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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls | Julie Blanner

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls are so soft and fluffy, filled with all the goodness of fall. These are wonderful for all your fall entertaining, and they make such a beautiful gift!

Homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls have the most delightful gooey filling! With the perfect balance of sweet cinnamon and pumpkin flavors, these are such a crowd pleasing breakfast.

Pumpkin spice lovers rejoice! If you love cinnamon rolls and you love pumpkin pie, you’ll love this recipe.

A plate of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with icing on it.

If you don’t love cinnamon rolls, I’m not sure we can be friends. Is there anything better than a sweet, soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon roll?

One of our favorite traditions at the lake is to pick up fresh hot cinnamon rolls from a bakery in town. They are so decadent and delicious, and they always feel like the best kind of weekend treat.

Much like my classic cinnamon rolls, these pumpkin rolls are decadently gooey and topped with the best cream cheese icing for cinnamon rolls.

With the addition of pumpkin spice, this recipe is the best update to a traditional classic, just like our reader-favorite apple cinnamon rolls!

A person is holding a bowl of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

If you’re looking for a special, crowd pleasing breakfast or brunch treat this fall, you’re in the right place. Let’s make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls together!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • Easy to Make – Yeast really isn’t complicated. Once you try it, you’ll be on your way to so many delicious treats!
  • Filled with Fall Flavor – Perfect for all your fall entertaining. Make them for a special Halloween or Thanksgiving breakfast your family will adore!
  • Perfect Gift – If you want your neighbors and co-workers to beg for a recipe, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are a winner.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with icing on a white plate.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the Rolls

  • Milk – Full fat is always best for decadent rolls, but whatever you have on hand will work.
  • Butter – Unsalted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt in the dough.
  • Active Quick Rise Yeast – If you need tips for learning about yeast, be sure to read my complete guide to baking with yeast! It’s full of can’t-miss tips and tricks!
  • All-Purpose Flour – No sifting required.
  • White Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the dough.
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice – Store bought or your own homemade spice blend.
  • Salt – For a little balance to all the sweet flavors.
  • Canned Pumpkin – Don’t use pumpkin pie filling here, just regular canned pumpkin.
  • Egg – Unless otherwise indicated, always use large eggs for baking.
The ingredients for a Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are laid out on a marble table.

For the Filling

  • Butter – Unsalted, melted.
  • Brown Sugar – Packed. I use light brown sugar but if you’ve got dark, that works too.
  • Cinnamon – Good quality ground cinnamon is imperative here!
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice – It’s so easy to make your own.
  • Heavy Cream – This is the secret of all secrets! Don’t skip it!

For the Icing

A plate of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Variations

Want to avoid baking with yeast? Try my cinnamon rolls made with crescent rolls and follow the steps in this recipe for the filling and cream cheese icing.

A pumpkin cinnamon roll on a white plate with a gold fork.

How to Make

An overview, visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and butter. Stir until melted and remove from heat. A pan with liquid in it on a stove top, simmering pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add warm milk mixture, pumpkin and egg. Sprinkle yeast over the top of this mixture. A blender filled with a mixture of pumpkin and cinnamon. A bowl of oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. A close up of flour in a mixing bowl, ready to be used for making Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
  3. Knead while gradually adding more flour until the dough forms. A bowl of granola sprinkled with pumpkin seeds in a white bowl. A close up of a pumpkin shaped dough, ready to be transformed into delicious Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. A Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll sitting on a white surface.
  4. While the dough is resting (we like to cover with a clean dish cloth), preheat oven as directed and prepare baking dish. A close up of a white cloth on a white surface with Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
  5. Roll out dough into a rectangle. A pumpkin cinnamon roll on a white background. A rolling pin with flour on top of a dough for making pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
  6. Spread melted butter on top. Combine filling ingredients and sprinkle over the top. Cut strips. Roll and place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet. A brown powder in a bowl with a wooden spoon, perfect for making delicious Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. A person is using a spoon to drizzle icing on a Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. A person is sprinkling sugar on a Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. A piece of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls dough on a marble countertop. A pumpkin cinnamon roll is sitting on a white surface. A roll of pumpkin cinnamon dough sitting on top of a marble surface. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls on a white background. A person cutting a loaf of bread with a knife to make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. A plate of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls on a white plate.
  7. OPTIONAL: allow rolls to rise again (inside the oven that was warming). A white oven with a bag of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls in it.
  8. Cover rolls in heavy cream. Bake as directed, until slightly golden. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a white dish are a delightful treat that combines the warm flavors of pumpkin and the aromatic spice of cinnamon. A close up of a Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll.
  9. Combine all ingredients for frosting until smooth. Pour over the warm apple cinnamon rolls to serve. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls with icing being poured onto a plate.
A plate of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with icing on top.

Tips

  • Use a stand mixer for ease, or you can also knead by hand. Kneading by hand will take about 10-12 minutes and in a mixer it will take around eight minutes.
  • Want a thinner cream cheese glaze? Just add a little more cream.
  • If you’re making larger rolls (as pictured in this post), allow the extra 25 minutes for the dough to rise.
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a white bowl with icing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you pour cream over these cinnamon rolls?

You may have seen this trick in viral videos lately, but it’s been around for a long time. The heavy cream in the bottom of the pan heats as the rolls bake, and the liquid is absorbed into the yeasty rolls. This makes them eve more moist and creates a bit of a syrupy finish.

Should cinnamon rolls touch before baking?

Yes, they should be touching, but not crowded into your dish. This dough is stretchy and yeasty, and as it bakes, it expands. Unless you’d like your rolls to have harder edges, you want them to touch a little in the pan!

A bowl of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with icing and a spoon.

Make Ahead

  • Pumpkin cinnamon rolls are wonderful to make ahead. Make the rolls the day before, (don’t add the cream into the baking dish yes). You can then cover the rolls tightly, unbaked, and keep them in the fridge overnight.
  • The next morning, pour the cream over them and place them into your pre-heated oven, following the steps as mentioned.
  • To reheat them after they’ve been baked and iced, place a roll individually in the microwave for 20 seconds, or in your baking dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for five minutes.
A mouthwatering close up of a Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll.

How to Store

  • Room Temperature – Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to two days.
  • Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container up to five days.
  • Freeze – You can also freeze cinnamon rolls, storing in an airtight container covered in plastic wrap to avoid any freezer odor up to three months.
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a white dish with icing.

Dietary Considerations

  • Vegetarian
  • Nut Free
  • To make Gluten Free, simply use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour in this recipe.
A plate of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with icing on top.

Prevent your screen from going dark

Rolls

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and butter. Stir until melted and remove from heat.

  • In a mixing bowl, combine 2¼ cups flour (holding remaining cup back), sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add yeast and lukewarm milk mixture, and combine. Add pumpkin and egg until just combined.

  • Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer (or hands), knead while gradually adding in the remaining 1 cup of flour, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the edges of the bowl.

  • Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350℉.

Fill

  • On a floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle. Spread melted butter on top. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle on top. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 10 strips. Roll and place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet.

  • Turn oven off. Cover rolls with a damp towel and allow to rise for 25 minutes inside the warmed oven. Remove from oven, preheat again to 350℉.

  • Cover rolls in ¼ cup heavy cream. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden.

Icing

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together to combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and heavy cream (and optional pumpkin spice seasoning) until smooth. Drizzle over rolls.

Tips

  • Use a stand mixer for ease, or you can also knead by hand. Kneading by hand will take about 10-12 minutes and in a mixer it will take around eight minutes.
  • Want a thinner cream cheese glaze? Just add a little more cream.
  • If you’re making larger rolls (as pictured in this post), allow the extra 25 minutes for the dough to rise.

Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 2568IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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