Try this soft, fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe that is loaded with all the right warm and spiced fall flavors. Homemade pumpkin flavored buns filled with a gooey cinnamon filling and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting.
Check out my classic small batch cinnamon rolls recipe or apple cinnamon rolls!
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE
Make the best pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe all season long, the perfect cozy treat. Warm, fluffy pumpkin flavored dough swirled with a gooey cinnamon sugar filling and then topped with a slightly spiced cream cheese frosting. This fall dessert is the perfect sweet treat for cozy evenings, brunch or for all your fall get-togethers!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Heavy Whipping Cream– Pouring heavy whipping cream over the pumpkin buns before baking makes the buns extra soft and gooey. You do not want to skip this step.
PUMPKIN SWEET BUNS.
- Flour– Be sure to use high-quality all-purpose flour to get the perfect soft pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
- Sugar– To sweeten the dough, this recipe calls for granulated sugar.
- Yeast– What makes the buns rise and become fluffy is the yeast! You want to use rapid rise yeast, also known as instant yeast. Be sure that the yeast is fresh and active.
- Pumpkin– For the pumpkin flavor, use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie. This gives the dough moisture and its golden color.
- Milk– You want to use warm whole milk for the dough; it helps the dough become soft and fluffy. Be sure the milk doesn’t exceed 110F or you will kill the yeast.
- Butter– Unsalted butter adds richness and tenderness. If you only have salted butter, leave out the added salt.
- Egg– The egg adds structure to the cinnamon roll dough and helps bind the ingredients.
- Salt– Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
CINNAMON FILLING
- Butter– You want to use softened unsalted butter for the gooey cinnamon sugar swirl.
- Cream Cheese– I love adding a little bit of cream cheese to the butter, for a gooey cinnamon roll filling. Be sure to use softened cream cheese.
- Cinnamon– You can’t have cinnamon rolls without ground cinnamon!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice– Adding a bit of pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon gives these cinnamon buns more spiced fall flavors.
- Sugar– Light or dark brown sugar works (granulated sugar can be used as a substitute).
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Cream Cheese– The key to the perfect cinnamon roll frosting is the softened cream cheese! You can use either classic or low-fat cream cheese.
- Butter– The frosting calls for softened unsalted butter, I do not recommend that you use salted butter.
- Vanilla– Vanilla extract in this cinnamon roll icing gives added flavors!
- Cinnamon– For this pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe, I love adding a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the icing for a little hint of spice. This is totally optional.
- Sugar– To sweeten this frosting, the recipe calls for powdered sugar, also known as confectioner’s sugar. You can add some brown sugar and have brown sugar icing like I do in my apple cinnamon rolls.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE CINNAMON ROLLS
These fluffy spiced pumpkin cinnamon rolls are totally worth the steps and time!
MAKE PUMPKIN DOUGH
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Warm the milk and butter together in the stovetop or microwave until butter has melted. (Be sure the liquid does not exceed 110°F.)
- Whisk in the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes, allowing the yeast to bubble.
- Once the yeast is bubbly, add in the pumpkin puree and egg and mix to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead until the dough forms. The dough will be sticky at first but will firm up.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
ASSEMBLE PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS
- In a small bowl, mix softened cream cheese and softened butter. Then add brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice to the mixture and mix until well combined.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper. (Use a 9×13 for a large batch or an 8×8 for a small batch.)
- Dust your working space with flour and roll out the dough, not a 10×12 rectangle. (If you are making a large batch, roll out the 12×18 rectangle.)
- With a spatula or butter knife, spread the cinnamon sugar butter mixture, covering all the dough.
- Starting with the long (12-inch) side of the dough, roll tightly, divide and cut into even rolls. (Cut into 6 rolls for a small batch and 12 for a large batch.)
- Add the cinnamon rolls to the lined baking pan, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In a bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and butter with a mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add the rest of the frosting ingredients and mix again to combine. Store in the fridge until ready to use. (You can prep the icing up 2 weeks ahead of time.)
BAKE PUMPKIN SPICE CINNAMON ROLLS
- Preheat the oven and pour heavy cream over the rolls.
- Bake the rolls uncovered until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls and serve.
| Tip– Double the recipe for the frosting for more icing on your buns! If you are a sucker for frosting, I highly recommend you make extra frosting. |
MAKING CINNAMON ROLLS AHEAD OF TIME
I have tested this recipe to make sure it can be made ahead of time! This is great to avoid all the work if you want to serve them for brunch or during a party or gathering.
- Once the cinnamon rolls are assembled, transfer the rolls to your baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. (I love making this the night before for breakfast! Check out my classic cinnamon rolls for my overnight cinnamon rolls schedule.)
- Remove from the fridge and let rise for 1 hour at room temp, or a warm space.
- Bake until golden and let cool. Top with frosting and enjoy!
| SMALL BATCH VS LARGE BATCH– This pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe is made to be a small batch recipe, giving you 6 soft and fluffy buns. If you want a larger batch, all you need to do is just double the recipe! And follow my notes in the instructions for what to do for a large batch. |
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
This small batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls makes 6 cinnamon buns. If you want a larger batch, double the recipe and make 12.
No worries! You will just need to add about 45-60 minutes to the rise times.
I love adding cream cheese, it gives it a creamier and gooier filling. You can leave it out and just add butter.
Once the pumpkin cinnamon rolls are cooled, store in an airtight container, or covered at room temp for 2 days. Or in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Yes! For the best results, you want to enjoy these pumpkin cinnamon rolls warm! Reheat in the oven covered with foil or in the microwave.
You do not want to add cinnamon to the dough, because cinnamon disrupts the yeast and doesn’t allow the dough to rise properly. You can add a pinch of nutmeg but nothing containing cinnamon.
Instead of rolling the dough into a log and then cutting into pieces, you can slice then roll individually. Once the cinnamon sugar spread is on the dough, evenly divide the dough to have 6 even sized strips, then using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the strips. Roll each strip individually, creating 6 cinnamon buns.
Yes, these pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls freeze great, just be sure to freeze without the frosting! Once the cinnamon rolls are cooled, transfer to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months! Then when ready to enjoy, thaw, top with frosting and enjoy!
OTHER PUMPKIN INSPIRED DESSERTS-
Pumpkin season calls for all the delicious and easy pumpkin flavored desserts! Try these other recipes:
Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Dough-
- 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 ½ Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg optional
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup warm whole milk 110-115°F
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 1/3 canned pumpkin
Cinnamon Sugar Filling-
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
Cinnamon Roll Frosting-
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make Pumpkin Dough-
- Sift together the flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine warmed milk and melted butter, and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes, to allow the yeast to proof and become bubbly or foamy. Be sure the milk and melted butter is between 100-115°F to not kill the yeast!
- Once bubbly, whisk in the egg and pumpkin puree until combined. Then add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead the dough until combined. The dough will be sticky to the touch, but it should not stick to your hands when pinching it.
- Add the dough back into the bowl, cover with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls-
- Line an 8X8 baking pan or round pie dish with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, softened butter, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar.
- Dust the counter with flour and transfer the dough to the counter. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 10×12 rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar spread over the dough, covering all the dough.
- Starting with the 12-inch side, roll the dough tightly, forming a log. Once you have a log shape, evenly cut into 6 rolls with a sharp knife. (Be careful not to smush the rolls when cutting.)
- Add the six-cinnamon rolls to the lined baking dish. Cover and let rise for an hour. (You want to preheat the oven during the rise time so that once the hour is done, the oven is ready.)
Cinnamon Roll Icing-
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Once creamy add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and cinnamon and mix again to combine.
- Store in the fridge until ready to use. (You can make this ahead of time up to 2 weeks.)
Bake the Cinnamon Buns-
- After the second rise time, the cinnamon rolls will be doubled in size and ready to bake!
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and pour the heavy whipping cream over the cinnamon rolls.
- Bake at 350℉, uncovered for 28-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
- Using a spoon or spatula spread the icing over the tops and crevasses of the warm cinnamon rolls.
- Serve while warm!
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