Original sponsorship disclosure: This recipe was originally created as part of a sponsored campaign with King's Hawaiian.
Hawaiian dinner rolls filled with pumpkin cream cheese and gummy worms become fun Pumpkin Bread Rolls decorated with colorful candy melts and candy eyes for an easy Halloween treat.
Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls are soft, sweet rolls with a creamy pumpkin spice filling and gummy worms inside. Decorate them with colorful candy melts and candy eyes to create funny monster faces. They’re a fun addition to a Halloween party, especially alongside Candy Corn Apple Pops. Kids can also have fun creating different monster faces.
Quick Look: Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 23 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 2 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 12 rolls
- 🍞 Base: King’s Hawaiian Original Dinner Rolls
- 🎃 Filling: Pumpkin spice cream cheese
- 🍬 Decorations: Gummy worms, candy melts, and candy eyes
- 🍞 Texture: Soft rolls with a creamy filling and candy coating
- 🥣 Method: Fill, assemble, and decorate
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🎉 Best For: Halloween parties and treats for kids
- Why This Recipe Works: Soft Hawaiian rolls pair with the creamy pumpkin spice filling, while colorful candy melts and gummy worms turn them into an easy Halloween treat. For another fun Halloween treat, try my Frankenstein Marshmallow Pops.
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Jump to:
- Quick Look: Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- Chef’s Notes from Valentina
- Ingredients
- Substitutions And Additions
- How to Make Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- Expert Tips for Halloween Monster Rolls
- FAQs About Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- More Halloween Treats to Try
- Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- Storage Info
Ingredients
- King’s Hawaiian Original Dinner Rolls – 12. Soft and slightly sweet, these rolls pair well with the creamy pumpkin spice filling. Choose a fresh package with soft rolls.
- Cream cheese – 12 ounces. Cream cheese gives the filling its rich, creamy texture and helps balance the sweetness of the rolls and candy.
- Canned pumpkin puree – ¼ cup. Use plain pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. It gives the cream cheese mixture its pumpkin flavor and orange color.
- Pumpkin pie spice – 1 ½ tablespoons. This blend brings warm spice to the pumpkin filling without measuring several spices separately.
- Pure vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon. Vanilla pairs well with pumpkin, brown sugar, and cream cheese. Choose pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Light brown sugar – 3 tablespoons. Brown sugar gives the filling sweetness with a mild caramel taste. You can use honey or another sweetener instead. Add liquid sweeteners gradually since they can make the filling softer.
- Gummy worms. Choose a mix of colors for the monster mouths and decorations. Their chewy texture also contrasts with the soft rolls and creamy filling.
- Candy melts – ½ cup, orange and/or green. Orange and green both fit the Halloween theme and give the rolls their colorful monster tops.
- Candy eyeballs – 2 sizes. Different sizes make it easy to give the monster faces different expressions.
How to Make Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
- Prepare the rolls and filling: Cut the rolls in half and set the tops aside. Add the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and vanilla to a bowl. Beat until smooth and well combined. PIC. 1
- Fill the rolls: Pipe or spoon the pumpkin cream cheese filling onto the bottom halves. Add a few gummy worms, then cover with the tops of the rolls. PIC.2
- Decorate the monster rolls: Melt the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions. Spoon the melted candy over the rolls. Add the candy eyeballs while the coating is still wet.
- Let the coating set: Leave the rolls at room temperature for about 5 minutes, or until the candy coating has set. Serve and enjoy.
FAQs About Pumpkin Bread Rolls
Yes. Use any soft, slightly sweet Hawaiian-style dinner roll with a similar size and texture. Avoid rolls that are very firm or crusty because they will change the soft texture of this treat.
Use vanilla cream cheese, chocolate cream cheese, or cream cheese mixed with strawberry or raspberry preserves. Choose a thick, creamy filling that is easy to spoon or pipe.
Use Halloween sprinkles, gummy candies, candy-coated chocolates, or small candy pieces. Add them while the candy coating is still wet to help them stick.
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Funny Monsters Pumpkin Bread Rolls
Equipment
- microwave
- mixer
Ingredients
- 12 King's Hawaiian Original Dinner Rolls
- 12 ounces cream cheese – softened
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar or other sweetener of choice
- gummy worms
- ½ cup candy melts – orange and/or green
- candy eyeballs – 2 sizes
Instructions
- Prepare the rolls and filling: Cut the rolls in half and set the tops aside. Add the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and vanilla to a bowl. Beat until smooth and well combined.
- Fill the rolls: Pipe or spoon the pumpkin cream cheese filling onto the bottom halves. Add a few gummy worms, then cover with the tops of the rolls.
- Decorate the monster rolls: Melt the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions. Spoon the melted candy over the rolls. Add the candy eyeballs while the coating is still wet.
- Let the coating set: Leave the rolls at room temperature for about 5 minutes, or until the candy coating has set. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Storage Info
Refrigerator: Once the candy coating has set, wrap the Pumpkin Bread Rolls in parchment paper or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Before serving: Take the rolls out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature briefly. This gives the bread time to soften before serving. At room temperature: Because the rolls contain a cream cheese filling, don’t leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C).Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
What a fun idea! Very creative -- thanks.
Thank you a lot!