Go Back
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Easy Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Soft pumpkin-spiced cinnamon rolls are filled with brown sugar and cinnamon, baked until lightly golden, and finished with cream-cheese frosting. This recipe yields 12 rolls.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Warm the milk to 105–110°F. Stir in the yeast and a little of the sugar, then let it stand for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
  2. Mix in the remaining sugar, melted butter, pumpkin purée, egg, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Add the flour gradually until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 6–8 minutes.
  4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled.
  5. Roll the dough into an approximately 15-by-10-inch rectangle.
  6. Spread the dough with softened butter. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional cloves, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
  7. Roll tightly from the long side and cut into 12 even pieces. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
  8. Cover and let the rolls rise again for 30–45 minutes, until noticeably puffy.
  9. Bake at 350°F for 22–28 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through in the center.
  10. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, thin with milk or cream, and spread the frosting over warm, not hot, rolls.

Notes

Use plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling. Measure flour lightly with a spoon and level it, or weigh it, because excess flour can make the rolls dense. If the purée looks watery, drain off excess liquid. For especially soft rolls, keep them close together during the second rise and cover the pan while they proof.