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Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Soft pumpkin-spiced yeast rolls are filled with buttery cinnamon sugar and finished with vanilla cream-cheese icing. This recipe makes 12 rolls in a 9-by-13-inch pan.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 1/2 cup Whole milk, warmed to 105-110°F
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons Active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup Plain pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 egg Large egg
  • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, plus extra for handling
Cinnamon Filling
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves, optional
  • 1 pinch Salt
Cream-Cheese Icing
  • 4 ounces Cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons Milk or cream, as needed

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Warm the milk to 105-110°F, stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar, and let it stand for 5-10 minutes until slightly foamy.
  2. Mix in the remaining sugar, pumpkin puree, melted butter, egg, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Add the flour gradually and knead by mixer or hand for 5-8 minutes, until the dough is soft, elastic, slightly tacky, and not wet.
  4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled.
  5. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Roll the risen dough into an approximately 12-by-18-inch rectangle.
  6. Spread the rectangle with softened butter. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt, then sprinkle the filling evenly over the butter.
  7. Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log, cut it into 12 even pieces, and arrange the pieces cut-side up in the prepared pan.
  8. Cover and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes, until visibly puffy.
  9. Bake at 350°F for 22-27 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through in the centers.
  10. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, thin with milk or cream, and spread over warm, not hot, rolls.

Notes

Use plain pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. Weigh the flour when possible, keep the dough slightly tacky, and cool the baked rolls for 10-15 minutes before icing. For clean slices, use unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.