Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are an easy homemade ooey gooey and fluffy treat that is sure to satisfy those fall time sweet cravings. Try today!
A pumpkin-flavored twist on classic Cinnamon Rolls is sure to be a hit the next time you want a delicious and sweet fall Baked Goods Recipe to feed a crowd. Be sure to check out my Oreo Cinnamon Rolls and Nutella Cinnamon Rolls for more fun twists on the classic!
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Rolls?
- The perfect fall treat for breakfast or brunch!
- This recipe makes 18 servings so it is great to serve a crowd.
Sabrina’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
This is the ultimate decadent fall breakfast recipe you’ll ever make and no one needs to know how easy it was! With a little planning and these step-by-step instructions, you’ll be able to master the perfect gooey sweet cinnamon buns full of pumpkin flavor.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast , 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Roll Filling:
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/2 cup butter , room temperature
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 12 ounces cream cheese , 1 ½ packages, softened
- 1/3 cup butter , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar to 110 degrees (warm to touch).
- Into your stand mixer, add the yeast and milk. Whisk and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Stir in pumpkin puree.
- Add 4 cups of the flour and pumpkin pie spice to the stand mixer and combine until sticky.
- Add in the remaining ½ cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on lowest speed setting until just combined.
- Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour.
Filling:
- In a medium sized bowl mix the sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
- Using a large even surface, flour your surface and roll the rolling pin into the flour to coat the rolling pin.
- Roll out the dough into a large rectangle about a ½ inch thick (if your space is limited do this in two halves).
- Spread the butter over the dough and sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter.
- Roll the dough tightly to form a long log and using a piece of thread, slice off pieces. The dough will make 18 large cinnamon rolls.
- Place the rolls into buttered baking pans or jelly rolls.
- Place the rolls into a warm place for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In your stand mixer beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk, beating until light and fluffy.
To Finish:
- Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the rolls and serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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Note from Sabrina
The key to a fluffy roll is activating your yeast properly. Don’t overheat the milk mixture, or it will kill the yeast. Look for a foamy top to know it’s ready. If if doesn’t foam after 15 minutes, start over with fresh yeast.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are so good you may never go back to classic cinnamon rolls again. They have all the sweet spiced goodness you love but kicked up a level by using Pumpkin Pie Spice in the cinnamon roll dough and the filling. For maximum pumpkin flavor, they are made with real Pumpkin Puree. These treats are topped with a classic cream cheese icing that is thick and creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness. They take a bit of time but they are the perfect treat on a cool fall morning!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree: You can use homemade Pumpkin Puree or use canned pumpkin, just make sure that it is not canned pie filling with spices and sugar added. If you use homemade pumpkin puree, make sure to drain it well.
- Dough: The cinnamon roll dough is a classic dough recipe using whole milk, sugar, oil, flour, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. The milk, oil and sugar are warmed up to help activate the yeast plus the baking soda and powder make sure you get the fluffiest rolls!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger and is what gives pumpkin pie its unique flavor. It is added to the dough and the filling so you get that delicious flavor throughout.
- Filling: The tasty gooey filling is made of sugar, more pumpkin pie spice, and softened butter. You use softened butter so it melts slower into the sugar to make a thicker syrup so your filling isn’t leaky.
- Yeast: Yeast is the key to fluffy dough, and it’s important to use the right kind and let it activate properly. Do not use hot milk or it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise. For these rolls, it’s best to use active dry yeast and not the quickly rising yeast.
- Cream Cheese Icing: You can’t have cinnamon rolls without a thick layer of sweet frosting! These pumpkin rolls are topped with a frosting made of cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and a little milk. It’s rich and sweet and perfectly compliments the pumpkin pie flavors!
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes! Once you’ve prepared and filled the cinnamon roll, cut as usual and place in your greased baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for the second “proofing” or rising. Bring the rolls to room temperature and bake as usual. You can freeze the unbaked Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls for up to 3 months and thaw them overnight before baking. If you bake from frozen, add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
Pairing Suggestions
You may want a strong cup of coffee or at least a less sweet drink like Iced Sea Salt Coffee to enjoy with these sweet Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls. A Yogurt Parfait makes a good side to balance the sweetness with lean protein and nutritious fruit, plus you can scoop up some of the creamy yogurt with your rolls.
How to Store
- Serve: Unfrosted cinnamon rolls can be kept in a sealed container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Iced Rolls need to be refrigerated after 2 hours at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Reheat: For best taste, reheat individual cinnamon rolls in the oven on low heat until warmed through. If you have extra frosting, slather that on to replace any that melted off.
- Freeze: Cool completely and freeze without frosting for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cover rolls with foil and reheat in the oven at low heat then make the frosting and serve.
Ideas to Serve
- Sticky Buns: Turn these tasty rolls into gooey sticky buns. Before baking, sprinkle the top with brown sugar and chopped pecans. Top them with Salted Caramel Sauce instead of the cream cheese frosting, add some more chopped pecans and serve warm.
- White Chocolate: Drizzle your baked Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with melted white chocolate, or add white chocolate chips to the filling of your cinnamon rolls. Try cinnamon chips, caramel chips, or dark chocolate chips, too!
Frequent Questions
While it is possible to make these into Vegan or Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls, this specific recipe has not been tested for any specific swaps. However, it’s best to use vegan non-dairy butter sticks and other vegan swaps that are meant specifically for baking.
Usually you can swap instant yeast for regular active dry yeast and just adjust the rise times. However, adding pumpkin puree to the dough ingredients in this recipe makes it extra dense and moist, so you need the active dry yeast and the extra time to get a proper rise.
Use unflavored dental floss to easily slice the dough without squeezing out the filling. Wrap floss around your pointer fingers, leaving about 8-10 inches of floss. Wrap floss around the dough log once and pull tightly to slice the dough.
Variations
- Brown Sugar: Instead of white sugar, make a brown sugar filling for more warm fall flavor and an extra gooey center. Sprinkle the tops of your cinnamon rolls with brown sugar before baking too.
- Maple Frosting: To make a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting, swap 2 cups of powdered sugar with ¾ cup maple syrup. Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to make a Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing you’ll want to put on all your fall treats!
Related Recipes
More Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipes
Photos used in previous version of post:
These rolls will make your whole home smell like a fall wonderland! The pumpkin in the dough makes them impossibly soft and tender, and the sweet cream cheese icing over the warm spiced spirals is absolute heaven
I feel like Fall smells are the most nostalgic, and delicious. Thanks for the 5 stars, Charlotte!