I’m pretty sure there’s nothing better than waking up to a house full of loved ones — and the smell of sweet pumpkin cinnamon rolls baking away! And these pumpkin buns, all full of cinnamon-y spice and smothered in a tangy cream cheese frosting, are perfect for lazy holiday mornings.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
These babies aren’t hard to make, but they do take a bit of work. Trust me — it’s worth it! And they can be prepped ahead of time. And you know what that means, right? Less time baking and more time sleeping!!
Things to Know When Making These Rolls:
Here are a few things to keep in mind while making these.
- Use Instant Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast (also called fast-rising or fast-acting yeast) in this recipe. If you do use active dry yeast, the rise times may be longer.
- The Cranberries are Optional: If your people are not big into cranberries, you can sub in raisins. Or leave it out altogether. With the pumpkin and the cinnamon mixture, these rolls pack enough of a punch without the fruit.
- Prep Ahead/Night Before: To make these ahead of time, prepare the rolls through step 4. Instead of allowing the cut rolls to rise in a warm environment, place the pan into your refrigerator, and let the rolls to rest for up to 14 hours before baking. When it’s time to bake, allow the rolls to come up to room temperature and rise for one hour on the counter (or until almost doubled in size). Then bake as directed.
- Freeze Leftover Rolls: Not that I think you’ll have any! But baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and just warm them up before serving.
Looking for more delicious breakfast ideas? Try these strawberry honey granola muffins!
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Yield: 10-12 rolls 1x
Description
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls smothered in tangy cream cheese frosting are perfect for a lazy morning. Can be prepped the day ahead.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pumpkin Dough:
- 1/3 cup full-fat milk (or 2 percent)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (plain, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (one standard package) of instant yeast
- 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
Filling:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- Dried cranberries
Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- Few drops vanilla extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Dough:
- Warm the milk and butter together over the stove or in the microwave until the butter is just melted. It’s okay if there are a few butter specks remaining. Set aside.
- Using your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt together on medium speed.
- Add the warmed milk and butter mixture and beat until combine.
- Beat in the egg and yeast.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add 1 cup of flour. Mix for 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently. Add 1 and 1/4 cups more flour and beat for 1 more minute. The dough will be very soft.
- Place dough into a greased bowl (a bit of olive oil or nonstick spray to grease works). Turn the dough around in the bowl so all sides of the dough are coated.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size. This will take about 1 – 1.5 hours.
- Gently punch the dough down to deflate it and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times, so it is smooth. If it is too sticky, knead in a little more flour.
Filling:
- Roll the dough out into an 18×10 inch rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter evenly on top.
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and spices into a small bowl. Sprinkle all over the top. Add cranberries to taste (if using).
- Roll it up tightly. Using a very sharp knife, cut into 101-12 pieces, about 1.5 inches each. Arrange rolls into a greased 9-inch or 11×7 inch pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise again in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size. This takes about 1 hour (or use the below overnight option).
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Bake the rolls for 22-28 minutes, loosely covering with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to prevent heavy browning.
- Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool before icing.
Frosting:
- Beat your cream cheese until it is light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Drizzle in milk until you get the desired consistency.
Made Ahead/Overnight Option:
- Prepare the rolls through step 4. Instead of allowing the cut rolls to rise in a warm environment, place the pan into your refrigerator and allow the rolls to rest for up to 14 hours before baking.
- When it is time to bake, allow the rolls to come up to room temperature and rise for one hour on the counter (or until almost doubled in size). Then bake as directed.
Notes
- If you do not have a stand-mixer, use a hand mixer or mix by hand.
- To help the dough along, you can turn your oven on to 250 degrees. Then turn it off and place dough inside.
- If using active dry yeast, not instant, your rise times may be a little longer.
