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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
Don'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! 🤗
Can this recipe be made into cupcakes? And is the filling sturdy enough to pipe for icing a cupcake?
So. At this point I have followed the recipe to the letter. Currently waiting for all components to acclimate to the same temp. Icing left out and covered while cake cooled in the fridge, for easy application. Rolling & unrolling, and then finally RE-rolling. Pretty sure I went a bit heavy on the icing, just not spreading it thin enough towrds the edges. Super easy to follow. I’ll update after we taste test.
I’ve been making pumpkin roll for over 20 years and was skeptical about not using a powdered sugar dish towel to roll the pumpkin roll in to cool but I decided to give it a try.
Let me tell you, I will NEVER go back to the dish towel method again! Not only did this recipe & technique yield a delicious, perfect (no cracks) pumpkin roll, there was no mess to clean up and it was wonderful.
My intention was to try ONE and ended up making EIGHT pumpkin rolls in one day, I even shared this recipe & technique with my mom who is now excited to ditch the towels as well.
GREAT recipe and thank you so much for sharing!
I had never made or tasted a pumpkin roll until today. This recipe was very easy to make and the directions were easy to follow. It was delicious. My husband even asked for seconds.
I made this. I’ve never made any kind of roll cake ever. I didn’t have the right size pan so I used a bigger one. It came out perfectly. No cracks or anything. My family of 7 demolished it in minutes!!!
OMG!!! This was absolutely amazing!! I have always wanted to make a pumpkin roll (especially now since they are extremely costly) but have always been intimidated with the process and mess! This was my 1st time making one and it could not have been easier!!! Everyone will be getting a pumpkin roll! Thank you!!
I have made many using this recipe, they come out perfect and have never had any cracks. My wife loves them and i like to bake and cook.
I just made it the batter was a bit slippery and then the roll was sweaty so it broke in to pieces after I filled it with cream cheese I still refrigerated it not sure what went wrong
Great recipe. The only problem I’m having is the parchment paper is leaving creases in my cake sometimes Deep enough to crack it. I’ve thought about ironing it and using cooking spray to anchor it. Any ideas?
I love baking and am not sure why I have never tried baking a pumpkin roll before today given that it is one of my family’s fall faves. I doubled the recipe and made two. Absolutely delicious and the parchment paper roll up step made this super easy! This will be my go to recipe whenever we get the urge for a pumpkin roll.
I made 2 and the both cracked and broke.. I was very disappointed.
What I do is slice them and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and they never notice the cracks. I’ve been making them for yrs and I’ve found it’s almost impossible to make then with no cracks. I’ve tried everything. Let the eggs set out, put the nuts on the inside & the outside, made no difference. I’ve done everything everyone has suggested. Stop beating yourself up. Just slice them. They’ll never know. 😂😂
Practice makes perfect, Amanda! 🥴 I haven’t ever met someone that can make the prettiest, most perfect, pumpkin roll, their very first time making one. Maybe with the air cooling off, and the humidity not being an issue anymore, you’ll have better luck? Also, are you in part of the states where elevation is high? That may also be something to keep in mind? Ultimately, I think you should take another stab at it! 😊