Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls: The Ultimate Fall Breakfast Treat

Even though it’s early August, I’m eager for fall to arrive; and with it chilly days, rain, and comforting meals. Breakfast is no exception. Pumpkin is obviously a fall staple, so what better way to scratch my fall-itch than by baking delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls? 

To start, warm the milk and butter for the cinnamon rolls to 110° Fahrenheit and add to your mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in the yeast packet, as well as the egg, pumpkin puree, nutmeg, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine and let the mixture rest for five minutes until bubbles form at the surface of the mixture. Using a dough hook attachment, add in 1 cup of flour at a time and mix to combine, using a rubber spatula to push the edges down.

Once a dough ball forms, allow the mixture to knead for 5-8 minutes. The dough should be soft and should gently bounce up when touched lightly with a finger. If the dough is still sticky, slowly add flour and mix until the dough isn’t sticking to the walls or bottom of the bowl. Remember less is more with flour, since too much will cause the dough to be dry.

Once your dough ball is ready, grease a medium size bowl with olive oil and place your dough inside the bowl to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and drape a towel over the bowl and leave it to rise on the counter for 2 hours. When it’s doubled in size, it’s ready for the next step.

When the dough has risen, punch a hole in the top to let out the air and move the dough to a lightly floured workspace on the counter. Grab a rolling pin or a wine bottle if you don’t have a rolling pin and begin rolling out the dough. The dough should be rolled into a rectangle roughly 10x14 inches. Make sure the dough is even and spread softened butter over the dough.

Once evenly spread out, mix together your filling ingredients (brown sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and pumpkin pie seasonings in a small bowl. Spread this mixture evenly over the butter. Gently press it into the butter with the palm of your hand.

Next, roll up the dough tightly and you are ready to begin cutting your cinnamon rolls! Make sure you grease a 9x13 pan with oil or spray first. I prefer to pre-cut my rolls and use two fingers to measure the space between each roll to ensure they are within the same size and will cook evenly.

Place cinnamon rolls in your baking dish and cover again with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow to rise once more for another hour.

OR

If you are preparing cinnamon rolls overnight, at this point, place your cinnamon rolls (covered) in the fridge to rise overnight. If baking in the morning, take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature on the counter for about 45 minutes to an hour before baking in the oven.

After one hour has passed, your cinnamon rolls will have doubled in size and they are ready to bake! Place uncovered in a 350° Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes. If the cinnamon rolls brown too quickly, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top after about 15 minutes of baking.

Allow your cinnamon rolls to cool on the counter while you prep the icing. In your stand mixer or bowl, add your softened cream cheese and mix for about 1-2 minutes until soft and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract, syrup, milk and cinnamon and mix until combined. Add in about ½ of confectioners sugar at a time and mix well, using a rubber spatula to push any excess down. When the icing is finished, pour evenly over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy! Place any leftovers in the fridge, covered, and enjoy within three days.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE:

Prep Time:	3 hours
Cook Time:	25 minutes
Total Time:	3 hours & 25 minutes
Servings:	5

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Rolls:

·        ½ cup canned pumpkin

·        1/3 cup whole milk

·        2 tbsp unsalted butter

·        ¼ cup of granulated sugar

·        1 egg

·        1 packet of active dry yeast

·        ½ tsp of salt

·        2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

·        6 tbsp unsalted butter – room temp

·        ½ cup brown sugar (dark is preferred, but light works fine too)

·        1 tbsp ground cinnamon

·        ½ tsp ground nutmeg

·        ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

·        ¼ tsp ground ginger

·        ¼ tsp ground cloves

Cream Cheese Icing:

·        8 ounces cream cheese – softened

·        6 tbsp maple syrup

·        2 tbsp whole milk

·        1 tsp vanilla extract

·        1 and 1/3 cup confectioners sugar

·        ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions: 

1. Heat the milk and butter up to 110° Fahrenheit and put in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the packet of yeast, egg, pumpkin puree, nutmeg, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine and let the mixture rest for five minutes until bubbles form at the surface of the mixture.

3. Using a dough hook attachment, add in 1 cup of flour at a time and mix to combine, using a rubber spatula to push the edges down.

4. Once a dough ball forms, allow the mixture to knead for 5-8 minutes. The dough should be soft and should gently bounce up when touched lightly with a finger. If the dough is still sticky, slowly add 2 tsp of flour and mix until the dough isn’t sticking to the walls or bottom of the bowl.  

5.        Grease a medium size bowl with olive oil and place your dough ball inside to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise on the counter for 2 hours.

1. Once dough has doubled in size, punch a hole in the top to release any air bubbles and transfer dough to a lightly floured workspace.

2. Make sure to put flour on your rolling pin or wine bottle and begin rolling out the dough into an 8x14” rectangle.

3. Add 6 tbsp of softened butter to the dough – spread evenly across the top.

4. Mix together your remaining filling ingredients in a small bowl and spread evenly on top of the butter. Use your palm to gently press the sugar mixture into the butter

5. Roll up the dough into a log and get ready to cut the cinnamon rolls

6. Use two fingers to measure the distance between each cut. This should yield between 10-12 cinnamon rolls.

7. Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x13 baking dish and cover once more with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow cinnamon rolls to rise for another hour. OR if prepping the night before, at this step you will cover the cinnamon rolls and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, place cinnamon rolls on the counter and bring to room temperature for about 45 minutes to an hour. Follow the remaining instructions to bake. 

8. Once cinnamon rolls have doubled in size after one hour, pre-heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Place cinnamon rolls uncovered in the oven for 25 minutes. If the cinnamon rolls brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil after about 15 minutes of baking.

9. Remove cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow to cool while you prep the icing.

10. To a mixing bowl, add your softened cream cheese and mix for about 1-2 minutes until soft and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract, syrup, milk and cinnamon and mix until combined. Add in about ½ of confectioners sugar at a time and mix well, using a rubber spatula to push any excess down.

11. When the icing is finished, pour evenly over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

12. Place any leftovers in the fridge, covered, and enjoy within three days.

As always, if you try this recipe, please comment below or tag me on Instagram with your finished product! I hope you enjoy and shout out to Sally’s Baking Addiction for the inspiration for this delicious recipe.