This homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe is soft, fluffy, and tastes like fall! The cinnamon sugar filling has hints of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting on top.
Fall is for pumpkin recipes, like my favorite Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, or Pumpkin French Toast!
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls turn any day into a treat.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls turn any day into a treat.They bring the smell and taste of Fall into our home every year. My favorite part is the cinnamon roll filling with fall spices like ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. But the cream cheese frosting truly puts these pumpkin cinnamon rolls over the top! There are so many ways to make them ahead of time or freeze them so they're ready for any occasion.
How to make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:
Make Dough: Proof yeast with warm milk and a pinch of sugar and set aside until foamy. Add remaining sugar, melted butter, pumpkin, and egg and mix until combined. Add 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mix well.
Knead and Rise: Add ½ cup of flour at a time mixing until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and rise until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.
Fill and slice: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Punch down dough then roll out into an 18×20 inch rectangle. Spread soft butter all over dough then roll up into a log, starting on the shorter side. Pinch the ends to seal then roll them underneath. Slice into 12 pieces (about 1 ½ inches wide) and place in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
2nd Rise: Cover the cinnamon rolls with a cloth and allow to rise for an hour.
Bake: Bake at 375°F for 17-25 minutes, until the centers are no longer doughy. Spread cinnamon cream cheese frosting over warm homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Make and shape the cinnamon rolls, but for the second rise, cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the fridge and allow to rise and come to room temperature before baking.
To Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm in the microwave individually for about 15 seconds, or until soft and warm.
To Freeze: Freeze baked pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To freeze unbaked pumpkin cinnamon rolls, assemble them as instructed and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F. Cool completely then cover pan well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then return to the oven for 10-15 minutes more until cooked through.
More Roll Recipes:
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Orange Rolls
- Classic Pumpkin Roll
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk , warmed
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar , divided
- 1/4 cup butter , melted
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (or homemade pumpkin puree)
- 1 egg , room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 Tablespoons butter , softened
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter , softened
- 4 oz cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Proof yeast: In a large bowl or stand mixer add warmed milk, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar. Stir to combine then let mixture sit for a few minutes, until yeast has proofed and is foamy.
- Make dough: Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, pumpkin and egg then mix until well combined. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups of flour. Mix well.
- Knead: Add 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. Mix for several minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be soft and slightly sticky, but not stick to a clean finger. Add more flour if needed.
- First Rise: Place dough in a well greased bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Make the filling: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- Roll Out: Punch dough down, place on a lightly floured counter and roll into a 18×20 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter all over the dough, leaving 1'' border, and sprinkle sugar mixture evenly on top. Starting on the shorter (18'' side) roll up into a log. Pinch the ends to seal them and tuck them under the roll.
- Cut the dough into 12 slices (about 1 ½ inches wide) and place the cut rolls in a greased 9x13inch baking dish, or on a jelly-roll pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover with a cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 17-25 minutes, until centers are no longer soft/doughy.
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix the butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and cinnamon and whip for a few more minutes. Smooth forsting over warm cinnamon rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe September 2013. Updated October 2019 and October 2024.
This post contains affiliate links.
Just made these with homemade white pie pumpkin puree. This was an all day project, puree included hahaha
You have such a lovely recipe, thank you!! I do feel I will have to use a lot more than half a cup next time though lol They taste glorious. Made the dough in the bread machine and it was perfect. MAKE THIS RECIPE.
How would make the Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls gluten free?
These were SOO yummy!
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.
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?
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!
I wanted to invite you to the Friday Flash Blog Party, the best linky in town! I hope you’ll join us and link up. Who knows. You may just get highlighted!
The party goes on ALL weekend.
Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution
http://www.thejennyevolution.com
Even though its 90 degrees here today, these look delicious!
These really do look amazing. I bet they great! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
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!
Haha Thanks Lisa! Love you blog!
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.
Thanks Helen! 🙂
These look absolutely wonderful! It’s still in the 90’s here so no fall recipes for us yet. But I can’t wait!
Thanks Erin! I know the feeling, it’s soo hot here too! Can’t wait for fall!