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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (Make Right Now or Make Ahead)

By // (Updated Aug 24, 2025) // 32 Comments

Jump to Recipe· 4.9 from 14 reviews
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are a warm, fall favorite with pumpkin-spiced dough filled with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then topped with silky brown butter cream cheese frosting. You can prepare them the night before and bake fresh in the morning, making these fuss-free and perfect for holiday breakfasts or casual weekends.

pumpkin cinnamon roll on a white plate with a fork and a cup of coffee in the background on a reddish brown surface

I have to admit I love pumpkin any time of year but September through November especially. The pumpkin train is full speed ahead at my house! I first made pumpkin cinnamon rolls back in 2016 then again in 2017 but I never got around to posting the recipe for the blog. So here we are today.

For this recipe, you get the best fall flavor by using pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and brown butter, all the warm flavors are beautiful together. The pumpkin flavor is there but in my opinion, it's perfectly there, it's not too aggressive but you know its pumpkin.

I won't sugar coat it cinnamon rolls require time and effort but I honestly think if you go in with the right tools and plenty of time, as in you are not rushing through the steps, that anyone can make these!!

Want more crave worthy desserts with that warm fall flavor? Try this family favorite apple cinnamon rolls, pumpkin pancakes recipe or sticky pecan rolls!

Building Flavor & Texture

Some notes on making fluffy pumpkin flavored cinnamon rolls

  • Instant Dry Yeast. You'll need one 1 Standard American packet of instant or rapid-rise yeast. Make sure your yeast is fresh otherwise it will not activate.
  • Butter. Like I mentioned above I like to use browned butter, but by all means, you could use plain melted butter it just needs to be melted. But after testing this cinnamon roll recipe I found the depth of flavor from the brown butter is delightful!
  • Dry Milk Powder. I use this stuff for a few things in baking, so I always have it on hand. It's the secret to stabilized whipped cream!
  • Pure Pumpkin Puree. Just make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling, and it should be at room temperature.

Featured Review

" I've been trying to find the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe and THIS might be it! The pumpkin makes them pillowy soft and the browned butter takes the icing to the next level. They got rave reviews from everyone who tried them."

Mike
Jump to Recipe· 4.9 from 14 reviews
pumpkin cinnamon rolls frosted in a glass dish on a red and brown surface with a wood knife

A note on brown butter

For this recipe, you will need a total of 12 Tablespoons of browned butter, since when you brown butter some evaporates I suggest browning 15 Tablespoons of butter.

You will use melted brown butter in the dough and the filling but for the frosting, you will need room temperature butter. So my suggestion is to brown all of the butter first then use what you need for the dough and filling and then place the rest in a container to chill in the fridge overnight while the cinnamon rolls rise. Then when you take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature take the cold brown butter to soften too. 

Here is a detailed post on how to brown butter.

Making the yeasted dough

yeast and warm water in a metal bowl before and after foaming sitting on a red and brown surface
Activate the yeast with warm water and let it get frothy.
pumpkin puree, sugar, egg and dry milk powder added to yeast mixture in a metal bowl on a red and brown surface
Add the sugar, browned butter, egg, milk powder, salt, and pumpkin puree and mix.
flour and pumpkin pie spice added to wet ingredients for cinnamon rolls in a metal bowl on a red and brown surface with a navy blue linen
Add flour and spices.
pumpkin pie cinnamon roll dough mixed with a dough hook in a metal bowl on a red and brown surface
Mix the dough with the dough hook to knead it.
pumpkin cinnamon roll dough rising in a metal bowl then punched down in a metal mixing bowl on a red and brown surface
Let the dough proof then punch the air out once it has proved.
pumpkin cinnamon roll dough on a floured work surface shaped into a ball sitting on a reddish brown surface
Place dough on a floured work surface
pumpkin cinnamon roll dough rolled into a rectangle on a red and brown surface
Roll dough out into a rectangle.
brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon mixed together in a small glass bowl with a fork on a red and brown surface
Mix together brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
brown butter and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top of pumpkin cinnamon roll dough on a red and brown surface
Spread melted butter on dough then brown sugar mixture.
pumpkin cinnamon rolls rolled into a tight log and lightly scored ona red and brown surface
Roll the dough tightly and cut into even pieces.
pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls before and after their second rise in a glass dish on a red and brown surface
Place the rolls into a baking dish cover and let rise again until doubled in size.

To ensure success I highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer. I get SOOO much use out of my Thermapen Mk4 (affiliate link). From cooking filet mignon, tempering chocolate, roast turkey, making caramel, and more!

pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls baked in a glass dish sitting on a red and brown surface with a knife, navy blue linen, and white plates and forks
Bake the rolls until golden brown.  

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Dreams

cream cheese and brown butter beat together in a metal mixing bowl on a red and brown surface
Mix brown butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
confectioners sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream added to cream cheese butter mixture in a metal mixing bowl on a reddish brown surface with a blue linen
Mix in vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.
brown butter cream cheese frosting in a metal bowl on a reddish brown surface
Mix the brown butter frosting until light and fluffy.
wooden spoon spreading brown butter cream cheese frosting on top of pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a glass dish on a red and brown surface
Slather on top of cinnamon rolls while still warm so the frosting melts into each roll. 

Don't miss my super easy pumpkin pie spice cake.

pumpkin cinnamon roll hafl eaten on a white plate with a fork and a cup of coffee and pumpkin in the background on a reddish brown surface

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★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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pumpkin cinnamon roll on a white plate with a fork and a cup of coffee in the background on a reddish brown surface

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 14 reviews

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are a warm, fall favorite with pumpkin-spiced dough filled with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then topped with silky brown butter cream cheese frosting. You can prepare them the night before and bake fresh in the morning, making these fuss-free and perfect for holiday breakfasts or casual weekends.

  • Total Time: 3 Hours 12 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 Cinnamon Rolls 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

  • 2 ¼ Teaspoons Instant Dry Yeast (1 Standard AmericanPackage)
  • 6oz (¾ Cup) Warm Water (check your yeast for temp, usually around 115F/46C)
  • 50 grams (¼ Cup) Granulated Sugar/ Caster Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter, browned
  • 1 Large Egg, at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon Dry Milk Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 5.3oz (⅔ Cup) Pure Pumpkin Puree (Not Pumpkin Pie Filling)
  • 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 406 grams- 468 Grams (3 ¼- 3 ¾ Cup) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour

Filling

  • 150 grams (¾ Cup) Brown Sugar
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 3oz (6 Tablespoons) Butter, browned

Frosting

  • 4oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2oz (¼ Cup) Browned Butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 180 grams (1 ½ Cups) Confectioners Sugar/ Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Brown Butter

  1. For this recipe, you will need a total of 12 Tablespoons of browned butter, since when you brown butter some evaporates I suggest browning 15 Tablespoons of butter. You will use melted brown butter in the dough and the filling but for the frosting, you will need room temperature butter. So my suggestion is to brown all of the butter first then use what you need for the dough and filling and then place the rest in a container to chill in the fridge overnight while the cinnamon rolls rise. Then when you take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature take the cold brown butter to soften too. Check out my step-by-step post on browning butter.

Dough

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer dissolve yeast in warm water, let sit for 5 minutes. Once fully dissolved mix together and add sugar, browned butter, egg, milk powder, salt, and pumpkin puree. Make sure everything is evenly combined and there are no traces of egg yolk left behind.
  2. Now add in 3 ¼ cups of flour and the pumpkin pie spice. Mix until mostly combined then attach the dough hook and mix. If the dough is very sticky to the bowl add ¼ more flour and mix again, you may need the final ¼ cup of flour or you may not. The dough should be soft and moist but not overly sticky. Mix on medium speed to knead the dough for 8 minutes you may want to scrape the sides of the bowl every couple of minutes.  You can also knead the dough by hand on a floured work surface.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200F/93C and then turn the oven off, this is creating a warm environment for the dough to rise in. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray or oil and place the dough inside, move the dough around, this is helping prevent a skin from forming. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the bowl and place the bowl in warm but not turned on oven.

Filling

  1. Check the dough after 45 minutes to an hour, the dough needs to double in size. Use clean hands to punch the dough to release any air bubbles. Place the dough on a floured work surface. Roll dough into a 16inchX 14inch rectangle. Brush the dough with melted browned butter. In a small bowl mix together brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of the dough.
  2. Roll the dough tightly, I like to score the cinnamon roll log into 12 even pieces before slicing. You can use unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife for a clean cut. Place the rolls into a 9"X13" baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight or let rise immediately until doubled in size (30 ish minutes) and bake.
  3. When you wake up take cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and set on the counter to rise/thaw for 45 ish minutes. Preheat oven to 350F/180C and bake for 22-27 minutes. At this point prepare the frosting. You can use a digital internal thermometer to check the cinnamon rolls have fully baked by checking the temperature has reached 190F/88C. Let the rolls sit for 5-10 minutes before adding the icing. 

Frosting

  1. While the cinnamon rolls are baking add the cream cheese and brown butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Next add in the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Beat all together at first at low speed once the powdered sugar is incorporated beat on high for 4 minutes. Slather on top of cinnamon rolls while still warm so the frosting melts into each roll. 
  3. Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an air-tight container for up to 3 days but they are best served immediately.

Equipment

Notes

  • My preference is to make the cinnamon rolls and frosting the night before then let them both thaw on the counter then bake the cinnamon rolls fresh in the morning. So the recipe is really written for that route but you can make them in the morning but expect the time to take about 3 ½ hours from start to finish. I also usually make the frosting while the rolls rise the first time and store it in the refrigerator overnight then let it sit out while the dough warms to room temperature and remix just before using.
  • Author: Elizabeth Waterson
  • Prep Time: 45 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 27 Minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Comments

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    If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating ⭐ when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. I am incredibly grateful for your support! —xx Liz

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  1. Marie says

    AMAZING!!!! These turned out awesome! They are so delicious and such a simple recipe to follow! They were perfect!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thanks so much for coming back to review the recipe Marie, I am so pleased you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls and appreciated the detailed recipe!! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

    • Sandy says

      Can this recipe be made in a bread machine ??

      Reply

      • Elizabeth Waterson says

        Hi Sandy, I have never used one so I Am not sure, so sorry! Please do report back if you try it! Take care. XX Li

        Reply

  2. Lindsey says

    These are SO DELICIOUS!!!! First time making any homemade bread and it was perfect. Thank you for all the details and pictures!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thank you so much for coming back to rate and review the recipe Lindsey. I am glad to hear you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls!! I really appreciate you acknowledging all the details and pictures, it is a lot of work but I do think it can help so much, so happy to hear it did for you!! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  3. Mike says

    I've been trying to find the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe and THIS might be it! The pumpkin makes them pillowy soft and the browned butter takes the icing to the next level. They got rave reviews from everyone who tried them.

    Reply

  4. Amanda says

    This recipe looks amazing! Curious what would happen if you left the powder milk out? It’s not something I usually have on hand.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Hi Amanda, thanks for reaching out. So the milk powder adds extra moisture and tenderness to the cinnamon rolls. I don't suggest skipping it but worst case you could, I would use warm milk instead of water then. Please let me know if you try the recipe I would love to know what you think! XX Liz

      Reply

  5. Ginny says

    Is it possible to freeze these before you bake them? If so how long before should I are them out to let them rise? And should they rise in the refrigerator or at room temperature?

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Hi Ginny, I have personally never done that, but I think once you roll the cinnamon rolls you could cut them and freeze them, then thaw them overnight in the fridge then let them rise for an hour or two until doubled in size. Just make sure they are covered well so they dont dry out or get freezer burn, please let me know how it goes. Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  6. Kearsten says

    Such a great recipe! It was easy to follow and the cinnamon rolls turned tasted so good! This is the first time I have made dough from scratch and was very happy with how the rolls turned out!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Hi Kearsten, thank you so much for the lovely review! So happy you took the leap of faith to make the dough, truly is nothing like fresh dough!! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  7. Laura says

    Question- how far ahead of time can you make these? Can they wait an extra day in the fridge?
    Thanks!

    Reply

  8. Trecia D. says

    Absolutely LOVED this recipe!! They turned out perfect! So much pumpkin spice goodness in a cinnamon roll that is soft as a cloud. My family loved them! I will definitely be adding this to my favorite recipes and making them again.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thank you so much for the lovely 5-star review Trecia. I too like to bake with pumpkin all year round, so glad you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls! XX Liz

      Reply

  9. Wendy says

    I skipped the milk powder. They were fine. I’m not a fan of the browned butter in the frosting. I feel like it really lessens the cream cheese and I love a zingy cream cheese frosting. I added some lemon to try to bring it back but the cream cheese was still too subtle for me. My husband doesn’t much care for pumpkin desserts and even he liked these.

    Reply

  10. Stylingwithchrissa says

    Great recipe! Easy to follow step by step (I am not a baker)! Tasty fall cinnamon roll recipe!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thank you so much for the lovely review Chrissa!! I truly appreciate it, take care.! XX Liz

      Reply

  11. Avery says

    Just made this recipe last night and baked this morning! It was my first time making brown butter and from-scratch cinnamon rolls and my roommates and I all loved it! The only thing I would say but it is 100% personal preference is that I love a good cream cheese frosting, but this one I felt that the brown butter was very strong in it and it reminded me of caramel puffed corn that you make around Christmas time. So for me, I would do plain butter just in the frosting part.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thanks so much for the 5-star review Avery!! Happy to hear you ventured into the land of homemade cinnamon rolls!! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  12. Emily Wood says

    Amazing recipe!! 10/10 for sure. Will make again.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thanks so much for the 5-star review Emily!! So happy to hear you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  13. Natalia says

    These turned out SO GOOD. I did not measure correctly and only cut 8 instead of 12... I recommend cutting correctly! They were GINORMOUS. But totally worth it. They are so good, this recipe is so good and the cream cheese frosting is delicious.

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Hi Natalia, thank you so much for the glowing review!! I am glad you seemed to like these as much as we do!! I haven't made my first batch of the season yet and I am thinking this weekend has to be it!!! Take care. XX Liz

      Reply

  14. Kate says

    amazing recipe, just bake it with some pot of boiling water else its too hard

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Glad you liked the recipe Kate! Thanks for the 5-star review! XX Liz

      Reply

  15. Ana says

    Hello! I've tried this recipe twice already and absolutely love how these have come out! I'm wondering though if I would be able to make regular cinnamon rolls from this same recipe?

    Reply

  16. Kathy says

    These are so good! I put the ingredients in my bread machine last night and used the delay start so that the dough would be ready to use this morning. Based on the author’s recommendation, I used milk instead of water since I didn’t have powdered milk on hand. They’re super-soft and sooo yummy!

    Reply

  17. Deborah H says

    I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! A new fav❤️easy to make…amazing smell while baking…and so tasty! Definitely gonna repeat this recipe in the future!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Waterson says

      Thank you so much for the lovely review Deborah! Next time may I ask a huge favor please? Would you be so kind to leave a 5-star rating along with the comment? It helps my website and other readers like you easily see success in recipes! Thank you XX Liz

      Reply

      • Deborah Hudson says

        I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! A new fav❤️easy to make…amazing smell while baking…and so tasty! Definitely gonna repeat this recipe in the future!

        Reply