Description
These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and filled with a spiced brown sugar and butter mixture, then topped with a luscious maple cream cheese icing. Perfect for fall breakfasts or cozy weekend treats, these rolls combine the warmth of pumpkin and autumn spices with a sweet, rich glaze for an irresistible indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin Dough
- 1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 2 and 2/3 cups (335g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
Filling
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Maple Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) whole milk
- 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dough: Warm the milk and butter together until the butter is just melted and the mixture is lukewarm (105°F-115°F). Whisk pumpkin puree, sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the warmed milk/butter, egg, and yeast, then mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup of flour and mix for 1 minute. Add remaining flour and beat for another minute.
- Knead the dough: Using a dough hook, knead for 5 minutes or knead by hand on a floured surface for 5 minutes until soft and slightly tacky. Add small amounts of flour if too sticky, ensuring dough passes the windowpane test, then let it rise.
- 1st Rise: Lightly oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover with foil or towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Prepare baking pan: Grease the bottom and sides of a suitable baking dish (9-inch square, round, 9×13-inch, or 11×7-inch) to hold 10-12 rolls.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough, roll it on a floured surface into a 10×14-inch rectangle. Rest dough for 10 minutes if it’s shrinking while rolling.
- Add the filling: Spread softened butter evenly on the dough. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves, then sprinkle over the buttered dough. Roll tightly and cut into 10-12 even rolls.
- 2nd Rise: Place rolls in the pan, cover tightly, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for slow rise.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake: Bake rolls for 22-28 minutes until lightly browned. Tent with foil after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Cool and make icing: Remove rolls from oven and cool 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese until smooth, add maple syrup and milk, beat until combined, then add confectioners’ sugar and optional cinnamon, mixing until creamy.
- Serve: Spread icing over warm rolls. Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
Notes
- Overnight Instructions: Prepare through step 6, then refrigerate the rolls up to 14 hours. Bring to room temperature and rise for 1 hour before baking.
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze rolls after shaping before 2nd rise, thaw overnight, then rise 1.5-2 hours before baking. Alternatively, par-bake for 10 minutes then freeze, or freeze fully baked rolls. Thaw and reheat before serving.
- Use whole milk for soft, rich rolls; nondairy or low-fat alternatives can be used but may affect texture.
- You can use active dry or instant yeast interchangeably; active dry may require slightly longer rise times.
- If preferred, substitute the filling spices with 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon and 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
