Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
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Picture this: A pan of golden, gooey pumpkin cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven. As they bake, your kitchen fills with the scent of warm cinnamon sugar and sweet pumpkin, like a cozy hug from within. I make these at least once a season, along with my pumpkin waffles, and they are both well worth the effort!
Why Make This?
- They’re soft, gooey, and loaded with fall goodness.
- Pumpkin adds that perfect bit of moisture and flavor!
- Cinnamon-sugar swirls make them irresistible—especially warm from the oven.
- Your house will smell amazing!
- Perfect for lazy weekends or impressing brunch guests.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll make three main components for these rolls: the dough, the filling, and the frosting.
The dough is made with bread flour, white and brown sugar, and spices, and it is enriched with pumpkin puree for softness and flavor. The filling combines cinnamon, sugar, and butter for that classic gooey swirl.
The frosting is a delicious mixture of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a touch of salt. It tastes similar to that famous Cinnabon frosting (See ingredient card below for a full list of ingredients needed).
Variations:
- Nutty: Incorporate chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts into the filling for added crunch and flavor.
- Maple Frosting: Add a touch of maple syrup to your frosting.
- Orange Zest: Add freshly grated orange zest to the filling or the dough for a citrusy pop of flavor.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Sprinkle pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on top of the rolls before baking for added texture and a nod to the pumpkin theme.
How to Make
Prepare a 9 x 13 pan by lining it with parchment paper and butter, then dust with flour. Combine dry ingredients in a stand mixer’s bowl and stir to incorporate. Add butter and mix for 1 minute, followed by milk and egg on low speed until combined. Introduce pumpkin puree, mixing for 3 minutes.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and dough to rise.
Mix dry ingredients for filling and combine with butter, then set aside.
For assembly, flour your work surface and roll the dough into a 20 by 10 inch rectangle. I sometimes will fold the edges of my dough toward the center to help make a better rectangle.
Evenly sprinkle the filling, leaving a ½ inch border. Roll the dough jelly roll style into a long log with long side facing you, placing it seam side down.
Slice the roll into 2-inch portions and arrange in a pan, brushing with remaining butter.
Cover and let rise until doubled (60 to 90 minutes), or refrigerate for morning baking (ensure room temperature before baking). The rolls should almost fill the pan when ready to bake, and they get about 50% larger.
Rolls covered and ready for rising.
Rolls after they rise.
Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the middle of the center bun is cooked. This part can be tricky, so try not to bake over, or they will be dry. Check the center of the middle bun to ensure they are fully baked.
I like to use half the frosting to top the rolls and reserve the rest for those who want extra frosting.
Tips & Techniques
Rolling Out the Dough:
- Lightly flour your surface to prevent sticking, and dust both the surface and top of the dough.
- Start with a rectangle, rolling from the center outward for even thickness.
- If needed, gently reshape the dough by patting or folding the edges inward and rolling again.
- Rotate the dough as you roll to keep it even.
- Measure with a ruler or use tape markings for accuracy.
- Let the dough rest if it resists rolling to relax the gluten.
Filling and Rolling:
- Leave a 1/2-inch border around the dough when spreading the filling.
- Spread the filling evenly, focusing on the center for balanced flavor.
- Roll from the short edge, gently pulling the dough toward you as you roll.
- Roll firmly but gently for even pressure, and place the seam side down.
- Seal the edge and use a sharp, serrated knife with a sawing motion for clean cuts.
Proofing, Baking, and Frosting:
- Space rolls apart in the pan to allow for rising.
- Let them proof until light and fluffy before baking.
- Bake until golden but not overdone to keep them tender.
- Optionally flip the rolls after baking to let the gooey cinnamon sugar coat the top (note: this sacrifices the neat shape).
- Frost in two stages—some while hot for melting, and more when cooled for a thicker layer.
- Check doneness by lifting the center-most roll; if the dough is still sticky, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 9 x 13 casserole dish may also use a 10" x 10" pan; two 8" round pans, one 8" and one 9" round pan, or a 10" springform pan
- Parchment paper no necessary but recommended
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4.5 cups (562.5 g) bread flour plus more for dusting tabletop
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon (4 g) instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) pumpkin pie spice
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter softened or grated with box grater
- 1/2 cup (122 g) whole milk warmed or scalded (see note)
- 1 (50 g) large egg
- 2/3 cup (163.33 g) pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie mix
For the cinnamon filling:
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons (12 g) cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted, divided (reserve 2 tablespoons for brushing tops of buns)
For the frosting:
- 6 tablespoons (87 g) cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter softened
- 1.5 cups (180 g) powdered sugar or more to desired consistency
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.75 g) salt
For Decorating
- cinnamon powder a few pinches, optional
Instructions
To Make the Dough:
- Prepare the Pan: Line the base of a 9 x 13-inch pan or a 10 x 10 pan with parchment paper, ensuring it's well-buttered beneath the parchment. Lightly dust the interior with flour, shaking off any excess. See NOTE 1
- Blend Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients (bread flour, sugar, brown sugar, yeast, salt, pumpkin pie spice). Give them a gentle mix to ensure even distribution.
- Incorporate Butter: Introduce the butter to the mix and blend for about a minute until the mixture turns crumbly and the butter is well incorporated. If the butter is still cold, use a box grater to cut it down for better incorporation.
- Add Milk and Egg: Incorporate the milk and egg into the mixture, running the mixer on low until everything is well combined.
- Integrate Pumpkin Puree: Gradually add the pumpkin puree, allowing it to mix for approximately 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and consistent.
- Develop the Dough: Knead the dough on the countertop or in the mixer until it is nice and smooth and it stretches a bit when you gently tug on it, 5 or 10 minutes should do the trick. If hand kneading, I like to give the dough a rest for a minute or two between kneading.
- Rest the Dough: Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, ensuring it's well-covered. Let it rest, covered, for about 30 minutes. It will grow but probably not double.
For the Filling:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine all the dry filling ingredients in a separate bowl, making sure they're evenly distributed.
- Incorporate Butter: Reserve about 2 tablespoons of melted butter for topping and blend the rest with the dry ingredients of the filling until a well-mixed, crumbly texture forms. Set this mixture aside.
Constructing the Rolls:
- Flour Your Workspace: Sprinkle your work surface with a light layer of flour to prevent sticking.
- Roll Out the Dough: Roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 20 by 10 inches. Aim for a nice even dough and pat the edges when needed to keep a rectangular shape. Roll from the center when needed and allow the dough to rest a few minutes if you feel resistance.
- Apply Filling: Sprinkle the prepared filling evenly over the dough, taking care to maintain a border of about ½ inch along the edges.
- Roll the Dough: Carefully roll up the dough into a long log with the long edge facing you, employing a jelly roll technique. Pinch the seam closed and place the roll seam side down.
- Slice and Arrange: Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the roll into approximately 2-inch portions, yielding around 10 rolls. Use a gently sawing motion to cut the roll. I like to score the top of the roll first to plan my cuts. Then, arrange these rolls neatly in the prepared pan.
- Final Butter Brush: Brush the remaining melted butter over the arranged rolls.
- Rising Time: Cover the pan with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until they've doubled in size, which typically takes 60 to 90 minutes depending on your room and dough temperatures. Alternatively, if planning to bake the next day, refrigerate the rolls immediately, and plan to let them rise the next morning at room temperature, ensuring they reach room temperature before baking. See NOTE 2.
- While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting.
For the Frosting
- Combine the cream cheese and butter and mix well
- Add powder sugar, in small portions and mix well
- Add vanilla and salt and frost the rolls once they have slightly cooled.
- To adjust consistency, add more powdered sugar to make it thicker if needed. The consistency should be somewhere between softened butter and cookie dough
To Bake
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the rolls for around 35 to 40 minutes or until the tops develop a delicate touch of color.
- To test for doneness, use a paring knife or fork to pull up the center-most roll; if the dough is still sticky and raw-looking (especially in the center of the roll), return the pan to the oven for about ten more minutes.
- If Refrigerated: Note that if you refrigerated the unbaked rolls, you should let them rise and bring them to room temperature. The time for this will vary depending on dough and room temperature, but I'd plan for about 2 to 3 hours of rising time (begin to check at 90 minutes) since the dough needs to come to room temperature before it will rise. You are looking for the rolls to fill about 80% to 90% of the pan after they have risen. They may need less time – you will have to watch them and see.
To Assemble
- Top the baked rolls with the frosting. I like to use some frosting on top while the rolls are still warm and the rest after they've cooled. (optional: flip the rolls over before frosting to get the gooey cinnamon sugar on top).
- Also, I recommended reserving some frosting for those who prefer the extra frosting.
I, along with a bagillion others. am in love with cinnamon buns/rolls..and yours, with pumpkin are no exception to that love. They look incredible, Maria!