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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

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4.9 from 9 reviews

Incredibly soft cinnamon rolls are filled with real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice for a warm, fall breakfast dream! These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are absolutely scrumptious. Detailed step-by-step photos teach you how to bake this cinnamon roll recipe.

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

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Instant Dry Yeast (1 Standard AmericanPackage)
  • 6oz (3/4 Cup) Warm Water (check your yeast for temp, usually around 115F/46C)
  • 50 grams (1/4 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 (2/3 Cup) Pure Pumpkin Puree (Not Pumpkin Pie Filling)
  • 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 406 grams- 468 Grams (3 1/4- 3 3/4 Cup) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour

Filling

  • 150 grams (3/4 Cup) Brown Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 3oz (6 Tablespoons) Butter, browned

Frosting

  • 4oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2oz (1/4 Cup) Browned Butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 180 grams (1 1/2 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 1/4 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 1/4 more flour and mix again, you may need the final 1/4 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.

Notes

  • You could also 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.
  • Cinnamon rolls can be made in the morning but expect the time to take about 3 1/2 hours from start to finish. 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. 
  • Prep Time: 45 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 27 Minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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