Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with pumpkin and warm pumpkin pie spice. They're filled with a buttery pumpkin spice filling and finished with a creamy pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting for the ultimate fall breakfast.
Servings: 12 rolls
Equipment
- 1 9x13" 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 9x13 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.