I am obsessed with Iggy's cranberry-pecan rolls. I'm sure I've admitted this in the past. I usually have to buy one whenever I see one. Something about the toasty pecans and chewy tart-sweet cranberries just hits the spot. When I saw Stephanie's pumpkin-cranberry twists, I wasn't at all thinking about my beloved cranberry-pecan rolls. I just thought they'd be a perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner. So I made the rolls.
I double-bagged all but one and put them in the freezer immediately to save for Turkey Day. And then I broke into the one twist I had saved. I immediately wished I had saved them all. While the texture is much softer than that of an Iggy's cranberry-pecan roll, the flavors are there and then some. See, these rolls have pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice mixed into the dough. The spicing is light but detectable, and I honestly can't really taste the pumpkin but it gives the rolls a golden hue. And they have this wonderful soft, chewy texture that's similar to that of a soft pretzel. Add the light spice and gorgeous color to that pecan-cranberry combination and plush texture, and you definitely get a winning roll. I have a feeling they'll be a hit this Thanksgiving.
I made these following Stephanie's recipe, but I used instant yeast instead of active dry and I toasted the pecans and used about a handful more than the recipe calls for. (I also used grade B maple syrup.) You can find the original recipe on Girl versus Dough.
What breads are you having on your Thanksgiving table? We'll be having these twists and a mini salt-topped version of these buttermilk dinner rolls.