The Best Fluffy and Soft Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, soft, fluffy, and topped with the best vanilla bean maple cinnamon roll frosting ever. They are our go-to recipe for those fall weekends. The rich pumpkin flavor is the best thing for any pumpkin lover.

I can’t believe that pumpkin season is coming to an end. Winter is right around the corner, and I actually am in a full-on denial because I am not ready for it. I love Christmas baking, but fall recipes have a special place in my heart. They are so cozy and comforting and to be honest… I might continue making them throughout the year. Because if 2020 taught me somethings, it is to treat myself all the time because life can be rough.

All the pumpkin recipes I shared with you have brought me a certain sense of peace and comfort that helped me to keep going and stay positive through everything. Think, Easy Single-Serve Pumpkin Mug Cake, Easy and Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie, Easy Homemade Pumpkin Pie… and much more!

These are the best pumpkin cinnamon rolls ever!

As to these Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, I know I am a little late on posting them. But life got in the way, I ended up slacking this whole week because of some obligations but I am back with a breakfast or brunch pumpkin recipe that will change your life!

I actually even restocked my canned pumpkin stash right after thanksgiving just to be able to make these fall-inspired cinnamon rolls for a little while longer.

What makes these pumpkin cinnamon rolls so good?

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are absolutely fantastic because they take a traditional cinnamon roll recipe and turn it into something fall-inspired wiht a twist. The pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spices add an amazing depth of flavor while still staying true to your traditional cinnamon roll recipe.

The best part is that the cinnamon roll icing used for this recipe is made out of maple syrup and vanilla beans (you can use regular vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla beans for the same amazing flavor). This makes it not too sweet, but still creamy and cheesy enough to elevate the pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients for pumpkin cinnamon rolls

To make these cinnamon rolls you will need the following ingredients:

• Milk- The milk will make the dough soft and light.
• Butter– The butter is used for both our cinnamon roll dough and filling.
• Yeast– The yeast is what will leaven our dough and make it fluffy.
• Vanilla– The vanilla will add a light depth of flavor to the dough.
• Egg– The egg will hold our dough together.
• Pumpkin puree– The pumpkin puree will be added to the dough to give it that orange hue and more pumpkin flavor.
• Flour– All-purpose flour is what we used in these cinnamon rolls.
• Sugar– Granulated sugar will go into the dough o lightly sweeten it.
• Brown sugar– The brown sugar will be divided between the dough and the cinnamon filling.
• Pumpkin pie spice– The pumpkin pie spice is what will give these pumpkin cinnamon rolls their fall-holiday flavor.
• Salt– A little salt to balance out the flavors.
• Cinnamon– The cinnamon will be used in the filling of these cinnamon rolls.
• Heavy cream– Heavy cream is the secret ingredient used to keep these cinnamon rolls soft and fluffy while they bake.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make the maple cream cheese cinnamon roll frosting:

• Cream cheese- The cream cheese will need to be at room temperature so that it is easier to mix.
• Butter– The butter will also need to be at room temperature.
• Maple syrup– The maple syrup flavor goes very well with the spices of this pumpkin recipe.
• Vanilla bean– The vanilla beans add a beautiful flavor as well as fun look to this cinnamon roll frosting.
• Powdered sugar– The powdered sugar is used to thicken the cinnamon roll frosting.

More pumpkin recipes you will love!

• Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
• The best 5-ingredient Keto Pumpkin Mousse
• The Easiest Moist Pumpkin Sheet Cake (8x8inch)
• The Best Pumpkin Muffins with Pumpkin Streusel

How to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls?

Make the cinnamon roll dough

First, warm the milk in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until it reaches around 105°F-110°F. Use a cooking thermometer to ensure it’s not too hot, as excessive heat can kill the yeast. If it’s too hot, let it cool slightly before proceeding. Set the warm milk aside. 

Once the milk mixture is at the right temperature, pour it into the stand mixer bowl, add in some sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir and let it bloom for about 5 minutes.

In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice ad salt. Whisk until fully combined and set aside.

Add in the vanilla, egg, and pumpkin puree to the milk mixture and mix using a paddle attachement.

Add in the flour mixture, change the mixer attachement to the hook attachement and knead the dough for 7-10 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. if the dough looks too wet add in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough still looks slightly wet but pulls out of the sides of the bowl. Remove the dough from the stand mixer bowl, form it into a ball using your hands and place it back in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let it sit somewhere warm for 30 minutes.

Make the cinnamon roll filling

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and the cinnamon together until well combined.

Let’s make some cinnamon rolls!

Once the pumpkin cinnamon roll dough is ready, place it on a floured work surface and roll it using a floured rolling pin. You want to create a large rectangle of about 14.5 x12 inches in size. Use an offset spatula or your hand to spread the softened butter onto the entire surface of the rolled out dough. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the brown sugar mixture, then gently pat it down into the butter.

Starting at the 14.5-inch edge, tightly roll up the dough until you get to the end then gently pinch it to seal the edges if you’d like. a more clean look. Now using a large piece of floss or a sharp knife, slice off a small piece of both edges of the roll ( about ¼ inch on each end) Cut the remaining dough into 9 even slices.

Place those cinnamon rolls into a buttered 8×8 inch baking pan. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm area for 15-20 minutes or until they double in size. While the cinnamon rolls are rising, heat up the oven to 350F.

Once the rolls are done rising, pour the heavy cream over them and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through. Once they’re baked, let them cook for 5 minutes, spread the homemade frosting on top, and serve.

Make the maple cinnamon roll icing

While the cinnamon rolls are still baking, whisk the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste together in a small bowl. If the frosting seems too thin add 1tbsp at a time of powdered sugar and stir. If it seems too thick add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time ad stir.

How to slice Cinnamon rolls?

When it comes to slicing the pumpkin cinnamon roll log, you have two options; after rolling your dough log tightly you can make small hash marks where you’re supposed to cut to eliminate the guesswork. Then use a sharp knife and gently go back and forth to cut each slice. I find that using a knife can sometimes squish out beautiful rolls so I prefer the second method.

The second method is to use dental floss. Use plain, unwaxed dental floss, gently slide it under your roll, bring the floss to the top and twist it using both hands. This method will yield perfectly round rolls everytime!

Tips to make pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls

These tips will help you make the best cinnamon rolls:

• Make sure the milk is not too hot– if the milk and butter mixture is too hot, you might risk killing your yeast.
• Use a room temperature egg– I have made the mistake of using a cold egg when making my cinnamon roll dough, and the melted butter coagulated and wasn’t melted anymore. So use a room temperature egg to avoid that from happening.
• Don’t just sprinkle the sugar onto the butter for your filling– Take it one step further and rub with gently with your hands to make sure the filling is really getting in there.

How to store cinnamon rolls?

To store these cinnamon rolls, place them in an airtight container and in the fridge. They will last for up to 5 days this way. When you are ready to enjoy them, you can pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?

You sure can! You can freeze the cinnamon rolls after baking them.Let them cool down completely before wrapping them tightly or placing them in airtight container. The second option is to freeze each cinnamon roll individually.

When you are ready to enjoy then, thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm up in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. I like to warm them up individually in the microwave for 20-30 seconds once they are defrosted.

Now, you can freeze them with or without icing, whatever works best for you. I froze this cinnamon roll icing before and the texture is still great. So it’s a pretty freezer-friendly cinnamon roll icing recipe.

The best pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe

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