The pumpkin buns with chia seeds are delightful, tasty and colorful bites — perfect to fill for snack time for both adults and children.
You can fill them however you like! Enjoy them for breakfast with Nutella or jam, or take them to work for lunch with salami, vegetables or cheeses.
The dough made with pumpkin pulp gives these buns a bright color as well as a distinctive flavor.
In my kitchen I prefer butternut squash because, in addition to giving a vivid orange color to dishes, I like its sweet taste with hints of hazelnut and chestnut.
What makes these buns special, besides the pumpkin, are the chia seeds which I have been using lately in my recipes for their benefits such as: intestinal balance and a sense of satiety.
In the dough I added a bit of diastatic malt, which is generally used for bread, pizza and focaccia doughs because it helps fermentation and gives you a crisp crust — I recommend trying it; I’m sure you won’t give it up!
If you want to try it, you can purchase it by clicking here and it will arrive at your home.
- Portions: 11 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups semolina flour
- 2 1/2 cups manitoba (strong) flour
- 2 cups pumpkin pulp (peeled and deseeded)
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3 1/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (about 1 packet)
- 1 tbsp diastatic malt
- 2 tsp chia seeds
Steps
Remove the seeds and peel from the pumpkin, then slice it into thin pieces.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Arrange the pumpkin slices on the sheet and brush them with EVOO.
Bake at 482°F for about 30 minutes.
Once cooked, place the pumpkin in a bowl and mash it with a fork.
Now we can mix the dough for the buns.
If you have a stand mixer use it, otherwise mix by hand on a work surface.
Sift the flours into the bowl (or onto the work surface) together with the pumpkin pulp, then add the oil and the yeast dissolved in the water.
Add the diastatic malt and the chia seeds, knead for a few minutes, pause to add the salt and continue kneading until you obtain a soft, elastic dough.
Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours. If you mix the dough in the evening and leave it in the fridge overnight, even better.
In the morning you will find the dough doubled.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and perform a few folds; let it rest for 30 minutes and repeat the folding.
Divide the dough into portions of about 3.5 oz each, and shape into balls.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 3 hours.
Bake at 356°F for about 25-30 minutes.
The pumpkin buns with chia seeds stay fresh and soft for a couple of days, but here’s a little trick to make them crisp and fragrant again: just pop them in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.
