Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls have real pumpkin in the yeasted dough. They are filled with a pumpkin spice cinnamon swirl, and are topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. Make these a day ahead and pop them in the oven on a chilly autumn morning for a breakfast the whole family will love!

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 28

Rising Time 2

Total Time 3 3

Servings servings

Calories 369kcal

Author Nina

Ingredients

Pumpkin dough

¼ cup milk warm
2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg room temperature
2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour

Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pumpkin Dough

Place milk and butter in a small bowl. Warm in the microwave until the milk is warm so that the butter will melt when stirred into the milk. This should be between 105°F -115°F. It should feel warm when you dip your finger in. If it is too hot, let it sit until it has cooled a bit.
Place the yeast in a large mixing bowl and pour the milk and butter mixture over it. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine. Mix in egg until combined.
Mix in 1 cup of flour, and then the remaining flour. Knead until the dough comes together and does not stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl. If you need more flour, pour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is ready.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

When the dough is ready, roll it to a large rectangle on a floured surface, about 15 x 20 inches. Spread butter all over the top of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over butter. Pat the sugar mixture into the butter so that it won't seep out during baking.
Roll the dough starting at the long side of the rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 rolls and place them into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
If you are baking the rolls right away, preheat oven to 350°F. Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and allow them to double in size, about 30 minutes. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 22-28 minutes, or until they are 190°F in the center. If the tops of the rolls are browning too quickly, lightly cover them with tin foil.
For overnight cinnamon rolls, cover the baking dish of cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until morning. The next day, let the cinnamon rolls come to room temperature and then double in size. This can take a few hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 22-28 minutes. Remove from the oven onto a wire rack .

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in confectioner's sugar until combined.
If you would like the frosting to seep into the cinnamon rolls a bit, spread frosting on them when still warm. If you would like a thicker frosting on the cinnamon rolls, wait for them to cool before frosting.

Notes

Don't overheat your milk and butter. They should be between 105°F - 115°F in temperature. Anything hotter and it will kill the yeast. The milk and melted butter mixture should be warm when you dip a finger in. If it is too hot, let it sit for a few minutes.
Use softened butter for the filling. I have tried using melted butter, but the filling seeps out of the buns while baking. Not good!
After you sprinkle the brown sugar and spices all over the rolled out and buttered dough, pat it in so all that goodness stays on the rolls.
Add some nuts into the filling if you like. Pecans would be amazing!
The cinnamon rolls have been baked through when they reach 190°F.
Leftovers can be kept airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Nutrition