Prepare to fall in love with the most enchanting Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls you’ll ever bake! These aren’t just any rolls; they’re a celebration of autumn, brimming with rich pumpkin flavor, warm spices, and a generous swirl of the silkiest, most divine cream cheese frosting imaginable. So delightful, you might find it impossible to stop at just one!
Why These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Are Your New Fall Favorite
Inspired by our hugely popular Quick and Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls recipe, this pumpkin variation takes everything you love about classic cinnamon rolls and infuses it with the cozy essence of fall. If you’re a pumpkin aficionado, get ready for a truly spectacular treat. This recipe isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience that captures the warmth and comfort of the season.
What makes these pumpkin cinnamon rolls so utterly irresistible?
- Gooey Cinnamon Filling: A luscious blend of brown sugar and aromatic cinnamon that melts into a blissful, sticky core with every bite.
- Mouth-Watering Cream Cheese Frosting: So incredibly rich and smooth, it elevates these rolls from delicious to absolutely unforgettable. It’s the perfect sweet and tangy counterpoint to the spiced pumpkin dough.
- Tender Pumpkin Dough: Infused with real pumpkin puree, this dough is unbelievably soft, pillowy, and has a delicate, earthy flavor that makes it stand out from traditional cinnamon rolls.
Each component comes together in perfect harmony, promising a homemade pastry that’s truly exceptional. Whether it’s for a festive breakfast, a cozy brunch, or a holiday gathering, these rolls are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
The Magic of Pumpkin in Baking
Pumpkin puree isn’t just for pies! When incorporated into dough, it adds an incredible depth of flavor, a beautiful golden hue, and an unmatched tenderness. The natural moisture in pumpkin keeps the rolls soft and moist for days, while its subtle sweetness complements the maple syrup and warm spices beautifully. Beyond flavor, pumpkin is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, making these delightful rolls a little bit wholesome, too!
Using pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) is key to achieving that authentic, rich pumpkin taste without artificial additives. This recipe calls for a generous amount, ensuring that the pumpkin flavor shines through, making these rolls truly seasonal and special.
Crafting the Perfect Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough
The foundation of any great cinnamon roll is a stellar dough, and our pumpkin version is no exception. This recipe guides you through creating a soft, pliable dough that’s a joy to work with. The combination of warm water, pureed pumpkin, maple syrup, and active dry yeast creates a vibrant base that rises beautifully.
When mixing your dough, pay close attention to its consistency. You’ll know you’ve added enough flour when the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still feels slightly tacky to the touch – this is the secret to incredibly tender rolls. Over-flouring can lead to dry, tough rolls, so add flour gradually and trust your instincts! Kneading for the recommended five minutes develops the gluten, resulting in that wonderfully chewy yet soft texture.
Allowing the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place is crucial. The initial 20-minute rise allows the yeast to activate fully and begin its work, creating a light and airy dough. The second, shorter rise after the rolls are cut helps them puff up even more before baking, ensuring those delightful, cloud-like spirals.
Assembling Your Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
The filling is where the classic cinnamon roll magic truly happens. Our recipe features a simple yet potent mixture of softened butter, rich brown sugar, and plenty of ground cinnamon. Spreading this mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough rectangles ensures every bite is packed with that signature sweet and spicy flavor.
When rolling the dough, make sure to roll it tightly. This creates those beautiful, defined spirals that are so characteristic of cinnamon rolls. For cutting, a piece of dental floss or unflavored thread is your best friend! It makes clean, precise cuts without squishing the delicate dough, preserving the perfect shape of your rolls. Aim for 16 even slices per dough snake for consistent baking and serving sizes.
Arranging the rolls on a greased jelly roll pan with a little space between them allows them room to expand during their final rise and baking. This prevents them from crowding too much and ensures even cooking, leading to golden, perfectly baked rolls every time.
The Ultimate Cream Cheese Frosting: A Recipe Secret
No pumpkin cinnamon roll is complete without a generous slathering of luscious cream cheese frosting, and this recipe delivers the absolute best. Made with softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, a hint of almond (or maple) extract, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt, this frosting is perfectly balanced in sweetness and tang.
The key to a light and fluffy frosting is to beat the butter and cream cheese together until they are well combined and airy before adding the other ingredients. This incorporates air, giving the frosting its signature creamy texture. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to your desired sweetness and thickness. If you prefer a slightly thinner, more drizzly frosting, a tablespoon or two of milk can be added gradually until you reach the perfect consistency. Remember, spreading this decadent frosting over warm rolls allows it to melt ever so slightly, creating an even more indulgent experience.
Creative Adaptations: Elevate Your Pumpkin Rolls
While these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are absolutely perfect as is, they also lend themselves beautifully to customization. Here are a couple of fantastic adaptations to try if you want to take them up a notch:
Pecan and Browned Butter Adaptation
For an extra layer of texture and nutty flavor, consider adding pecans:
- Pecans in the Filling: Incorporate 1 to 1.5 cups of finely chopped pecans into the cinnamon-brown sugar filling. This adds a delightful crunch and a roasted nutty note to the gooey center.
- Pecans on Top: After frosting, sprinkle another 1 to 1.5 cups of chopped pecans over the finished pumpkin cinnamon rolls. (Note: For the best texture, add these nuts right before serving, as they can become soggy if left on the frosting for too long.)
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This adaptation transforms the already incredible cream cheese frosting into something truly extraordinary:
- Increase Butter: For the frosting, increase the amount of butter from 1 cup to 1.5 cups.
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts, then bubbles, then foams. Keep an eye on it! Underneath the foam, you’ll start to see golden brown flecks forming at the bottom of the pan. This indicates the milk solids are toasting, creating a rich, nutty aroma.
- Cool Completely: Remove the browned butter from the heat immediately and pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes, or until it has solidified back to a soft, spreadable consistency. You can speed this up in the fridge if needed, just don’t let it get too hard.
- Use in Frosting: Use this cooled, browned butter in place of the room temperature butter in your cream cheese frosting recipe. The deep, caramelized, nutty notes from the browned butter will add an unparalleled dimension of flavor that will truly “knock your socks off!”
Serving, Storage, and Reheating Tips
These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm, fresh from the oven, with the frosting slightly melted. They make a spectacular breakfast or brunch item, a comforting dessert, or a wonderful treat to share at any gathering, especially during the fall holidays.
- Storage: Store leftover frosted cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, place individual rolls in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until warm and soft. For larger batches, cover loosely with foil and warm in a preheated oven at 275°F (135°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Freezing (Unbaked): You can prepare the rolls up to the second rise, then arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let rise at room temperature until doubled before baking as directed.
- Freezing (Baked): Baked and frosted rolls can also be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or reheat gently.
Ready to bake the most delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls of your life? Here’s the full recipe!
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Delicious and festive PUMPKIN cinnamon rolls with the best cream cheese frosting you’ll ever taste! Hard to have just one!
- Rating:
- 5 out of 5 stars from 1 vote
- Course:
- Breads
- Prep Time:
- 30 minutes
- Cook Time:
- 15 minutes
- Additional Time:
- 1 hour (for rising)
- Total Time:
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Servings:
- 32 rolls
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Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 (29 oz) can puréed pumpkin
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast (use instant yeast if it’s all you’ve got)
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 9 cups of flour (give or take half a cup)
- For the Filling:
- 10 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or maple)
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt (~1/4 tsp.)
- 2 Tablespoons milk (OPTIONAL, for a more runny frosting)
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine the pumpkin, warm water, maple syrup, and active dry yeast. Give it a quick mix, cover the bowl, and let the yeast dissolve for 10 minutes. This gives the yeast time to activate.
- Add the egg, coconut oil, and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Mix them together well. Then, gradually add the flour, cup by cup, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Continue adding flour until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl and is tacky but doesn’t stick to your fingers. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this can make the rolls dry.
- Knead the dough for five minutes. If using a stand mixer, cover the dough while kneading to help trap the heat, promoting better gluten development.
- Once kneaded, cover the dough again and let it rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half into a large, even rectangle.
- For each half of the dough, spread 1/2 of the softened butter (5 Tablespoons) evenly over the surface. Then, evenly sprinkle half of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture (2/3 cup) over the butter.
- Tightly roll each dough rectangle up into one long snake. Using cinnamon-flavored dental floss or a piece of unflavored thread, cut the dough (as shown in many cinnamon roll videos) into 16 even slices per dough snake. Discard the small ends if they are uneven. You will have 32 rolls in total.
- Arrange the cinnamon roll dough rounds onto two greased jelly roll pans, placing 16 rolls per cookie sheet. Cover the pans and let the rolls rise again for 10-30 minutes, or until visibly puffy.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 14-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are cooked through.
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting: Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, combine the softened butter and cream cheese. Beat them together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, add the vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix until all ingredients are combined and the frosting is smooth.
- As soon as the pumpkin rolls come out of the oven, spread the delicious cream cheese frosting generously over them. Serve warm and enjoy!