Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (Printable)

Soft, pillowy rolls with pumpkin-infused dough, cinnamon sugar swirls, and creamy frosting.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
02 - 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
03 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
04 - ½ cup whole milk, lukewarm
05 - ¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Filling

12 - ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
13 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
14 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
18 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt

# Step-by-Step:

01 - In a large bowl, combine lukewarm milk and yeast. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add sugar, pumpkin purée, melted butter, egg, and vanilla to the yeast mixture. Mix until smooth.
03 - Gradually add flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the wet mixture. Knead for 6–8 minutes until a soft, elastic dough forms. Add additional flour if dough remains sticky.
04 - Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface to a 16-by-12-inch rectangle.
06 - Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ½-inch border around edges. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over buttered surface.
07 - Roll dough tightly from the long side and slice into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife.
08 - Place rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish and cover. Allow to rise for 30–40 minutes until puffy.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22–25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
10 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; continue beating until frosting reaches a creamy consistency.
11 - Spread frosting over warm rolls and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pumpkin keeps the dough unbelievably soft for days, not just the first morning.
  • You get all the cozy spice without any of that artificial pumpkin spice syrup taste.
  • They're impressive enough for company but forgiving enough for a lazy Sunday experiment.
  • The cream cheese frosting melts into every crevice when you spread it on warm rolls.
02 -
  • Room temperature egg and softened butter mix into the dough much more smoothly than cold ingredients, which can make the dough lumpy and hard to work with.
  • If your dough isn't rising, the room might be too cold, try placing the bowl in an oven that's off but has the light on for gentle warmth.
  • Don't skip the second rise after shaping, it's what makes the rolls fluffy instead of dense and bready.
  • Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, or you'll end up with overly sweet, spiced-out rolls that taste like a candle.
03 -
  • Weigh your flour if you can, too much makes the dough stiff and the rolls dry, I learned this the hard way my first autumn baking these.
  • Let the frosting sit at room temperature for a few minutes before spreading if it's too stiff, it should glide on like soft butter.
  • Use a bench scraper to lift and move the rolled dough log before slicing, it keeps the swirl intact and prevents sticking.
  • If the edges of your rolls brown too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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