Go Back
–+ servings

Pumpkin Salt Bread (with Brown Butter Maple Glaze)

This pumpkin salt bread takes classic Japanese shio pan and gives it a fall makeover by replacing part of the water with pumpkin puree and adding warm spices. Each roll bakes up buttery, tender, and lightly salty with crisp bottoms and a thin layer of glossy brown butter maple glaze that mimics a pumpkin donut — all without frying. A must-bake fall bread for cozy mornings and holiday season baking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Keyword: brown butter maple glaze bread, cozy fall baking, fall bread recipe, japanese bakery bread, pumpkin bread rolls, pumpkin donut bread, pumpkin glazed rolls, pumpkin salt bread, pumpkin shio pan, pumpkin yeast bread, sweet and salty bread
Servings: 14

Ingredients

Dough

  • 400 g bread flour
  • 120 g cake flour
  • 230 g ice water
  • 200 g pumpkin puree
  • 26 g granulated sugar
  • 10 g salt
  • 30 g milk powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 7 g instant dry yeast
  • 12 x 15 g butter chunks I cut 1 stick of butter into 8 pieces so you'll need around 1.5 stick of butter

Brown Butter Maple Glaze

  • 38 g butter yields ~30 g brown butter after browning
  • 120 g powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • pinch of salt or just use salted butter above

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine bread flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and yeast.
  • Add cold water and pumpkin puree. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.
  • Add 40 g butter (cold is fine) and increase to medium speed.
    Knead until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test (about 15–18 minutes, depending on your mixer).

First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)

  • Shape the dough into a smooth ball by rolling it taut.
    Place into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
  • While the dough rises, cut 1.5 sticks of butter into 12 even sticks (~15 g each).

Portion and Bench Rest

  • Punch down the dough and divide into 80 g portions.
  • Roll each into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes (start timing from the first ball you shaped).

Shape the Rolls

  • Roll each ball into a long teardrop shape, keeping the top wider and the bottom narrower.
  • Start with the narrower bottom half — use a rolling pin to flatten it slightly while gently pulling downward with your other hand. Flatten the wider upper half into a triangle about the same width as your butter stick.
  • Place a butter stick at the wide end and roll toward the point, tugging gently for tension.
    Place seam side down on an unlined baking tray.

Final Proof

  • Cover and let the rolls rise until doubled in size. When pressed lightly at the edge, they should spring back slowly, leaving a faint indentation.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
  • Just before baking, spray each roll generously with water (about 20 pumps total) to help create steam.
    Immediately lower oven to 400°F (204°C) and bake for 12 minutes, rotating the tray halfway if needed for even browning.

Make the Brown Butter Maple Glaze

  • While the rolls cool slightly, prepare the glaze. Brown the butter - In a small saucepan, cook 38 g butter over medium heat until amber brown and nutty, 4–6 minutes. Cool slightly.
  • In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt.
  • Slowly whisk in the brown butter until glossy and smooth.

Glaze the Rolls

  • Dip the warm (not hot) salt bread in the glaze so it sets into a thin, shiny shell. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.