The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat Recipe

Introduction

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft, flavorful, and topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze. Perfect for fall mornings or any time you crave a comforting, sweet treat with a hint of spice.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (180g) milk (whole, 2% or almond milk will all work)
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)
• ¾ cup (183g) pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup (57g) melted butter
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 4 cups (480g) bread flour
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup (57g) butter, at room temperature (for filling)
• 4 ounces (112g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (for glaze)
• ¼ cup (28g) powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkle of ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

1. Step 1: Warm the milk to around 110°F, about the temperature of warm bath water. Combine warm milk and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir in pumpkin puree, room temperature egg, and melted butter until smooth and creamy. Add bread flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until dough begins to form.
2. Step 2: Attach the dough hook to the mixer and knead the dough on low speed for 8-10 minutes until it forms a slightly sticky ball. Alternatively, knead by hand on a floured surface for the same amount of time.
3. Step 3: Transfer the dough ball to a large bowl greased with olive oil or nonstick spray. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Step 4: Once doubled, place dough on a floured surface and roll into a 14×16 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch border on the far side.
5. Step 5: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle and rub this mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
6. Step 6: Starting from the shorter (14-inch) side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Seal edges as you go. Trim about an inch from each end, then cut into twelve 1-inch rolls, making dents to help keep them even.
7. Step 7: Place rolls in a greased 9×13 inch pan, ideally lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel, and let rise for another 30 minutes.
8. Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove coverings and bake rolls for 20-25 minutes until edges are just slightly golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
9. Step 9: To make the glaze, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Spread over warm rolls and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use almond milk for a dairy-free option and still achieve a tender dough.
• For extra gooey rolls, increase the cinnamon sugar filling by ¼ cup.
• Try swapping maple syrup in the glaze for honey or light corn syrup for a different sweetness.
• If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Storage

Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or warm in a low oven until soft before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough and let it rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator. Bring it back to room temperature before rolling out and continuing with the recipe.

What if I don’t have bread flour?

All-purpose flour can be used as a substitute, but the rolls may be slightly less chewy and soft. Adding a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten per cup can help mimic bread flour texture.

The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat Recipe

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These pumpkin cinnamon rolls combine the cozy warmth of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice with a soft, fluffy dough and a sweet cinnamon-sugar filling. Topped with a rich cream cheese glaze flavored with maple syrup, these cinnamon rolls offer the perfect balance of fall flavors and indulgence, making them an irresistible treat for breakfast or dessert.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cinnamon roll dough:

• ¾ cup (180g) milk (whole, 2% or almond milk will all work)
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)
• ¾ cup (183g) pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup (57g) melted butter
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 4 cups (480g) bread flour
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¾ teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• ⅔ cup (142g) dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup (57g) butter, at room temperature

For the cream cheese glaze:

• 4 ounces (112g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (28g) powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Pinch of salt

For garnish:

• Sprinkle of ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Warm milk and activate yeast: Warm milk to about 110°F using a microwave or stovetop until it’s like warm bath water. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine warm milk and granulated sugar, sprinkle yeast on top, and stir to combine.
2. Mix wet ingredients and form dough: Add pumpkin puree, room temperature egg, and melted butter to the yeast mixture, mixing until smooth and creamy. Stir in bread flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt using a wooden spoon until a dough begins to form.
3. Knead the dough: Using a dough hook on low speed, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it forms a slightly sticky ball. Alternatively, knead by hand on a floured surface for the same amount of time.
4. First rise: Transfer the dough ball to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel, and allow it to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size, adjusting time based on your home’s humidity and temperature.
5. Roll out dough: On a floured surface, roll the risen dough into a 14×16 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far side.
6. Prepare filling and spread: Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the buttered dough, pressing it gently into the butter with your hands.
7. Roll and cut: Starting from the shorter 14-inch side, tightly roll up the dough. Seal the edges well. Cut off about an inch from each end because those ends won’t be as full of filling. Then slice the roll into 12 one-inch sections using a serrated knife, marking dents beforehand to ensure even rolls.
8. Second rise: Place the rolls seam side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel, and let the rolls rise again for about 30 minutes while preheating your oven.
9. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove covers and bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes until they are just slightly golden brown on the edges to keep the centers soft. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
10. Prepare cream cheese glaze: In a mixer or medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and salt until smooth and creamy.
11. Frost and garnish: Spread the cream cheese glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with a bit of ground cinnamon for a decorative touch and serve immediately. Enjoy your delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls!

Notes

• Use whole, 2% milk, or almond milk; all yield great results.
• If you don’t have an electric mixer, kneading by hand works just fine.
• Make sure your milk is not too hot to avoid killing the yeast — just warm bath temperature.
• Line the baking pan with parchment paper to avoid filling leakage and ease cleanup.
• Underbaking slightly keeps the rolls soft and chewy in the center.
• Let the rolls cool a bit before frosting to prevent the glaze from melting off.
• This recipe yields 12 perfectly sized cinnamon rolls.

Keywords: pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin spice rolls, cinnamon rolls with pumpkin, pumpkin dessert, fall desserts, cream cheese glaze cinnamon rolls