Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls – Easy Homemade Treat
You will love these warm pumpkin cream cheese cinnamon rolls! They are perfect for fall, with swirls of fluffy, soft cinnamon dough and luscious pumpkin cream cheese frosting on top.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 c milk
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- ⅓ c pumpkin puree
- 4 c all purpose flour
- ¼ c cane sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
Filling:
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 c brown sugar, packed
- ½ c cane sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 c powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Warm the milk to 100–110°F. Sprinkle active dry yeast over the top followed by ½ tsp sugar. Wiggle gently so some yeast sinks. Let stand 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, cane sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Mix in the yeast mixture, then add the egg, egg yolk, softened butter, and pumpkin puree. Mix on medium-low for 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, grease the bowl, and cover.
3. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until at least doubled in size.
4. Turn dough onto a floured countertop. Roll to a 12”×18” rectangle. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup cane sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice.
5. Brush the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll tightly into a log. Use sewing thread (or a serrated knife) to cut 12 even rolls.
6. Place rolls in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Uncover and bake 25–30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
9. Make the pumpkin cream cheese icing: beat together cream cheese, butter, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and powdered sugar until smooth.
10. Spread icing over warm rolls and serve.
Notes
Milk Temperature: If the milk is too cold or too hot, the yeast won’t activate and foam. Ideal is 100–110°F. Stir after microwaving to even out hot/cold spots. If yeast doesn’t activate, start over.
Yeast: The recipe relies on active yeast. If it doesn’t get frothy in warm milk (and the temperature is correct), the yeast is likely old—even if not past the date. Use fresh yeast and test first.
Rising: For a warm rise, heat oven to 200°F, then turn it off. Place covered dough inside and close the door. Don’t forget to turn the oven off first.
Cutting: Use sewing thread to slice clean rolls. Keep the counter floured so the thread slides under the log without sticking.
Make Ahead: Assemble in the greased dish but skip the second rise. Cover and refrigerate. Before baking, rest at room temperature 2 hours, then bake.