If you love a classic cinnamon roll, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are the perfect fall version. The dough is soft and fluffy with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, the filling is buttery and packed with brown sugar and pumpkin butter, and everything gets finished with a whipped cream cheese frosting.
They’re cozy, gooey, and exactly the kind of thing I want with a cup of coffee on a fall morning.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
Flour: I use King Arthur all-purpose flour for these cinnamon rolls.
Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. You’ll use to add color, moisture, and richness to the dough.
Pumpkin butter: A concentrated pumpkin puree mixed with spiced and brown sugar to give the filling a seasonal boost.
Milk: Warm the milk before adding the yeast. It should be warm, but not hot.
Active dry yeast: Active dry yeast is what I use, but instant yeast will work too.
Unsalted butter: You’ll need softened butter for the dough and filling, plus some more for the frosting.
Pumpkin pie spice: Pumpkin pie spice goes into the dough and filling.
Egg: I recommend using a room-temperature egg.
Brown and granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the dough, while brown sugar gives the filling that classic caramel-y cinnamon roll flavor.
Cream cheese: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so the frosting gets nice and smooth.
Lemon juice: Just a little fresh lemon juice helps balance the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting.
Heavy cream: A secret weapon to help get gooey cinnamon rolls. Just ¼ cup gets poured on them before baking.
Cornstarch: Just a tablespoon included in the filling to help ensure it thickens up nicely.
The Pan I Use for Cinnamon Rolls
I use my USA Pan 9×13-inch Rectangular Cake Pan for these cinnamon rolls. It’s the perfect size for 12 rolls, giving them enough room to rise and bake evenly without overcrowding the pan.
It’s also one of those pans I use constantly, so it’s earned a permanent spot in my kitchen.
USA Pan 9×13-inch Rectangular Cake Pan
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1: Make the dough
Add the warm milk, yeast, and about 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
Meanwhile, add the flour, remaining granulated sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl of a standing mixer. Once the yeast is ready, add the milk mixture along with the pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla, and melted butter.
Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low until everything comes together, then increase the speed to medium and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
I then just let it rise within the same bowl, covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let it rise somewhere warm for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 2: Make the filling
Add the pumpkin butter to a bowl along with the brown sugar, softened butter, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix really well with a fork until it forms a sugary paste. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the cinnamon rolls
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When the dough is ready, add some flour to a clean work surface. Roll the dough out into a 10×15″ rectangle about ¼ inch thick (I just use my baking pan as a guide). I cut the side with a pizza cutter to make it even, but that’s not necessary.
Spread the filling all over the dough. If doing a classic log, roll it lengthwise and then use kitchen twine to cut out your rolls. You can also use the pizza cutter to cut 1-inch strips and roll it that way. Once done, add them all to a baking dish lined with parchment paper, leaving a little room for the next rise, like this:
Now cover them loosely with plastic wrap and a paper towel. Let them rise on the counter for about 45 minutes, or until they’ve risen a bit and are touching.
Pour the heavy cream over the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they’re golden on top.
Step 4: Make the frosting
While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by combining the cream cheese and softened butter. Whip until they are fluffy, then add the vanilla, lemon juice and pumpkin spice. Whip until combined, then slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar. Whip on medium for about 10 minutes to get the fluffiest frosting.
Step 5: Frost the rolls
Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 15 minutes before frosting. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 9×13" baking pan I love the USA Pan brand
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 cups King Arthur AP flour plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup whole milk warmed
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 + ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For the filling
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 3 tbs pumpkin butter
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- Pinch kosher salt
For the cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine the warm water with the yeast and about 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let sit to bloom for about 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, pumpkin spice, and the remaining granulated sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. When the milk is ready, add it in along with the egg, melted butter, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Using the dough hook attachment, start at a slow speed and then increase to medium. Do this until a somewhat sticky dough has formed, about 5 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, add a tablespoon at a time of flour until it's just tacky.
- Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place (I use the oven with the light on) for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- While that's rising, make the filling. Combine the softened butter with the pumpkin butter, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until a paste forms, and set aside.
- When the dough is ready, remove it and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a bit of flour to a clean work surface and add the dough. Roll it out to a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. I use the 9×13 pan as a guide, with the rectangle being a bit larger than it.
- Spread the filling all over. Make your rolls the classic way by rolling the dough lengthwise into a log, using kitchen twine to cut out your rolls. Or you can use a pizza cutter to cut long strips and roll them that way. Either way, add them all to the baking dish, making sure there's a little room for them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rise for about 45 minutes, or until they're touching slightly. Before baking, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they're lightly golden.
- While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by combining the cream cheese and softened butter. Whip until they are fluffy, then add the vanilla, lemon juice and pumpkin spice. Whip until combined, then slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar. Whip on medium for about 10 minutes to get the fluffiest frosting.
- Remove the rolls and let them cool for about 15 minutes before frosting.
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