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    Home » Recipes » Thanksgiving

    Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins

    Modified: Nov 15, '23 · Published: Nov 7, '13 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Dress up your dinner rolls for Thanksgiving this year by making these beautiful Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins. They are quick and easy to make and look amazing on your holiday table.

    Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins.

    Do you have bread with your Thanksgiving meal?

    We do, and one of my favorite recipes to make for the holiday is for a quick cheese bread. I just toss some shredded cheese in a bread pan, mix a handful of ingredients together, pour the batter into a pan, sprinkle on more cheese, then bake. It takes minutes to get it into the oven.

    Just as quickly as it's made, the smell of fresh bread is wafting through my kitchen. The only thing that's hard about this, is waiting for the bread to come out of the oven.

    Thanksgiving leaf and pumpkin-shaped rolls topped with cheese.

    As the bread bakes, the cheese melts and caramelizes, creating this amazing crust. The loaf is dense but soft, and the flavor goes nicely with turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy on Thanksgiving Day.

    Last fall, I made some Crescent Roll Leaves. That recipe has been very popular.

    So, for my first recipe for this holiday season, I thought I'd take that idea, and make it even better. I used my favorite cheese bread recipe to create these beautiful fall leaf and pumpkin dinner rolls that are topped with brightly colored cheese.

    leaf-shaped dinner rolls topped with red, orange, and yellow cheese.

    They turned out even prettier than I had imagined. Plus, they are so good, that I couldn't even wait to get a picture taken before I snacked on one. Now that I'm finished, I'm going back for seconds.

    Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins

    Ingredients

    • freshly shredded cheddar cheese - This will melt and caramelize better than pre-shredded cheese that is coated in cellulose or potato starch.
    • red and yellow food coloring - You can skip this if you are opposed to using food coloring, but the red, yellow, and orange cheese looks so pretty on top of the leaves.
    • Dean and Jacob's Parmesan Bread Dipping Blend - This Parmesan Cheese Dipping Blend is a mix of dehydrated garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, parsley, and spices. You can use Parmesan cheese and dried parsley if you prefer.
    • all-purpose flour
    • salt
    • baking powder
    • heavy whipping cream and water or whole milk - I always have cream on hand, so that's what I use but whole milk can be swapped out for the cream and water.
    • sour cream - This will add a nice tang to the bread and will give it a soft and dense texture.
    • egg
    • butter

    Supplies

    silicone leaf and pumpkin mold
    mixing bowl
    silicone spatula or wooden spoon
    zip-top bags

    You can find supplies to make these leaf and pumpkin dinner rolls on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the Amazon affiliate links at no extra cost to you.

    2 Pieces Pumpkin Leaf Silic...Shop on Amazon Creativemoldstore 1pcs 6-Ho...Shop on Amazon 2 Pieces Pumpkin Leaf Silic...Shop on Amazon McCormick Assorted Food Col...Shop on Amazon
    greasing a silicone pumpkin and leaf mold.

    Grease the mold.

    Grease the leaf and pumpkin molds with shortening or butter. I don't suggest using non-stick baking spray on your silicone molds.

    coloring shredded cheese using liquid food coloring.

    Color the shredded cheese.

    If you are coloring your cheese, put about 2 tablespoons of cheese into a zip-top bag.

    Add a few drops of red coloring and shake to coat the cheese.

    Repeat with yellow coloring.

    sprinkling cheese and Parmesan seasoning into the leaf cavities in a silicone mold.

    Sprinkle on seasoning.

    Lightly sprinkle some of the Parmesan Dipping Blend into the leaf cavities.

    This not only adds some nice flavor, but it also bakes into nice dark spots, which help to define the leaves. Sprinkle the red, yellow, and orange colored cheese in the leaf cavities and just the orange cheese in the pumpkin cavities. Try to leave the stem of the pumpkins empty. That way you'll see the contrast between the pumpkin and the stem.

    filling the leaf and pumpkin silicone mold with cheese bread dough.

    Fill the silicone mold with cheese bread batter.

    Make the bread batter.

    Equally, divide the batter among the 18 leaf and pumpkin cavities. Grease your fingertips with some shortening or butter and flatten out the batter in the mold.

    Set the leaf and pumpkin silicone molds on baking sheets.

    Bake until golden brown.

    Thanksgiving leaf and pumpkin-shaped rolls topped with cheese.

    Remove rolls from the oven.

    With your oven mitts on, pull on the mold, loosening the bread from the mold. Turn the molds upside down and pop out the bread.

    Serve warm or cold. If you like them warm but need to make them ahead of time, just pop them into a warm oven to reheat.

    Variations

    Cheese Bread Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner

    You can also use the easy cheese bread recipe to make this impressive 3-D Cheese Bread Turkey for Thanksgiving. It looks incredible on your dinner table.

    cheese bread candy corn

    Cheese bread can be made into a candy corn for Halloween or the fall. This Cheese Bread Candy Corn is topped with yellow, orange, and white cheese.

    Related Recipes

    If you enjoy making these leaf-shaped dinner rolls, you might also like making these other leaf-shaped appetizers and desserts. They are perfect for fall or Thanksgiving.

    Add a basket of beautifully colorful Cheesy Crescent Roll Leaves to your Thanksgiving dinner table. These pretty fall leaves are simple to make but will surely wow your party guests.

    Cheesy Crescent Roll Leaves

    Thanksgiving cheesecakes leaves and pumpkin.

    Cheesecake Leaves and Pumpkins

    veggie pizza leaf.

    Veggie Pizza Leaves

    Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins.
    Print
    Cheese Bread Leaves and Pumpkins
    Prep Time
    30 mins
    Cook Time
    30 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr
     

    Thanksgiving dinner rolls made with an easy cheese bread batter in a silicone leaf and pumpkin mold. Each cheese bread leaf and pumpkin is topped with red, yellow, and orange cheese.

    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cheesy bread, easy cheese bread, thanksgiving appetizers
    Servings: 18
    Calories: 209 kcal
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    Cheese Decorations:
    • shortening or butter, to grease molds
    • 1 ½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
    • red and yellow food coloring, optional
    • ¼ teaspoon Dean and Jacob's Parmesan Bread Dipping Blend*
    Bread:
    • 3 cups all purpose flour 15 ounces
    • 1 teaspoon table salt
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons Dean and Jacob's Parmesan Bread Dipping Blend*
    • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream**
    • ½ cup water**
    • ¾ cups sour cream
    • 1 large egg
    • 3 tablespoons melted butter
    Instructions
    1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Grease the leaf and pumpkin molds with shortening or butter.
    Cheese:
    1. Put 2 tablespoons of cheese into a zip top bag.
    2. Add a few drops of red coloring and shake to coat cheese.
    3. Repeat with yellow coloring.
    4. Lightly sprinkle some of the Parmesan Dipping Blend into the leaf cavities.
    5. Sprinkle the red, yellow, and orange colored cheese in the leaf cavities and just the orange cheese in the pumpkin cavities.
    Bread Batter:
    1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and Parmesan Bread Dipping Blend in a bowl.
    2. Add cheese and toss to coat using a fork.
    3. In a separate bowl, mix heavy whipping cream, water, sour cream and egg.
    4. Add it to the dry ingredients.
    5. Fold a few times then add melted butter.
    6. Mix, just until blended. Batter with be lumpy.
    7. Equally divide the batter among the 18 leaf and pumpkin cavities.
    8. Grease your finger tips with some shortening or butter and flatten out the batter in the mold.
    9. Set leaf and pumpkin silicone molds on baking sheets.
    10. Bake for 30-32 minutes until golden brown.
    11. Remove rolls from oven, wearing oven mitts, pull on the mold, loosening the bread from the mold.
    12. Turn the molds upside down and pop out the bread.
    13. Serve warm or cold.
    Recipe Notes

    Ingredient Notes

    *This Parmesan Cheese Dipping Blend is a mix of dehydrated garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, parsley, and spices. You can use Parmesan cheese and dried parsley if you prefer.

    **You can swap out 1 ¼ cup whole milk for the ¾ cup heavy whipping cream and ½ cup water.

    Storage

    Store these cheese bread leaves and pumpkins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

     

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
    Latest posts by Beth Klosterboer (see all)
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    Comments

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    1. Gina says

      November 15, 2023 at 6:55 am

      Where is the link to these molds?? I can't find it.

      Reply
      • Beth Klosterboer says

        November 15, 2023 at 8:30 am

        Hi Gina,
        You can find the molds on Amazon here - https://amzn.to/40LpSnq
        I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using that link at no extra cost to you.
        Enjoy making your cheese bread leaves and pumpkins.
        Beth

        Reply
    2. lwentkie says

      November 21, 2013 at 1:59 am

      So excited for these! Thanks so much for sharing your creativity!

      Reply
    3. Jazzy says

      November 17, 2013 at 10:09 pm

      Just did a trial run. Super delicious. More of a cheese biscuit consistancy. Only used about 1/2 cup of cheese for topping. Perhaps that was an error or should I be using a lot more non colored cheese on top?

      Reply
      • beth says

        November 17, 2013 at 11:17 pm

        I couldn't quite figure out what to call these as the cheese bread recipe I use does have a dense texture, a bit like a biscuit. I used 1 1/2 cups of cheese to top all of the leaves and pumpkins, so a 1/2 cup per mold. Each roll was nicely covered in cheese.

        Reply
    4. Samantha @ Five Heart Home says

      November 14, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      These are so creative, Beth, and almost too pretty to eat! Thanks so much for linking up to Moonlight & Mason Jars...can't wait to try these! 🙂

      Reply
    5. Sue says

      November 12, 2013 at 7:41 am

      So gorgeous! They sound delicious too!

      Reply
    6. Jennie says

      November 11, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      Looks so yummy!
      I would love if you would link up with me and share!
      http://thediaryofarealhousewife.blogspot.com

      Reply
    7. Maria says

      November 11, 2013 at 3:58 pm

      These are so amazing!!!! I LOVE this idea, I love how you used the cheese! Beautiful, and delicious looking, too!

      Reply
    8. Linda V @ Bubble and Sweet says

      November 11, 2013 at 9:22 am

      These are seriously awesome it's so hard to find savory food that is pretty. Yup awesome.

      Reply
    9. Chelsea says

      November 09, 2013 at 4:09 pm

      What an awesome idea! I never would have thought to use a mold! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    10. ♥ sara ♥ says

      November 08, 2013 at 10:25 pm

      Fantastici!

      Reply
    11. The Bearfoot Baker says

      November 08, 2013 at 4:13 pm

      Seriously mind blowing!! I love how you come up with one amazing idea after another!

      Reply
      • beth says

        November 08, 2013 at 4:19 pm

        That's so nice to hear right now. I'm really finding it challenging to do so with every passing holiday. There are just so many amazing projects on-line these days. It's harder and harder to be unique!

        Reply
    12. Anonymous says

      November 08, 2013 at 2:50 pm

      Excellent stuff! You're so creative. Do you mind sharing what size of scoop you used? Would it be the same size scoop you'd use for cupcake batter? I'm looking to buy a scoop but am not sure what size to get. Thanks!

      Reply
      • beth says

        November 08, 2013 at 3:14 pm

        Oops, I should have mentioned that. Thanks for asking. I used an 18/8 scoop. It the largest size I have. Over scoop it just a bit to get the 18 leaves and pumpkins.

        Reply
      • beth says

        November 08, 2013 at 3:20 pm

        As I was looking for the scoop on Amazon, I realized I wrote 18/8, but that isn't the size. Yes, I used a #16.

        Reply
    13. Aida @ TheCraftingFoodie says

      November 08, 2013 at 3:47 am

      These look amazing! Not only are they super creative, but they look delicious. I've never thought of coloring cheese or baking rolls in a mold. Brilliant!

      Reply
      • beth says

        November 08, 2013 at 2:39 pm

        Thank, Aida. I just discovered how easy it is to color cheese, and am having so much fun making new things using the idea. I used a recipe for one large loaf of bread and was surprised to get 18 rolls. They are just the right size for a side item at Thanksgiving dinner.

        Reply
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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