Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Fall calls for all things pumpkin, whether you’re whipping up a breakfast treat or dessert. This pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe takes inspiration from classic homemade cinnamon rolls, but puts a seasonal twist on them.

With pumpkin in the dough and the filling, these cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and pillowy. They’re packed with plenty of creamy pumpkin filling with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to bring forward the most comforting flavors of fall.

To top it all off, they’re paired with a simple cream cheese glaze for a touch of tangy sweetness. Make a batch for breakfast on a Sunday morning to pair with a big mug of coffee with your favorite creamer or a cup of tea.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Classic cinnamon roll ingredients are necessary for this recipe, but we've also added some pumpkin puree and spices for that cozy fall flavor. Here's what you'll need:

• Warm milk: This helps activate the yeast, but it should be warm, not hot.
• Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
• Active dry yeast: We prefer the traditional type of yeast for these cinnamon rolls because it allows for a double proof.
• All-purpose flour: This type of flour provides the perfect texture for these rolls.
• Butter: Butter is blended into the dough and used to make a creamy and rich filling.
• Egg: An egg gives the dough some richness.
• Pumpkin puree: Use the canned variety or homemade pumpkin puree.
• Salt: Just a bit balances all the sweet flavors.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves: You'll use these spices in the filling and dough.
• Cooking spray: Coat the baking dish in cooking spray so the rolls won't stick. You'll also use a spritz in a mixing bowl to keep the dough from sticking as it rises.
• Light brown sugar: We like the molasses flavor this type of sugar contributes to the cinnamon roll filling along with the warm spices.
• For the glaze: The simple glaze needs powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract.

How To Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

The steps for these pumpkin cinnamon rolls follows the classic method with two rises. You can also stretch out the second rise to make it an overnight recipe. We'll explain more below.

• Step 1. Make dough: Combine the ingredients for the dough, and mix until the dough forms a ball. Place the dough in a mixing bowl coated with cooking spray, and top with a towel. Let rise until the dough doubles.
• Step 2. Make filling: While the dough rises, make the pumpkin-butter filling and the sugar-spice filling.
• Step 3. Roll the dough, and bake: Roll out the dough, spread the fillings, and roll the dough into a log. Slice into 8 individual cinnamon rolls, and place in a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Let the rolls rise again, then bake until golden brown.
• Step 4. Top with glaze: After the rolls cool slightly, make the cream cheese glaze, and pour it over the rolls. Then enjoy.

How To Measure Flour for Cinnamon Rolls

Enriched doughs like the kind used for cinnamon rolls require a balance of fat, sugar, and dairy. If there's too much flour, the dough won't work, so you have to be precise when measuring flour for cinnamon rolls.

You can do this two ways:

• Weigh the flour: If you have a food scale, measure out 18 1/16 ounces of flour or 510 grams. (One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces.)
• Spoon the flour: If you don't have a food scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cups instead of scooping right from the bag, then level with a knife. Spooning the flour into the cups will prevent packing too much flour and get you the right amount.

How To Store Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

If you have leftover cinnamon rolls, you can store them and then reheat for a treat another day.

Wrap the baking dish with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat each cinnamon roll in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.

You can also break the rolls up into individual pieces, wrap, and freeze them. To thaw, move the rolls you want from the freezer to the fridge, and leave overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.

How To Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time

Active dry yeast does well with a cold rise, so you can actually turn these pumpkin cinnamon rolls into an overnight recipe.

To do this, you'll follow these steps:

• Complete the recipe through Step 6 (slice the rolls and put them in a baking dish). But instead of letting them rise at room temperature until doubled in size, you'll cover the dish in plastic wrap, and move it to the fridge. Let it sit overnight.
• When you're ready to bake the rolls, bring the baking dish out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake according to directions.