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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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These fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are like fall wrapped up in delicious rolls. With warm spices, delicate pumpkin, and creamy cream cheese icing, these delicious Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls feel like a warm hug on a crisp autumn day. 

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Cinnamon rolls are one of our favorite breakfast recipes. We just can’t stop making them. We’ve made tons of cinnamon roll recipes, from basic Quick Cinnamon Rolls to Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls to Nutella Cinnamon Rolls, and finally decided to make a fall version for all you fall lovers out there. These delicious Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are bursting with pumpkin flavor and are anything but basic. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

But we totally get it if you’re not into pumpkin-flavored things. If you’re more of a maple or apple fall treat person, you’ll love these Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls or these Apple Cider Doughnuts!

What Are Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are different from the classic cinnamon roll. These cinnamon rolls are filled with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger – the famous fall spices – pumpkin puree and topped with a buttermilk cream cheese icing. They’re the perfect autumnal twist on the regular cinnamon roll, perfect for making for just yourself, your family, friends, coworkers – basically ANYONE.

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you love pumpkin, then you’ll definitely love this easy recipe and other pumpkin recipes like these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars or Pumpkin Pie Waffles! Also, you might be losing your faith in regular cinnamon rolls, and you want to try something new. If that’s the case, then this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe is here for you!

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Dough:

  • Bread flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Instant dry yeast
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground ginger
  • Ground cardamom
  • Unsalted butter
  • Whole milk
  • Large egg
  • Pumpkin puree

For the Cinnamon Filling:

  • Light brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground cloves
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter

For Assembly:

  • Unsalted butter

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Cream cheese softened
  • Buttermilk
  • Confectioners’ sugar

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Making the Pumpkin Dough

Generously butter a 10″ round cake pan, line it with parchment paper, and grease the parchment as well. Add a light dusting of flour – just enough to cover the pan, then gently tap out any extra flour.

Whipping Up the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine your dry ingredients – flour, sugars, yeast, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Set the mixer to medium and allow it to blend the ingredients. This usually takes around a minute. 

Then, add the milk and egg with a gentle low-speed mix until nicely incorporated. Then, add the pumpkin puree. Let the mixer continue at medium speed for about 3 minutes. You’ll know it’s combined when the dough develops a soft, sticky, light orange hue.

Dough Resting Time

Gently gather the dough and shape it into a sizable ball, smoothing out the top. Lay it down in a lightly greased bowl and cover it up with plastic wrap. Then, let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

Crafting the Filling

While your dough is resting, whip up the filling. In a small bowl, add the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Then, add the melted butter to the mix, stirring until combined.

Roll and Fill

On a well floured surface, use your rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large rectangle, aiming for something around 20 x 10″. Next, brush on half of the melted butter. Sprinkle the filling over the butter, leaving a little edge (about ¼”) untouched. Gently press the filling into the dough with the palms of your hands.

​Dough Log

Roll dough into a snug log. Seam side down, and let it rest. Next, cut it into ten 2″ rolls. Nestle them into the cake pan and top them with the remaining melted butter. Then, cover it all up with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again for 45 minutes. They should puff up and double their size.

Prep the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and move the rack to the middle for even cooking. 

Bake

Pop the rolls into the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes – or until golden brown. 

Making the Icing

In your standing mixer’s bowl, add the cream cheese and buttermilk and beat on medium speed until they become smooth and lump-free. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix at medium-low speed until combined. 

Drizzle the Icing

Drizzle the icing over the warm rolls, serve, and enjoy! 

What to Serve With These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Whip up a huge breakfast spread with everything from Breakfast Pizza to Breakfast Sausage Ravioli! Or even more pumpkin goodies like this Pumpkin Latte Coffee Cake!

Expert Recipe Tips

  • Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut the dough into individual rolls with clean edges. 
  • Don’t roll the dough too tight, as you don’t want the filling to seep out. Plus, rolling the dough tightly may prevent it from rising completely. 

Leftovers and Reheating

Store leftover Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. After that, pop them into the fridge for up to 1 week to prevent them from getting moldy. If you want, you can also freeze the cinnamon rolls in individual containers for up to 2 months.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this recipe beforehand and bake the next day?

Yes! Prepare the rolls up until baking and pop them into the fridge overnight. The next day, let them come to room temperature while the oven preheats. Then, bake as directed. 

Can I freeze unbaked Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and bake them later?

Absolutely! You can either freeze the dough in log form before slicing or right before the rolls are to be baked. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. When you’re ready to bake them, let them thaw in the fridge overnight, come to room temperature, and bake as directed.

More Breakfast Recipes

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Tap into your inner fall spirit with these gooey pumpkin rolls! Cozy spices entangled in a spicy pumpkin filling and adorned in melty cream cheese icing are the best way to make your breakfasts even better! If you tried this recipe, please rate the recipe card and let us know if you liked it!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

from Baked Elements

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Dough:

  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 packet (1/4 oz or 1 tbs) instant dry yeast
  • 1 teas salt
  • 1/2 teas cinnamon
  • 1/4 teas ground ginger
  • 1/4 teas ground cardamom
  • 3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened, and cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 2/3 cup while milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

For the Cinnamon Filling:

  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teas cinnamon
  • 1/4 teas ground cloves
  • 1/4 teas freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teas salt
  • 1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

For Assembly:

  • 1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 2 oz cream cheese, softenend
  • 3 tbs well-shaken buttermilk
  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:

Make the pumpkin dough: Butter a 10″ round cake pan, line with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and knock out any excess flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugars, yeast, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom on medium speed. Add the butter and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute. Ad the milk and egg and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the pumpkin puree and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. The dough will be a light orange color and feel soft and sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl, carefully form into a large ball, smooth the top with your hands, and place it on a clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until combined.

Assemble the rolls: On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle approximation 20 x 10″. Brush the dough with half the melted butter, and sprinkle the filling over the butter, leaving a 1/4″ boarder around the edges. Using the palms of your hands, press the filling lightly into the dough.

Starting with a long end, roll up the dough to create a tight log and place it seam side down. Slice into ten 2″ long rolls. Arrange rolls in the cake pan and brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining melted butter, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until the rolls have almost doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and double check that your rack is in the center position.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls are browned.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and buttermilk on medium speed until the mixture  is lump free. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on  medium-low speed until a smooth, fluid mixture forms.

Pour the frosting over the rolls and serve.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Mary at n00bcakes says

    Ooo, now there’s a good recommendation: “So good I had to immediately get them out of my house!” In my opinion, that’s what day jobs are actually for – a repository for a hobbyist baker’s overflow. 😀 What’s extra awesome is that looking over the recipe…I have ALL of those ingredients. Yeeesss….myeess…../rubs hands together

    Reply

  3. The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says

    Isn’t that something. I’m a huge pumpkin fan, but I have to admit that the title of the goodies doesn’t rock my boat either. They look amazing though; and if they’re so good that you had to whisk them out of the house, that’s a good enough recommendation for me. With all the amazing things you cook, I’m surprised you don’t have fat co-workers.

    Reply

  15. carolyn says

    Cinnamon rolls are one of my great weaknesses. I am supposed to be watching what I eat since I have two children getting married next year – however, I will have to make the exception to my rules and I WILL be making these tomorrow. Nothing better than the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon on a crisp fall morning.

    Reply

  20. Lora @cakeduchess says

    I can’t get enough of cinnamon rolls and now is the time to enjoy them with pumpkin. Yours look fantastic, Kita:)Save me one?

    Reply

  21. Javelin Warrior says

    I would stand in line for these babies 🙂 It’s like a celebration of autumn on a plate covered with icing! I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution as always). Thanks for continuing to inspire me with your creations…

    Reply

  22. Nicole says

    Made these this morning – worried about the amount of butter for dough. it only lists 3/4 butter is this stick or cups? iused cup have a feeling it was toooooo much butter. dough was very sticky and did roll up well. Any tips would be appreciated!

    Reply

  24. Becca says

    most impossible cinnamon roll recipe ever. i’m sure they’ll taste alright but the dough was horrible to work with…didn’t roll up well at all. if i was the yelling and cursing type that’s what i would have been doing while trying to roll up these cinnamon rolls.

    Reply

      • Kita says

        Do you mean butter in the dough or butter in the filling? My dough was super tacky. I dusted a teaspoon more flour into it and was able to get it to form a ball and then roll it out after resting.

        Reply

        • Nicole says

          Hi,
          I was wondering about the butter for the dough. I used cups not sticks. I wonder if that would have helped a bit. I could barely roll and cut them. It also took almost an hour to cook and they still came out very doughy 🙁 Want to give this recipe another try, it looks too good to give up on! Suggestions would be greatly appreciated 🙂

          Reply

  26. Jessi says

    I made these today and they turned out really nicely. I made a few changes, though:

    -I doubled the cardamom (I’m a Scandinavian. We can’t help these things).
    -I used 3/4 cup of butter instead of 3/4 stick…mainly because I didn’t read the recipe. It worked just fine, and may have helped with these dough issues you all are talking about. The dough DID come out really sticky–too much so. I added more flour and that solved everything. Next time, I’ll probably add more cinnamon and reduce the milk a little bit.
    -I also added raisins. No need for frosting on these for me, since they were sweet enough already!

    These did take a bit longer than expected to bake. Could have been the pumpkin…could have been my oven. Either way, I know what we’ll be eating for breakfast tomorrow!

    Reply

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