Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

overhead shot of pumpkin cinnamon rolls on white cheese cloth, cinnamon sticks, white pumpkins, and icing spatula

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

The perfect Fall breakfast! These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, fluffy, pumpkin-y, sweet, and SO DELICIOUS! If you love pumpkin, this is the perfect bake to make all season long.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 25

Proofing Time: 4

Total Time: 5 25

Servings: rolls

Calories: 538kcal

Ingredients

Rolls

3 cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons instant yeast
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
⅜ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg room temperature
½ cup pumpkin purée room temperature

Cinnamon Filling

½ cup salted butter room temperature
½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup heavy cream cold
½ cup cream cheese cold, cut into chunks
1/16 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Rolls

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine half of the flour, sugar, yeast, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Combine butter and milk in a small saucepan.
Heat over low heat until butter melts.
Cool to 115℉/46℃.
With mixer running, pour milk mixture into flour mixture.
Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
Change to dough hook, if using.
Add remaining flour, egg, and pumpkin.
Knead on medium speed 6-8 minutes, or until dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl.
Spray a covered container with cooking spray.
Turn dough into container.
Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.
While dough is proofing, make filling.

Filling

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.

Assembly

Spray a 8-inch x 12-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Roll dough into a 12-inch x 18-inch rectangle.
Spread dough with filling.
Beginning with a long side, roll dough jelly-roll style.
Using a sharp knife, cut into 1½-inch rolls.
Place rolls, cut side down, in prepared pan.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Allow to rise at room temperature until noticeable risen, about 1½ hours.
While rolls are proofing, heat oven to 350℉/190℃.
Bake rolls until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Frosting

With an electric mixer, beat cream to stiff peaks.
Beat in cream cheese, one chunk at a time.
Add salt and powdered sugar.
Beat until light and fluffy.
Stir in vanilla.
Frost cooled rolls.

Notes

Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
Check your yeast and make sure it's in-date.
Do not use pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. You need pumpkin purée.
If milk mixture does accidentally boil, don’t worry! You haven't hurt it. It just takes longer to cool down this way. Just give it time to cool to 115℉/46℃ before pouring it into the dry ingredients.
To substitute salted butter for the unsalted in the rolls, reduce salt to ¼ teaspoon.
To substitute unsalted butter for the salted in the filling, add 3/16 teaspoon salt.
Don’t have a big enough lidded container to allow the dough to rise? You can put the dough in a glass bowl and cover it with plastic wrap!
The butter for the filling needs to be room temperature.
Cinnamon can be used in place of pumpkin pie filling in the filling.
Use an offset spatula makes it easier to spread the filling across the dough. If the filling seems too thick to spread, pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
If you want the dough/rolls to proof faster, place them near something warm like the oven! Just don’t put the dough in the oven.
If you are unsure if the rolls are cooked, an instant read thermometer should read between 190℉/88℃ and 200℉/93℃.
Make sure your ingredients for the cream cheese frosting are cold!

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