One of my favorite activities in the whole world is grocery shopping. It’s actually what made me fall in love with food.There’s just something about visiting a market or store, going down every single aisle and looking at every single shelf for new products. Fall is actually prime grocery shopping time because there is never another season where so many new products get released. My favorite store for seasonal products is Trader Joe’s. Is anyone really surprised though? Trader Joe’s is just known for rotating products every season and their fall lineup this year just hits all the right places. Recently, the two things in my cart that weren’t pumpkin, cinnamon, or maple flavored were popcorn & broccoli. I know, i know… super healthy.

However, out of all the fall flavored things I have tried this season, the one thing that I have bought numerous times is the pumpkin brioche twist. It is unreal. So soft, swirled with cinnamon, pre-sliced, and perfect for french toast. I had to try making it so here we are… a classic brioche with eggs, milk, and butter twisted and braided to reveal a cinnamon sugar swirl throughout. It’s light and air-y. Perfect for ripping into for breakfast and dipping into your morning tea or coffee. If you have some extra time on your hands, stuff it with some cream cheese or jam and turn it into some stuffed french toast! Either way, this fall inspired brioche is bound to be a crowd pleaser.

Pumpkin Brioche Bread

Ingredients:

• ½ package of instant yeast
• ¼ cup of sugar
• ¾ cup of pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons of salt
• 3 tablespoons of softened butter

Instructions:

1. In a standing mixer, combine the yeast with 2 tablespoons of water. Let it bloom.
2. Next, add in the sugar, pumpkin puree, milk, and eggs. Mix to combine.
3. Add in the flour and salt. Knead on medium low speed until you have a slightly sticky and tacky dough.
4. Add in 3 tablespoons of softened butter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
5. Take the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Set it in a grease bowl. Let it rise for about 1-1⁄2 hours or until it doubles in size.
6. Once the dough has proofed, knock out the air and pat it into a rectangle. The shorter end should match the length of your the loaf pan that you are using.
7. Dot the cinnamon butter mix (see recipe below) all over the dough. Roll the shorter end of the dough into a log. Cut the log in half lengthwise and place the cut side up. Twist the strands together so the layers show. See photos below for reference.
8. Place into a greased loaf pan and let proof for 1-1 1⁄2 hours or until the dough has doubled.
9. Sprinkle the proofed dough with cinnamon sugar (equal parts sugar & cinnamon) and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until the bread hits 190-200F.

Cinnamon Butter Swirl:

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons of softened butter
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions:

1. In a bowl combine the brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Notes/Tips

• The dough will be sticky and tacky so be sure to generously flour your surface as well as being mindful to not touch the dough for too long. In this case, flour is your best friend.

• I used a 7 inch loaf pan but you can use any bakeware (or no bakeware) you want. I also made them into braided rounds and they came out great.

• The flour cinnamon sugar mixture will not “spread” like butter. You will need to dot it on and gently flatten out or flatten it out with two pieces of parchment and then lay it on your dough. Either way is fine. I always got with dotting because it’s more fun and it’s easier.

• You don’t need to add more cinnamon sugar on top. You can just do a simple egg wash. I liked the extra sugar for the crunch!

Cinnamon Swirled Pumpkin Brioche

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Ingredients:

Pumpkin Brioche Bread:

• ½ package of instant yeast

• ¼ cup of sugar

• ¾ cup of pumpkin puree

• ¼ cup of milk

• 2 eggs

• 3 cups of all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoons of salt

• 3 tablespoons of softened butter

Cinnamon Butter Swirl:

• ⅓ cup brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons of softened butter

• 4 tablespoons of flour

• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions:

Pumpkin Brioche Bread Instructions:

1. In a standing mixer, combine the yeast with 2 tablespoons of water. Let it bloom.

2. Next, add in the sugar, pumpkin puree, milk, and eggs. Mix to combine.

3. Add in the flour and salt. Knead on medium low speed until you have a slightly sticky and tacky dough.

4. Add in 3 tablespoons of softened butter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.

5. Take the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Set it in a grease bowl. Let it rise for about 1-1⁄2 hours or until it doubles in size.

6. Once the dough has proofed, knock out the air and pat it into a rectangle. The shorter end should match the length of your the loaf pan that you are using.

7. Dot the cinnamon butter mix (see recipe below) all over the dough. Roll the shorter end of the dough into a log. Cut the log in half lengthwise and place the cut side up. Twist the strands together so the layers show. See photos below for reference.

8. Place into a greased loaf pan and let proof for 1-1 1⁄2 hours or until the dough has doubled.

9. Sprinkle the proofed dough with cinnamon sugar (equal parts sugar & cinnamon) and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until the bread hits 190-200F.

Cinnamon Butter Swirl Instructions:

1. In a bowl combine the brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until combined. Set aside until ready to use.