These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are perfect for anytime of the day! They are super soft, fluffy, and moist, with the most beautiful golden color and just pumpkin spice enough that you'd crave another bite!
If I can only have one fall pastry this entire year, it'd would be this pumpkin spice cinnamon roll! It's dangerously addictive and I can literally have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert...you name it, lol.
For more fun bakes with a twist on the classics, try our miso banana bread and matcha crème brûlée.
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Ingredients and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
The dough:
- Milk - We used whole milk, but 2 percent or fat free milk will work too. If you are lactose intolerant, you can also use dairy free milk.
- Active dry yeast - This is the leavener for the cinnamon roll. Active dry yeast require dissolving in liquid first. You could use instant yeast as well. Instant yeast can be added straight into the dry ingredient.
- All-purpose flour - We made this recipe for the most accessible and budget friendly flour - all-purpose flour (also known as A/P flour). Any all-purpose flour will do. You could use bread flour, however, you may need to use more milk because bread flour can absorb more moisture.
- Sugar and salt - To season the dough. A small amount of salt also helps to increase the dough's elasticity.
- Pumpkin spice - Just a small amount to add depth to the pumpkin dough's flavor. You could omit if you prefer.
- Pumpkin puree - When you purchase pumpkin puree, make sure it is 100 percent pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie mix.
- Egg - To add richness to the dough.
- Unsalted butter - Also to add richness to the dough, but the butter will also make the dough more moist and soft (when the dough is warm).
For the filling:
- Dark brown sugar - You could use light brown sugar as well, but we find dark brown sugar to be more flavorful.
- Pumpkin spice - These cinnamon rolls are pumpkin spice after all! The pumpkin spice will substitute for classic cinnamon, but if you prefer, you could use just cinnamon.
- Unsalted butter - Softened butter will be spread onto the dough to help bind the sugar filling to the dough and help the sugar melt into gooey goodness!
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Cream cheese - Any cream cheese will do, but we are partial to full fat cream cheese. It is the most flavorful.
- Powdered sugar - For sweetening the frosting. We do not recommend regular granulated sugar, as it will not melt and will make the frosting crunchy.
- Milk - Just a small amount to thin out the frosting. You could use heavy cream instead, but you may need to use a little more.
How to make pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls
Make the pumpkin dough:
1. Stir the active dry yeast into the warm milk and set aside to let the yeast dissolve, about 3 to 5 minutes. You'll see bubbles and usually a yeast "cap". This tells you the yeast is alive and active.
2. Meanwhile, add the flour, sugar, salt, and pumpkin spice into the stand mixer bowl. Give everything a brief mix.
3. Once the yeast is ready, give it a mix and add it to the flour mixture, along with the pumpkin puree and egg.
4. Knead the dough on low to medium low speed, using the dough hook attachment, until the dough comes together. Then, increase the speed to medium high or high and knead the dough until smooth and passes the window pane test, about 10 to 15 minutes.
📝 Note: Window pane test helps to determine if the dough has developed enough gluten. To pass the test, the dough must be able to be stretched until silhouette/shadow can be seen through it.
5. Once the dough is smooth, elastic, and passed the window pane test, add the softened butter, about a tablespoon at a time, while kneading on medium speed. Continue until all the butter is incorporated and absorbed by the dough.
7. Round the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let proof in a warm area until doubled, about 1 hour.
📝 Note: The amount of time needed to proof is highly dependent on the temperature and humidity of your environment. If your environment is cold, it'll take longer, versus if it's hot, it'll take less time.
Make the filling:
1. While the dough is proofing, make the filling by simply mixing together the brown sugar and pumpkin spice. Make sure the sugar and spices are well mixed! Cover and set aside.
2. For the butter, having it softened is enough. However, to make it easier for spreading later, I recommend giving the butter a few mixes with a spatula or even whisking it.
Make the icing:
In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
How to shape the cinnamon rolls:
1. Once the pumpkin dough has doubled, degas it by punching it down and giving it a few kneads. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches. Lightly flour the rolling pin and the top of the dough as well.
2. Evenly spread the softened butter onto the dough, leaving a ½ inch to 1 inch gap on the 12 inch side of the dough. Then, evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and pumpkin spice filling the the buttered area of the dough. Using your hand, gently press on the sugar filling to help compress the filling into the butter.
3. Tightly roll up the dough, starting from the 12 inch side with the filling to the 12 inch side that has the gap (no butter and sugar). Pinch the seam together.
4. Using a serrated knife, floss, or clean fishing line, cut the cinnamon roll into 9 even pieces, about 1⅓ inches each.
🌟 Pro tip: If using a serrated knife, make sure to cut using a back-and-forth sawing motion. Don't cut straight down! That'll squish the cinnamon rolls and ruin the shape.
5. Grease a 9x9 pan and arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan. Cover and let the cinnamon rolls proof in a warm area for about 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.
🎆 Overnight proofing: If you want to make these pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls in the morning, skip the proofing. Just cover the pan well and refrigerate it until the next day. An hour or two before baking, take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and let it warm up and proof at room temperature.
Baking:
1. When the cinnamon roll is half way proofed, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls are almost doubled, bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown.
2. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before frosting. Enjoy while warm!
How to make your own pumpkin spice
If you have a collection of ground spice at home, you can easily make your own homemade pumpkin spice! Simply combine 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, and 3 teaspoons allspice or clove (or 1 ½ teaspoons of each). The biggest advantage of making your own pumpkin spice is that you can customize it to your palette. So feel free to adjust the ratio!
Recipe tips
- Depending on the stand mixer, sometimes, I like to mix the ingredients until the dough comes together before letting my stand mixer do the hard work. It helps to get the dough kneading faster.
- Add the softened butter after the pumpkin dough passes the window pane test will ensure the dough develops enough gluten. Fat inhibits gluten development. So if the butter is added too early, the dough may not be strong enough to make fluffy soft dough.
- Use unscented floss, clean fishing line, or serrated knife to cut the cinnamon rolls. These methods prevents the cinnamon rolls from loosing its shape. If using the serrated knife, make sure to use a back-and-forth sawing motion to slice. Don't cut straight down!
- Proof the dough and cinnamon rolls in a warm area. The temperature and humidity of your environment can greatly affect how long the dough and cinnamon rolls take to proof. The warmer the area, the faster. But of course, you don't want to proof in a hot area because you could kill the yeast and/or melt the butter.
Storage and reheating
Leftover pumpkin spiced cinnamon rolls can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure to let the cinnamon rolls cool completely and wrap them up well or transfer to an airtight container. To reheat, microwave individually for about 15 seconds or until just warmed through.
Unbaked cinnamon rolls can be shaped, cut, then frozen on a sheet pan or plate before storing in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready for baking, arrange the cinnamon rolls into the pan and let them defrost overnight in the fridge. Make sure to keep them covered to prevent drying out. Before baking, let the cinnamon rolls warm up at room temperature for about 1 hour to 1 ½ hour, or until almost doubled in size.
FAQ
Yes, instant yeast can be used in place of active dry yeast. Use the same amount, but instead of adding to the warm milk, you can add it straight into the dry ingredients (flour mixture). Do note that instant yeast may work faster than dry yeast, so proofing time may be reduced.
You can use bread flour instead, however, bread flour absorb more moisture than all-purpose flour. So you'll most likely have to supplement with a little more milk.
If the centers pop out while the cinnamon rolls are baking, there could be a couple of reasons. First, the cinnamon rolls may have been rolled too tightly, especially the first couple of rolls. Second, the cinnamon rolls need to be proofed a little longer before baking. But honestly, they cinnamon rolls will still taste amazing! Just gently push the centers back and no one will be able to tell! 😉
If you don't want to use a stand mixer, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls can be made by hand as well. They'll just require a little arm workout or a little more resting time. You can simply knead the dough on a clean work surface until the dough passes the window pane test, then knead in the butter.
You could also take a less active approach if you have time. In a bowl, mix the dough until it comes together and no more dry flour is visible. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes knead the dough until smooth (should not take much effort). Check to see if it passes the window pane test. If it did not pass, cover and repeat the process again. When the dough is good, knead in the butter until absorbed, then follow the recipe accordingly.
If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the pumpkin dough:
- 6 tablespoons milk warm (105°F to 115°F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour (fluffed, spooned, and leveled)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ½ cup pumpkin puree *NOT pumpkin pie mix*
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
For the filling:
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces and softened
For the cream cheese icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Stir the active dry yeast into the warm milk and set aside to let the yeast dissolve, about 3 to 5 minutes. You'll see bubbles and usually a yeast "cap".
- Meanwhile, add the flour, sugar, salt, and pumpkin spice into the stand mixer bowl. Give everything a brief mix.
- Once the yeast is ready, give it a mix and add it to the flour mixture, along with the pumpkin puree and egg.
- Knead the dough on low to medium low speed, using the dough hook attachment, until the dough comes together. Then, increase the speed to medium high or high and knead the dough until smooth and passes the window pane test, about 10 to 15 minutes.*Please refer to the notes below for more details about the window pane test.*
- Once the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the window pane test, add the softened butter, about a tablespoon at a time, while kneading on medium speed. Continue until all the butter is incorporated and absorbed by the dough.
- Round the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let proof in a warm area until doubled, about 1 hour.
Make the filling:
- While the dough is proofing, make the filling by simply mixing together the brown sugar and pumpkin spice. Make sure the sugar and spices are well mixed! Cover and set aside.
- For the butter, having it softened is enough. However, to make it easier for spreading later, I recommend giving the butter a few mixes with a spatula or even whisking it.
For the cream cheese icing:
- In a bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Shape the pumpkin cinnamon rolls:
- Once the pumpkin dough has doubled, degas it by punching it down and giving it a few kneads. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches. Lightly flour the rolling pin and the top of the dough as well.
- Evenly spread the softened butter onto the dough, leaving a ½ to 1 inch gap on the 12 inch side of the dough. Then, evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and pumpkin spice filling the the buttered area of the dough. Using your hand, gently press on the sugar filling to help compress the filling into the butter.
- Tightly roll up the dough, starting from the 12 inch side with the filling to the 12 inch side that does not have butter and sugar. Pinch the seam together.
- Using a serrated knife, floss, or clean fishing line, cut the cinnamon roll into 9 even pieces, about 1⅓ inches each.
- Grease a 9x9 pan and arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan. Cover and let the cinnamon rolls proof in a warm area for about 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.
Bake the cinnamon roll:
- When the cinnamon roll is half way proofed, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls are almost doubled, bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden brown.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before frosting. Enjoy while warm!
Notes
- Window pane test - The window pane test helps to determine whether the dough has developed enough gluten. Having good gluten structure ensures the cinnamon rolls are soft and fluffy.
- For the window pane method, take small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. The dough should be able to stretch thinly until you can see silhouettes through it without tearing.
- Overnight proofing - If you want to bake the cinnamon the next morning, shape the rolls and arrange them in the pan. Cover and place it into the fridge to proof overnight. The next morning, let the cinnamon rolls warm up at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking according to the recipe.
- Make your own pumpkin spice - If you have a collection of spices at home, you can make your own pumpkin spice by combining 3 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, and 3 teaspoons allspice/clove (or half and half of the two). Geel free to adjust the ratio to your preference!
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