Nothing screams fall like a batch of warm Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting! This easy recipe is made with simple ingredients and is perfect for fall breakfast or dessert. 
I like to overdose on all things pumpkin throughout fall and winter.  My family’s favorites include my mom’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies,  this Classic Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Pancakes!
Close up photo of a pan of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

There’s nothing I love more than baking on a relaxing Sunday afternoon (and then gifting yummy baked goods to friends and neighbors so that we don’t eat them all ourselves)! I’ve been waiting and waiting for cooler weather to arrive to bust out some classic fall dishes and, particularly, to make some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

While I was making these Jeff said “OOO it smells like Fall in our house and I love it!”  These cinnamon rolls are over the top delicious!

What I LOVE about this recipe:

  • The filling: These are NOT made with your traditional cinnamon roll filling!  The ingredients include all of the fall seasonings (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves).
  • Cream cheese frosting:  Yep, the cream cheese frosting truly puts these pumpkin cinnamon rolls over the top!

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:

1. Make the Dough: Mix milk, butter, sugar, and yeast. Stir to combine and let the mixture sit for 1 minute. Add pumpkin and egg, mix. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups of flour, mix.   Add flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each addition until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

2. Knead the dough:  Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, and not sticky, adding flour as needed.

3. First rise:  Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl, and let it rest for 15 minutes.

4. Make the filling: While the dough is resting, mix together the butter, sugar, and spices for the filling.

A white bowl filled with a stick of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon sugar next to a cutting board with rolled out dough and the cinnamon sugar mixture spread over the dough.

5. Make the cinnamon rolls: When the dough has finished resting, roll it out into a large rectangle, about 16 inches by 24 inches. Spread the filling all over dough. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, starting on the side that is shorter than the other, until you have rolled it all the way up. Cut the dough into 12 rolls (about 1 ½ inches wide and place the cut rolls in a well buttered baking dish.

6. Second rise:  Cover the dish and let the rolls rest for 15 minutes.

7. Bake: While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. After the rolls are done resting baking them in the hot oven until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes (mine were perfect at 18 minutes). Remove from the oven.

8. Frost and Serve:  While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. Spread icing over hot cinnamon rolls and serve them warm.

The rough rolled and cut for pumpkin cinnamon rolls next to another photo of the baked cinnamon rolls in a white pan.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:

Make Ahead: To make pumpkin cinnamon rolls ahead of time, follow the directions to step 9 and instead of letting the rolls rest on the counter, cover them with plastic wrap and place the pan in the fridge for up to 8 hours.  When you’re ready to bake them, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature (20-30 minutes).  Then bake as directed and top with cream cheese frosting.

To Store:  Allow cinnamon rolls to cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container.  Reheat cinnamon rolls individually on a plate in microwave for about 15 seconds or until soft and warm.

An off-set spatula spreading cream cheese frosting over pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a white pan..

How to freeze Baked or Unbaked: 

  1. Baked:  Allow rolls to cool completely and place them in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • To reheat, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and warm individual rolls for about 15 seconds in the microwave.
  2. Unbaked: Make the pumpkin cinnamon rolls through step 9 but place the rolls on a sheet pan or cookie sheet with space between each roll.  Flash freeze: loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and put the rolls in the freezer for 1 hour.  Remove the rolls and store them in a freezer safe container or bag.  Freeze for up to 3 months.
    • To bake, place frozen rolls in baking dish and allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove from fridge and let them come to room temperature.  Bake as directed.

A spatula lifting out a cinnamon roll from a pan.

CONSIDER TRYING THESE PUMPKIN RECIPES:

Recipe

Prep 30 minutes
Cook 18 minutes
Total 11 hours 20 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

For the Filling:

For the Frosting:

Instructions
 

Make the Dough:

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer add the milk, butter, sugar, and yeast. Stir to combine and let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
  • Add the pumpkin and egg and mix until well combined.
  • Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups of flour. Mix well for 3 minutes. Add the additional flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each addition until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, and not sticky, adding flour as needed.
  • Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl, and let it rest for 45 minutes.
  • Make the filling: While the dough is resting, mix together the butter, sugar, and spices for the filling.
  • When the dough has finished resting, roll it out into a large rectangle, about 16 inches by 24 inches.
  • Spread the filling all over dough. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, starting on the side that is shorter than the other, until you have rolled it all the way up.
  • Cut the dough into 12 rolls (about 1 ½ inches wide and place the cut rolls in a well buttered baking dish.
  • Cover the dish and let the rolls rest for 45 minutes.
  • Bake. While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. After the rolls are done resting baking them in the hot oven until golden brown, around 15-20 minutes (mine were perfect at 18 minutes). Remove from the oven.
  • While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting.
  • Whip together butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add in vanilla, powdered sugar and cinnamon and whip until light and fluffy.
  • Spread icing over hot cinnamon rolls and serve them warm.

Notes

Make Ahead: To make these ahead of time, follow the directions step 9 and instead of letting the rolls rest on the counter, cover them with plastic wrap and place the pan in the fridge for up to 8 hours.  When you're ready to bake them, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature (20-30 minutes).  Then bake as directed and top with cream cheese frosting. 
To Store:  Allow cinnamon rolls to cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container.  Reheat cinnamon rolls individually on a plate in microwave for about 15 seconds or until soft and warm. 
To Freeze them baked or unbaked:
  1. Baked: Allow rolls to cool completely, freeze in freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or in the microwave for a few seconds. 
  2. Unbaked: Make the rolls through step 9 and place the rolls on a sheet pan or cookie sheet with space between each roll.  Flash freeze: loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and put the rolls in the freezer for 1 hour.  Remove the rolls, place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
    • To bake, place frozen rolls in a baking dish and allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  Remove from fridge and let them come to room temperature.  Bake as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 213mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 2193IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

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Have you tried this recipe?!

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I originally shared this recipe September 2013. Updated October 2019.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. Suggestion…Since it is very difficult to cut soft dough with any knife and keep the roll round, use carpet twine or dental floss (unflavored) to make the cuts. Slide the center of the twine/floss under the dough at the cut line, bring the two ends together above the roll of dough and pull in opposite directions. This will also work for some refrigerator cookie dough. Can’t wait to try these rolls, I might add raisins and nuts to the filling since they are a must for sticky buns and cinnamon rolls in my house.

  2. I am SO afraid to try this! It’s not the mixing part that frightens me; it’s punching the dough and kneading it in the bowl, then rolling it in a rectangle. I wish I could find a way to do it successfully every time without worry. I even get nervous about whether or the kitchen is warm enough to let it rise in. Silly to be so dramatic about a recipe, huh? Any fool-proof suggestions?

    1. Hey Leanne! The great thing about bread dough is that it’s very forgiving when you’re punching it down and rolling it out! If you don’t think the rectangle is good enough and want to start over, go ahead! Sometimes it takes some practice, but I know you’ll be able to do it! As far as getting the dough to rise: I just make sure I have a dark, dry towel covering the bowl and I set it in the warmest area of the house (where no air conditioning vents are blowing right on it.) If it’s warm outside, I set it outside on my porch in the sun and it rises really quickly and beautifully. But even if the inside of your home isn’t warm, just give the dough a little more time to rise and it will! The warmth just helps it rise faster. Hope this helps you, and that you get to make these delicious cinnamon rolls!

  3. These look amazing! Your photos make me want to curl up with a cup of coffee and a warm plate of these! Pinning! Thanks for linking up to Wake Up Wednesdays!

  4. Hi Laura! I’m loving this fall recipe! Fall has definitely arrived here in England so I’m looking for fall recipes to try. Cinnamon and pumpkin sounds like such a yummy combination. Pinned this and thanks for sharing.