Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
You’ll love these delicious seasonal cinnamon rolls made with pumpkin-infused dough, a pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar filling, all frosted with an easy maple icing. Whether you’re looking for a cozy morning indulgence or a special recipe for holiday baking, these delightful pumpkin cinnamon rolls are it!
There are a few dishes everyone loves, but I think cinnamon rolls are definitely on that list. So how can you possibly make an already beloved treat even better? Mix a little pumpkin purée right into the soft and tender dough, fill it with plenty of butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, and then frost the baked rolls with maple icing.
So rich, flavorful and delicious, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are just what you need to bake asap. They’re perfect for fall and the holiday season, and they’re especially tasty on chilly mornings when you’re craving something warm, cozy, and fresh from the oven.
Table of Contents
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Recipe variations
- More cinnamon roll recipes
- Recipe FAQs
- Get the recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe
- There’s pumpkin baked right into the cinnamon roll dough, giving the rolls delicious pumpkin flavor
- They’re soft and so fluffy, with a spiced gooey center
- Lots of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg
- The maple frosting is rich and creamy, and couldn’t be easier to make
- You can make these rolls ahead of time if needed
Ingredients you’ll need
Find the full recipe in the recipe card at the end of this article.
How to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Prepare dough. Melt the butter, then add butter and honey and heat for just a minute or two (until 120-130°F). Add some of the flour to a large bowl along with yeast and salt, then add eggs, pumpkin puree, and the milk mixture. Knead with a mixer dough hook or by hand, adding more flour until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Let dough rise. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Fill with pumpkin pie spice and cut into rolls. Roll dough out to a large rectangle, spread butter evenly over it, and sprinkle with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon). Roll up and slice into 12 rolls.
- Let rolls rise. Place rolls in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Let them rise again until puffed and almost doubled.
- Bake. Bake in the oven at 350°F until tops are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Top with maple icing. Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup and heavy cream together to make a thick glaze. Pour over slightly warm cinnamon rolls.
- Enjoy! These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed freshly baked.
Recipe variations
These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are already a variation on classic cinnamon rolls, but here are a few suggestions to adapt them further, if you like:
- Use other spices in the filling. You can use pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon as listed in this recipe, or get creative with your own combination (e.g. cinnamon with a hint of nutmeg). Chai spice would be great here too.
- Add nuts. Sprinkle finely chopped pecans or walnuts over the filling before rolling up the dough and slicing into rolls.
- Use a different icing. Cream cheese frosting and vanilla frosting are delicious options.
baking tip:How to prep make-ahead cinnamon rolls
In the fridge: Prepare as directed and place cut rolls onto the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 20 minutes, then transfer to the fridge overnight (about 12 hours maximum). While in the fridge, rolls will continue to slowly rise. The next morning, pull them out and let rolls rest at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, rolls may need an additional few minutes of baking time.
In the freezer: Cinnamon rolls also freeze well! Freeze unbaked cut rolls on a lined sheet pan until frozen, then transfer to a heavy-duty plastic bag and freeze for several months. When ready to bake, remove from freezer and place on lined sheet pan. Let thaw completely at room temperature, then bake as directed.
You can also freeze baked, un-iced cinnamon rolls. Double wrap with foil or plastic wrap and freeze for several months. Remove from freezer and thaw. Warm rolls wrapped in foil in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.
More cinnamon roll recipes
Recipe FAQs
Active-dry yeast or instant yeast (also known as quick-rise or rapid-rise) will both work for this recipe. If you use instant yeast, you may only need about half of the rising time. Otherwise, results are the same. This recipe has not been tested with fresh yeast.
I learned the “dry blend method” for this recipe from Red Star Yeast, and I love that it saves a bit of time! If you are confident that your yeast hasn’t expired, you do not need to complete this step when making bread. Rehydrating yeast in water does speed activation along, however if you combine all dry ingredients with liquids heated to 120-130°F (which is much warmer than “warm water”) it accomplishes the same thing.
The amount of flour you’ll need for these rolls will vary depending on many factors, which is why I give a range of 3 – 3½ cups. You’ll know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is still very soft and tacky to the touch, but you can handle it without the dough sticking too much to your hands. Adding too much flour will make your rolls tough and dense, so use only as much as you need.
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls are at their best the day they’re baked, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To make them soft and fluffy again, I warm them individually for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
Get the recipe
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Rolls:
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter
- ¼ cup (84 grams) honey
- ½ cup (113 grams) milk
- 4 – 4 ½ cups (520-585 grams) all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 envelope (7 grams) active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 grams) canned pumpkin puree
Filling:
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter , melted or very soft
- 1 cup (215 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
Icing:
- 2 cups (225 grams) powdered sugar , sifted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
To make the rolls:
- Melt butter in a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Add honey and milk and heat for about 1 minute more, or until temperature is between 120-130°F. (For most accuracy, use an instant read thermometer. Temperatures over 140°F will kill yeast, so make sure it's not too hot!)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, or in a large bowl if mixing by hand, add 3 cups of the flour, active dry yeast, and salt. Add the milk mixture, eggs, and pumpkin puree and combine to form a wet dough.
- Add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition, adding only enough so the dough clears the side of the bowl but is still slightly sticky to the touch. You may not need all 4 ½ cups of flour (see Notes). Continue to knead the dough in the mixer until it is smooth and very elastic, a few minutes more.
- Cover with plastic and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Gently punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a large rectangle about 18×10-inches.
- Spread melted or softened butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle with the brown sugar and pumpkin spice or cinnamon. Starting with a long end, tightly roll up the dough into a long log. Use a sharp knife or unscented dental floss or thread to cut dough into 12 rolls.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and arrange rolls in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled again, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake rolls until golden, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly while you prepare the icing.
To make the icing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream to make a thick but pourable frosting. Add more heavy cream as needed.
- Spread icing onto warm rolls.
- Rolls are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Notes
- What kind of yeast is best? Active-dry yeast or instant yeast (also known as quick-rise or rapid-rise) will both work for this recipe. If you use instant yeast, you may only need about half of the rising time. Otherwise, results are the same.
- Why is there a range for the flour? The amount of flour you’ll need for these rolls will vary depending on many factors, which is why I give a range of 4 – 4½ cups. You’ll know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is still very soft and tacky to the touch, but you can handle it without the dough sticking too much to your hands. Adding too much flour will make your rolls tough and dense, so use only as much as you need.
- Do not heat liquids to over 140°F. When heating butter, milk and honey be sure to keep the temperature below 140°F, otherwise you will kill the yeast and prohibit the rolls from rising properly.
Note: This recipe was originally published in October 2018 in partnership with Go Bold With Butter.
These pumpkin cinnamon rolls look appealing
Made these this week for Thanksgiving – they were a hit! So delicious
Thank you for the recipe. For clarification, the measurement for honey is 1/4 cup?
Yes, 1/4 cup! Thanks for catching my typo. I hope you enjoy this recipe!