Mix the dough. There are two ways to do this depending on which yeast you use. Follow only the method that matches your yeast, then continue with the rest of the recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, salt, and instant yeast. In a separate bowl, whisk the warm water, room temperature pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then pour it into the flour and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.

In a large bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and a pinch of the brown sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly. If it does not foam, your yeast is dead, so start over with fresh yeast. Whisk in the room temperature pumpkin puree, the remaining brown sugar, and the vanilla until smooth, then add the flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.

Rest. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Stretch and fold, set 1. With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat, going all the way around the dough 4 to 6 times. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold, set 2. Repeat the same stretch and fold around the bowl. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Stretch and fold, set 3. Repeat the stretch and fold one more time. The dough will feel noticeably smoother and stronger.

Bulk fermentation. Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until fully doubled, puffy, and domed with bubbles, about 1 to 2 more hours. The pumpkin makes this a heavier dough, so go by the rise rather than the clock.

Prepare the vanilla butter. Melt the 85g of butter, stir in the 5g of vanilla extract, and set it aside in a small bowl for dipping.

Prepare the coating. Whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cardamom in a shallow bowl until the spices are evenly mixed with no clumps.

Shape, dip, and coat. Turn the dough out onto a surface lightly sprayed with oil. Working one ball at a time, pinch off a golf ball size piece of dough, dip it in the vanilla butter, roll it generously in the pumpkin pie spice coating, and place it in the pan. Arrange the balls touching with very little space between them, in rows. You should end up with roughly 24 to 30 balls depending on size.

Drizzle. Pour any remaining vanilla butter over the arranged balls.

Second rise. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until the balls are puffy and have grown together into one cohesive pull-apart loaf.

Bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Gently dimple the tops of the balls with your fingers, then bake on the lower rack for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 190 to 200°F.

Cool. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before glazing.

Brown the butter. Melt the 28g of butter in a small light colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until it foams, the milk solids turn toasty golden brown, and it smells nutty, about 4 to 6 minutes. Pour it right away into a bowl, scraping in all the browned bits.

Add the maple. Let the brown butter sit for about 1 minute so it does not spatter, then whisk in the maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk right before using, since the butter and maple will not fully blend.

Mix the glaze. Whisk the brown butter maple mixture into the powdered sugar, then add the milk or cream a little at a time, starting with 15g, until the glaze is thick but pourable.

Glaze and serve. Drizzle the warm glaze over the warm focaccia. If the glaze thickens before you finish, warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it. Serve warm and pull apart to enjoy.