Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are super fluffy and topped with a thick cream cheese frosting. They are fall inspired with lots of cinnamon and pumpkin spice flavor. This recipe makes 12 big pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Looking for more dessert recipes? Try my sticky pecan buns, apple cobbler, mini pecan pies, easy pumpkin cake or pumpkin pie bars.

This recipe was first published 09/22/22.

I know you are in the mood for a batch of super soft and fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls! They just scream fall flavors with all the cinnamon and pumpkin spices they have in them.

Store them in your fridge so you can eat cinnamon rolls all week long.

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are loosely based off of my overnight cinnamon rolls recipe, the cinnamon roll dough always comes out perfect.

It takes a full morning to make these, about 4 hours in total. The dough has to rise one time, get rolled up and rise a second time then baked. There is a lot of sitting around and waiting with this recipe. Low on the effort, high on the waiting.

Entirely worth it when you bite into a big luscious pumpkin cinnamon roll dripping with thick cream cheese frosting.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Pro Tips
• How To Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Storing and Reheating
• Freezing
• Make Ahead Instructions
• Tools Needed
• FAQ
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Here is a brief listing of the ingredients you will need to make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Make sure to read the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients, amounts and the directions.

• Milk: The milk activates the active dry yeast. You can use whole milk or 2% milk.
• Active Dry Yeast: Yeast is what makes the cinnamon roll dough rise and become fluffing. Make sure you check that your yeast isn't old or expired before using it.
• All Purpose Flour: This recipe was written using all purpose flour. If you are trying to use a different kind of flour your results may not be the same as mine.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Gives the pumpkin cinnamon rolls lots of spice, you need this since the recipe uses plain pumpkin puree.
• Cinnamon: Well, you can't have a cinnamon roll without the main ingredient...cinnamon!
• Kosher Salt: I always write my recipes with koshers salt because that's what I use in my kitchen. It's a better option than table salt because kosher salt enhances a foods taste unlike making it just taste salty like table salt. Kosher salt also has no iodine.
• Pumpkin Puree: Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling (which comes with spices added). Pumpkin puree is just plain pumpkin. With your extra pumpkin puree you can make these basic pumpkin muffin and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
• Eggs: Eggs help to make the dough fluffy.
• Butter: The recipe calls for butter, not margarine.
• Brown Sugar: Used for the filling. You could use either light or dark brown sugar.
• Cane Sugar: Also used for the filling.
• Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is used in the frosting for a really thick, delicious cream cheese frosting. I also use cream cheese frosting in this pumpkin roll and pumpkin cake cookies.
• Powdered Sugar: Adds sweetness to the frosting.
• Vanilla Extract: Just a bit of vanilla goes into the frosting.

Pro Tips

• Yeast. Always double check that your yeast isn't old or expired before you start baking the cinnamon rolls. Nothing is more disappointing than dough that doesn't rise.
• Milk Temperature. The temperature of the milk has to be right. If it's too cold the yeast won't activate and if it's too hold it will kill the yeast.
• Slicing. For perfect neat cuts in your cinnamon rolls try using sewing thread to cut the dough into slices.
• Texture. If you like a much squishier, gooey cinnamon roll I would bake them on the low side of the guideline.

How To Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Proofing the yeast.

Heat the milk to 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir in the active dry yeast and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar on top. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Proofing the yeast is one of the most important parts to making cinnamon rolls. The temperature of the milk is critical. If it is too cold it won't active the yeast, if it is too hot it will kill the yeast.

Having a thermometer is the only way to know for sure you have the correct temperature.

Making the dough.

In a stand mixer bowl whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and kosher salt. To this, add the yeast/milk mixture, pumpkin puree, egg, egg yolk and softened butter.

Do not start mixing and adding one ingredient after another. Everything must be added to the bowl at once.

Using a dough hook, knead this on speed 4 for 5-7 minutes. Every few minutes, scrape the sides down.

First rise.

Remove the dough from the bowl, shape with your hands into a smooth ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

If your kitchen is cold the dough will have a hard time rising.

Let your oven heat up to 175 degrees then turn the heat off. Place the covered dough in the oven and let rise until doubled.

Forming the cinnamon rolls.

Flour your counter top and dump out the dough.  Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and use a rolling pin to roll out to a 12” x 18” rectangle.

Stir together the brown sugar, cane sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Spread out the melted butter over the dough and cover with the sugar mixture.

Preheat oven to 350.

Roll up the dough like a typewriter. Try to keep the roll tight so when you cut the pieces they don't start to fall apart.

Use a piece of sewing string to make 12 equal cuts or a sharp serrated knife.

Second rise and baking.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan with butter and place the rolls in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes near a warm place.

Bake for 30 minutes.

You can place foil on the top of the rolls to prevent too much browning. Depending on the oven and pan you use they may need to bake longer, check for doneness. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Spread on the frosting.

Storing and Reheating

• Storing: Because these pumpkin cinnamon rolls have a cream cheese frosting on top they must be stored in the fridge so the dairy in the frosting doesn't spoil. Cover your cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap. They are best eaten within 5 days.
• Re-Heating: To reheat a cinnamon roll put one a plate and microwave in 10 second intervals until it's heated to your liking.

Freezing

If you plan on freezing your cinnamon rolls immediately after baking I would suggest baking them in a foil pan. Once they've cooled wrap them twice in freezer foil to keep them the freshest.

And personally I wouldn't put the frosting on until after you take them out of the freezer and thaw them. But you can freeze them with the frosting if you want.

When you're ready to thaw your cinnamon rolls, move them from the freezer to your fridge to thaw.

Make Ahead Instructions

To make overnight pumpkin cinnamon rolls follow the instructions exactly as written up until the second rise, right before baking.

Instead of that second rise you are going to wrap your baking dish in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge up to 24 hours.

When you're ready day of to bake your cinnamon rolls give yourself an extra 3 hours before baking. Take them out of the fridge and let them rest on the counter, this takes about 2-3 hours.

Remove the plastic wrap and continue baking as the recipe says.

Tools Needed

• Stand Mixer: To make the dough you'll need a stand mixer attached with a dough hook. It saves so much time instead of doing it by hand. However if you don't have a stand mixer you can use your hands.
• Rolling Pin: A rolling pin is used to roll out your cinnamon roll dough into an even rectangular shape.
• Sewing Thread: Sewing thread makes the best, cleanest cuts in cinnamon roll dough. If you don't have any sewing thread on hand you can use dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
• Baking Dish: You will need a 9x13" baking dish for these cinnamon rolls. I suggest a ceramic baking dish for it's even baking but a glass baking dish will work as well.

FAQ