pan from heat.
- Stir the butter, squash, sugar and salt into the milk until butter has melted. Stir in the yeast mixture.
- Pour the squash mixture into the flour. Stir with a spatula until well combined.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead til dough is smooth and elastic, for 5-7 minutes. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time while kneading until dough is smooth and elastic (and not sticky or dry).
- Place the dough in a large oiled bowl. Turn dough over once to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot til it's doubled in bulk, around 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 12 pieces. You can use a bench scraper, a sharp chefs knife, pinch the dough with your hands, or weigh them on a kitchen scale. Don’t worry if they aren’t exactly the same size. Flatten each piece slightly, tuck the edges under, and roll gently to form smooth balls. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9×13-inch pan so they are just touching.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled, about 40–45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake 20–22 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped. (If checking with a thermometer, the centers should read about 190–195°F.
- While still warm in the pan, brush the rolls generously with 2 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (optional). Let cool for about 5–10 minutes in the pan, then lift rolls out gently with a spatula and transfer to a wire rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Sylvia T
Amazing recipe! the rolls disappeared very quickly lol …
Natalie Ward
Hi Sylvia! Thanks so much for making these rolls. Love to hear they disappeared quickly! 🙂