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The best and easiest Pumpkin Roll recipe with a moist and tender crumb, filled with smooth cream cheese frosting. I have the best trick to make this simple and completely mess-free!
Do you love pumpkin recipes? Try Pumpkin Spice Eggnog, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, or Pumpkin Cake!
Our Pumpkin Roll is No-Fuss, No-Mess, All Flavor
Our Pumpkin Roll is No-Fuss, No-Mess, All FlavorDon't be intimidated to make pumpkin roll! It's the most basic sheet cake, rolled up to look fancier than it is. And we don't mess with your Grandma's old-fashioned method of dumping the cake on a towel covered in powdered sugar –what a mess! My method is the easiest and works great every single time! If you want to take this dessert to the next level, try using homemade pumpkin purée.
How to make a Pumpkin Roll:
Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 10×15” pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper and leaving an extra inch of parchment paper hanging over the long sides so you can easily lift it up after it bakes. Lightly spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray.
Make Batter: Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Mix eggs, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin in a separate bowl, until smooth. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients, just stirring until combined.
Bake: Pour batter in prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake for 13-16 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch it closely since every oven is different. Remove from oven. Lift the parchment paper up and place on a heat-safe flat surface. While cake is hot, start at a short end and slowly roll the cake inside the parchment paper all the way. Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Tip: It's very important to roll up the cake when it's hot from the oven, so it doesn't crack. The hot cake is soft, pliable, and will roll and set in this shape, so it doesn't crack.
Add Filling: Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it's fluffy and smooth. Carefully unroll cooled pumpkin cake then gently smooth the filling in an even layer. Roll up the pumpkin swiss roll back up, without the parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serve: Dust the top of the pumpkin roll cake with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into slices and serve. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The assembled pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling can be made and refrigerated, covered, for 1-2 days. Or if you just want to make the cake part ahead of time, you can bake it, roll it in parchment paper to cool, then refrigerate it while it's rolled in the parchment paper for one day before spreading the frosting. Keep leftovers covered and in the refrigerator.
To Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
More Fall Cake Recipes:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Fresh Apple Cake
- Carrot Cake Loaf
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Mug Cake
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Gingerbread Cake
- Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Homemade Rum Cake
Pumpkin Roll
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup canned pumpkin, (or homemade pumpkin puree)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, , softened
- 2 Tablespoons butter, , softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar, , plus more for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prep Pan: Lightly grease a jelly roll pan (10 x 15'') with non stick cooking spray. Place parchment paper on top so it sticks, leaving an extra inch of parchment sticking up on both long sides of the pan so that you can easily lift the cake out after baking. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin until smooth.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to the bowl and stir just until combined and no dry streaks remain. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so watch it closely.
- Roll: Immediately lift the payment paper and hot cake out of the pan and onto a flat (heat-safe) surface. While the cake is hot, starting at a short end, gently and slowly roll the cake (and parchment paper!) all the way up. Allow it to cool completely, on top of a wire cooling rack. (This allows it to cool underneath the roll, and keeps the cake from sweating).
- Frosting: While the cake roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and smooth. Once the cake roll is cooled completely, unroll it very carefully. Gently smooth the filling in an even layer over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Roll up the frosted cake without the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, before serving.
- Serve: Dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe October 2014. Updated September 2017, October 2019 and October 2024.
Original recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I've added more spices.
This recipe is amazing, but omg!! If you are going to make it, put a clean towel under your roll as soon as it gets out of the oven to roll it. I burnt my hands 🥹. All worth it though because it tastes AMAZING
Wear heat proof gloves like for grilling, no burns
I use parchment paper to bake and roll it up in the same after lifting it out of the pan
Thats kinda common sense something that just came out of the oven would be hot lol
Burned?
In other countries, like Australia or UK, they use ‘burnt’
I had enough parchment paper on the edges that, once I began the roll, I could actually just roll the paper from the outside
I let it cool for ten minutes then rolled up
Love this recipe! I have friends/family ask for these pumpkin rolls on repeat!
Oh my goodness, this recipe is fantastic!!!!!! I made 1 on Thursday to freeze for Thanksgiving, but the hubby liked it so much that he ate half of it. It was easier than I expected and I have since made 2 more that are hidden in the freezer!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tried this recipe this week, my first time ever making a pumpkin roll cake. It was so easy and so good! I got lots of compliments on it!
I just started making these this week and WOW!! They are a HUGE HIT AROUND THIS HOUSE. THANK YOU.. AN SO EASY TO PUT TOGETHER. . this is a HUGE mood lifter cause I feel like I’m baking like a PRO.. 😁❤
This is the BEST pumpkin roll recipe ever! Made it three times so far, and each time, turned out perfect. So delicious and MUCH easier than the old tea-towel method. Wish I would have had this recipe 30 years ago! Thank you so much, Lauren! 🤗
I have always wanted to make a cake roll but been afraid to try. This Thanksgiving I decided to give it a try. I loved it. It was so easy. It will be on my menu from now on. Thanks for the recipe so easy.
This is the easiest pumpkin roll ever! I have used your advice before about the parchment paper and why anyone would do it different would be insane! ❤️❤️❤️
I liked this recipe
. Was curious about the parchment paper rolling it up. It did work. But I prefer the old way I use a clean pillow case powder and roll it up. I found my cake damper than I like. I think the cloth absorbs a lot of the moisture
Spray the paper with non stick spray.
Just made one with my 2 year old, looks good so far. Is the cake part supposed to have a flowery taste? Mine does and I put the right amount of everything in it.. Please let me know if that is normal, it is currently cooling…Fingers Crossed!!!
This has happened to me before, and I learned that it was because my flour was old. It has a very distinct taste! Maybe that’s the trouble?
Does anyone know how to make your pumpkin roll not stick to the parchment paper after it is cooked?
Sprinkle powdered sugar on the paper you’ll use to roll.
Roll right away while it’s still hot. Use gloves!
I sprayed parchment paper with a bit of Pam beforehand . When it was COMPLETELY cooled it released nicely . Good luck!
To avoid sticking, I sprayed a little Pam on the parchment paper and used a napkin to spread it out. No issues with sticking.
I made 2 yesterday, and while they were delicious, they both didn’t roll so well … kind of turned into pumpkin foldovers instead of pumpkin rolls. Any advice on how to roll with no cracking? I did have to cook for 20 minutes instead of 15 as it was not done enough.
I also added a little nutmeg and allspice.
This the fourth time that I have made these pumpkin rolls! They are amazing every time!
I made this today and the result was an impressive looking dessert. BUT: Really not much flavor and requires more of the traditional spices. Also thinking that letting it warm a bit may bring out more flavor.
Disappointed considering my investment of time.
my recipe is roll:
3 eggs, 2 cups pumpkin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp nut meg, 3/4 cups flour.
filling: 4 tsp soft butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar.
EVERYONE LOVES IT…………LOTS OF FLAVOR. I AM MAKING FOR THANKSGIVING AND MAYBE CHRISTMAS 🙂
Sounds perfect! Thx!
I’m referring to the recipe from Marsha Fields.
I worried about only adding cinnamon so I used Marsha’s recommendation and added nutmeg. I also added more pumpkin — the recipe called for 2/3 cup and Marsha said she uses 2 cups. 2 cups seemed like a lot so I went with 1 cup. I think maybe baking POWDER, as referenced in Marsha’s recipe would be better than baking SODA as called for in this one. With the added pumpkin I ended up with a very wet cake. I was able to roll it but it is wayyyyyyy too moist. I am just glad it’s only my husband and I this year because I would not want to serve this to guests. I will try this recipe again at some point, but will follow it as written.
I had low hopes for myself, because any type of roll seems challenging, but this was simple and it turned out great! It was not hard to roll or unroll, and there were no cracks! The cake part tastes perfect and, truly, you can’t go wrong with cream cheese frosting.
Just a question – could I use canned pumpkin pie filling and omit the spices? I’m using a cup of pumpkin pie filling for another recipe and rather than toss the rest I would like to use it for this.
Yes, that’s fine! Enjoy.