Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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5 from 2 votes

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time1

Cook Time40

Dough Rising1 30

Total Time3 10

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin

Servings: rolls

Author: Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Roll Dough:

1/2 cup salted butter, melted, 115℉ 113 grams
3/4 cup warm milk, 115℉ 180 mL
3/4 cup canned pumpkin Not pumpkin pie filling! 195 grams
2 large eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar 105 grams
2 and 1/2 tsp instant yeast 9 grams
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
4 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out 605 grams

For the Caramel Pan Sauce:

1/2 cup salted butter, very softened 113 grams - feel free to microwave this to quickly soften it - if it's a *tad* melty, that's fine.
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed 165 grams
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream 60 grams

For the Cinnamon Filling:

1/2 cup salted butter, softened 113 grams
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 165 grams
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy cream, for pouring over the rolls - don't mix into the filling Gently warm this in the microwave. 80 grams
1/2 cup pumpkin butter

For the Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 170 grams
1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar 173 grams, or more to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon Or more, to taste
2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Dough & First Rise: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the melted butter, warm milk, canned pumpkin, beaten eggs, sugar, yeast, salt, and spices. Whisk together (either with the whisk attachment or with a hand whisk, no need to dirty the whisk attachment if you don't want to). Then, add the paddle attachment and add the flour. Mix on low speed (setting 2-3) just until the flour disappears into the dough. It will be shaggy and wet. Let this rest for 5 minutes before proceeding.
Scrape the dough off the paddle attachment and add the dough hook. Knead the dough on setting 1-2 (no higher!) for 7-9 minutes. The dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl and will look smoother and elastic, however it will still seem a bit slack.
Gently dump the dough onto a clean countertop and spray the stand mixer bowl with nonstick spray (no need to wipe it out!), then place the dough back in to rise. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour. It should have doubled in size, and an indent should hold when you poke your fingertip into it.
Tip: This time will be longer when it's cold out, and about 1 hour in the summer - when I did this, it was 72-73℉ in my home. Go by the look of the dough doubling & the indent holding shape rather than only by the time.
1/2 cup salted butter, melted, 115℉, 3/4 cup warm milk, 115℉, 3/4 cup canned pumpkin, 2 large eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature, 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 2 and 1/2 tsp instant yeast, 3/4 tsp salt, 4 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out, 2 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp ginger, 3/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Make the Caramel Pan Sauce: Beat together all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Spray a ceramic or metal 9x13 pan with nonstick spray, then evenly spread this thick mixture in the bottom.
1/2 cup salted butter, very softened, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 2 tsp cinnamon , pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract , 1/4 cup heavy cream
Make the Cinnamon Filling: Beat together all filling ingredients in a medium bowl on medium high speed until well combined. (You can use the same bowl as you used in the step above - no need to clean it!) You'll have a thick creamy mixture.
1/2 cup salted butter, softened, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed, 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of ground cloves
Assemble the Rolls: After the dough has risen for about 1 hour, generously flour your counter. Make sure you have room to roll the dough to 14 inches by 22 or 24 inches. Gently dump the risen dough onto your floured counter and roll to 14x22 (or up to 15x24). Dot the cinnamon filling all over, and use an offset spatula to gently spread it as evenly as you can, getting close to the edges. Evenly spread the pumpkin butter over the cinnamon filling.
1/2 cup pumpkin butter
Assemble Cinnamon Rolls. Slice strips from the long side of the dough that are about 1 and 3/4 inches thick.* Roll each one up into a roll, then place in the prepared pan, on top of the caramel sauce mixture. Use the slightly smaller pieces from each far end of the rectangle to roll into one cinnamon roll (roll one up like normal, then roll the other strip around it).
Try to place any smaller rolls in the center as the center ones always take a tad longer to bake, and this will help even things out.
Place the pieces in the prepared dish and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes (the warmer the room, the faster they'll rise). To check if they've risen enough, poke the side of a roll with your finger. If the indent stays and doesn't spring back, they're ready. Preheat your oven to 325℉ while the rolls rise. I place my rolls next to the oven on the counter.
*Note: I find this method easier than rolling the dough into a log and slicing them that way!
Bake: Once the cinnamon rolls have risen, pour the room temperature heavy cream over and between them. Bake for 46 to 58 minutes. The rolls will be golden brown and appear set in the centers, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of one of the middle rolls should read 205 to 210 ℉. Check the point of the thermometer for raw dough clinging to it as well - add a few more minutes if needed.
Prepare frosting while the rolls bake.
1/3 cup heavy cream, for pouring over the rolls - don't mix into the filling
Make the Frosting: Beat together all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix on medium high until everything is combined and creamy. Thin the icing out a bit with milk or heavy cream as desired. Don't beat it for as long if you want it to remain thicker. (Cream cheese will become runnier the longer you mix it.)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract , pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
Serve + Store: Immediately frost the warm rolls. Enjoy immediately! Store leftovers, in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, reheating gently as desired. These are best fresh from the oven, naturally, but do re-heat nicely over the next day or two!

Notes

For more tips, FAQs, and step-by-step photos be sure to read the blog post above! Use the table of contents below the first image to jump to various sections.

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