Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin pie meets cinnamon rolls in this elevated fall favorite! These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are packed with pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie filling, pie crumb topping, and pumpkin cream cheese frosting.

With years of experience as a pastry chef, fall baking has always been my favorite part of the year. From pumpkin bread to apple pie cinnamon rolls, you can’t go wrong with the season’s warm and cozy flavors!

To create the perfect fall dessert, I combined two of my favorites and made these pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls. Using my best cinnamon roll as the base, I added fresh pumpkin, so they’re super soft and gooey but packed with pumpkin flavor.

Like my pumpkin cookies, They are everything you love about fall baking—warm spices, rich pumpkin flavor, and the irresistible pull-apart texture that makes them perfect for sharing!

Tips for Perfect Rolls

Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! Accurately measuring the flour is crucial to achieving a soft and fluffy texture!

Check that your yeast is fresh. Ensure your yeast is fresh and active. Yeast that is too old may not work effectively, leading to a dough that doesn’t rise properly.

Aim for a soft, tacky dough. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl, with just the bottom sticking to the bowl. The perfect dough should feel slightly tacky and look smooth!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Pumpkin puree: Libby’s is the go-to pumpkin brand for baking! You won’t need the whole can, so save what’s left to make pumpkin chip cookies.

Bread flour: The higher gluten content creates a chewier texture— essential for the best cinnamon buns! If needed, you can use all-purpose flour, but bread flour will yield the best results.

Yeast: I prefer instant yeast for its more robust, yeasty flavor. If you want to use active dry yeast, see my post on baking with yeast for helpful tips!

Heavy cream: Adding it to the dough instead of on top enhances tenderness, richness, and moisture. This step is crucial for achieving that irresistibly gooey texture!

Pumpkin pie spice: With cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice, this blend enhances the pumpkin flavor, as you’ll also find in my chocolate chip pumpkin cake.

Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Make the tangzhong. This technique ensures a soft, fluffy texture, as seen in my brown butter rolls (YUM). The result will be pasty, mashed potato-like.

Step 2: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Knead all dough ingredients with a stand mixer until a rough dough ball forms.

Step 3: Knead until a smooth dough ball forms. Knead in the butter until a smooth dough ball forms. The dough should feel soft and tacky, never sticky. You can always add more flour if needed!

Step 4: Make the pumpkin spice filling. Combine the pumpkin puree, butter, brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin spice. Set aside until ready to use.

Step 5: Roll out the dough. You should need minimal flour to roll out the dough. Don’t add too much!

Step 6: Spread the pumpkin filling across the dough. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top clean.

Step 7: Roll the dough. Cut the dough into twelve 1 1/2 inch strips and roll each away from you, securing the clean edge to the roll to seal in the filling. You want to roll them snugly but not too tight!

Step 8: Let the cinnamon rolls rise. Transfer the rolls to a 9×13 baking pan or a large baking sheet. Don’t place them too far apart if you bake them on a sheet! Then, cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Step 9: Make the pie crumb topping. This crumb topping is a mixture of butter, sugar, flour, and pumpkin spice. It gives the buns a true pumpkin pie texture and flavor!

Step 10: Press the pie topping into the rolls. Once doubled in size, distribute the pie crumbs to each roll, pressing them gently into the top before baking.

Step 11: Make the pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Combine the frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Ensure the pumpkin puree is at room temperature; otherwise, it will curdle when added to the frosting!

Step 12: Frost the tops of the rolls. Once baked, spread the frosting on top of the cinnamon rolls and allow it to melt into the centers. Enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Leftover pumpkin rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating: We can all agree warm cinnamon rolls are the only way to enjoy them! They can be reheated in the microwave or 350°F oven until warmed through.

FAQs

If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!