Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

pumpkin cinnamon buns with cinnamon roll icing

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

One Pot, Vegetarian, Nut-Free

Seasonal Ingredients: Pumpkin Pie Spice and Pumpkin Puree (pantry staples)

Big, fluffy PUMPKIN cinnamon rolls are the perfect seasonal indulgence because they are packed with warming pumpkin pie spiced brown sugar then topped with a creamy icing that melds with every single glorious bite.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 25

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cinnamon buns, cinnamon rolls, pumpkin

Servings: rolls

Calories: 951kcal

Author: Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

For the dough:

½ cup milk whole milk is best but reduced fat works, too
¼ cup sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup unsalted butter soft and pliable (not liquid)
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 0.25 ounce packet rapid rise instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

For the filling:

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, soft and pliable (not liquid)
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

For the cinnamon roll icing:

6 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Make the dough. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the milk on high for 90 seconds to scald it. Transfer the milk to a large bowl and stir in the sugar, butter, salt, pumpkin puree, yeast, and egg (small butter lumps are ok). With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour. Dust a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover the dough and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Roll and cut the rolls and make the filling. Flatten the dough with your palms to form a large, ½-inch-thick rectangle. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soft butter, and pumpkin pie spice to form a grainy paste. Evenly spread the sugar mixture across the dough. Starting from a long edge, roll the dough into a log, pinching together the edges to seal. Cut the log into 6 roughly equal-size pieces.
Rise, then bake. Arrange the cinnamon buns in a Dutch oven or baking dish (8"x 8" x 3") with room to expand; they will spread out and up when baked. Cover the baking dish and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the rolls are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Make the icing. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Warm in the microwave on high power for 50 seconds. Cut the butter with a fork, then stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the vanilla and stir in the powdered sugar, a bit at a time, to form a thick frosting. Spread the frosting over the slightly cooled rolls, and serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days, or freeze them in an airtight bag for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

To make overnight pumpkin cinnamon buns:

After placing buns into the greased Dutch oven or baking pan (after the first rise), simply cover, place overnight in the fridge and then bake them in the morning as directed.

Check the blog post for freezing instructions and my best tips for sky-high cinnamon rolls, and FAQs!

Nutrition