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A plate with pumpkin cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting on top.
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, fluffy, and moist, these homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are a delicious fall treat. Filled with brown sugar and topped with a simple cream cheese glaze, you won't be able to stop at one!
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings 12 rolls
Calories 454kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Mixer

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (420g) plus more if needed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar (55g)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (0.25 oz packet)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole milk (120mL)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (57g)
  • ¾ cup pumpkin purée (168g)
  • 1 large egg room temp
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15mL)

For the Filling:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (165g)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature (170g)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Dough:

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flour, sugars, yeast, spices, and salt, then whisk together to combine and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the milk and 4 Tbsp butter. Microwave until warm to the touch (about 110F) and stir until butter is melted.
  • To the flour mixture, add the pumpkin purée, egg, vanilla, and warm milk mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and tacky, about 15 minutes. (Dough should not stick to your finger when touched. If it does after 15 minutes, add another tablespoon or two of flour.) Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat it in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.
  • Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into roughly a 12x18-inch rectangle.

For the Filling:

  • Spread the butter all over the dough, leaving about a ½-inch border on one long side. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and spices. Sprinkle all over the butter and gently pat down with your hands.
  • Starting on the long side opposite the border, tightly roll up into a log. Cut the dough into 12 (1 ½-inch) thick rounds and place in the butter baking dish.
  • Cover and let right in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • When almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Uncover and bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes.

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

  • In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
  • Spread the glaze over the warm rolls before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure your brown sugar is soft and moist for the best cookies. If your brown sugar has hardened, don’t worry, it’s an easy fix! I wrote a detailed post on how to soften brown sugar.
  • If you don’t have brown sugar, you can follow this post on how to make brown sugar.
  • Room temperature egg will mix more evenly into the dough. Place your egg into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge ahead of time.
  • Measure your flour correctly to avoid dry and dense pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
  • The easiest way to spread the butter onto the dough is by placing the butter in a bowl first and then mixing it with a spoon or spatula until easily spreadable. Transfer to the dough and spread evenly. Doing so will help keep it from tearing the dough.
  • Pumpkin spice can be used in place of the individual spices if desired.
  • For the tastiest results, use real vanilla extract instead of artificial extract.
  • Lightly flour the counter and the rolling pin to ensure the dough doesn’t stick as you roll it out.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 2968IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg