Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are super soft and delicious. Made with a sweet, brioche-style dough and filled with pumpkin and warm pumpkin pie spice, they are the perfect blend of cinnamon rolls and pumpkin pie. Topped with cream cheese icing, these rolls make a nice breakfast treat perfect for fall.

Fresh, warm cinnamon rolls are a tasty breakfast treat any time of year, but these brioche pumpkin cinnamon rolls with pumpkin spice filling are incredibly delicious in the cooler fall months.

If you are craving a pumpkin spice pastry and don’t have time for cinnamon rolls, you may enjoy a batch of easy Air-Fryer Pumpkin Hand Pies or a fresh batch of Bakery-Style Pumpkin Scones.

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Cinnamon rolls are a popular brunch addition. They are usually made with a soft yeast dough that has been coated in sugar and cinnamon and rolled to produce soft, squishy buns with a gooey cinnamon swirl.

There are endless variations of these delicious rolls. Such as the deliciously gooey Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, or the sweet and chocolatey Hot Cocoa Cinnamon Rolls.

This unique recipe uses pumpkin puree, along with a brioche-style dough, for a soft, slightly sweet roll that is light and moist.

Then the filling is made with pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice for tasty swirls that are reminiscent of pumpkin pie.

The warm rolls are then topped with a simple cream cheese frosting for the perfect fall treat. For a bit of added texture, you can add some chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts; chopped Candied Pecans would also be delicious with these pumpkin rolls.

This recipe is relatively easy for cinnamon rolls. It is made with simple pantry ingredients, and because we use a stand mixer to make the dough, it is mostly hands-off. However, directions have been included if you want to make them by hand.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Whole milk: The fat in the whole milk helps make these cinnamon rolls extra soft and fluffy. 2% milk can be used, but try to avoid 1% or skim milk, as the rolls will not have the same texture.

Sugar: This recipe uses both brown and granulated sugar for the cinnamon rolls and powdered sugar in the frosting. The granulated sugar in the dough adds just a bit of sweetness, while brown sugar makes up the filling. You can use light or dark brown sugar; both will work fine.

Yeast: The brioche dough for these rolls is made with traditional, active, dry yeast. If you want to speed up the rise time, you can use instant yeast instead, but you will want to increase the amount to one tablespoon.

Egg: Egg is an important ingredient in brioche dough and makes the dough extra soft and rich. If you are allergic to eggs, leave it out, but the dough will not have the same texture.

Butter: Another essential ingredient is butter. This pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe requires butter in the dough and the filling. I always use salted butter, but unsalted butter will work, too.

Pumpkin puree: Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. Should you decide to use pumpkin pie filling you will likely want to reduce both the salt and the spices.

All-purpose flour: This recipe only requires regular all-purpose flour. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute it with bread flour.

Spices: Pumpkin spice mix is the spice used for the filling in these cinnamon rolls. This can be purchased pre-mixed, or you can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. Alternatively, you can simply replace with ground cinnamon.

Cream cheese: Cream cheese is used for the rich and creamy frosting. If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, feel free to substitute it with a simple icing drizzle or your favourite vanilla frosting. If you don’t want to make your own, store-bought frosting from the baking aisle may also be used.

Making Dough in a Stand Mixer

Begin by warming the milk to about 110°F (it should feel warm, not hot) and add it to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the yeast and sugar. Let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.

Next add the salt, half cup of pumpkin puree, egg and milk. Using the dough hook attachment turn the mixer to low to mix the wet ingredients, then gradually add the flour.

Once most of the flour has been incorporated, cut the butter into small cubes and add to the mixer. Turn the mixer to medium speed and allow it to mix for 8-10 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough.

Pro Tip – When you first add the butter to the dough it is going to seem very sticky. Just let the mixer do its job. As it kneads the dough it will pull away from the sides and come together to form a soft ball.

When the dough is soft and elastic turn off the mixer. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead it a few times and form a ball. Then return to the bowl, cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled. This will take between 1-2 hours depending on how warm your house is.

Making the Cinnamon Rolls

Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured counter or pastry mat and roll out to a rectangle of about 15×12 inches. The long end should be facing you.

Pro Tip – Do not knead the dough before rolling out into a rectangle. Working the dough before rolling will make it harder to roll. Simply turn it onto the counter and roll it out.

Mix the ingredients for the filling and spread over the dough leaving 1 inch on the long edge furthest from you bare.

Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough to form a log.

Cut the dough into 12 rolls and place in a greased 9×13 pan.

Cover and let rise approximately 30 minutes.

After the rolls have risen, bake at 375°F for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and ice as desired before serving.

Making Dough Without a Mixer

If you don’t have a stand mixer that isn’t a problem. These cinnamon rolls can easily be made by hand, they just take a bit more work.

Honestly, I find it extremely therapeutic to knead dough by hand, so when I have time I often forgo the mixer in favour of hand kneading.

Without a mixer you will follow the same directions to warm the milk and proof the yeast, then stir in the salt, pumpkin and egg.

Once the wet ingredients are mixed, add the flour and stir to combine until it forms a dough, then turn it onto a floured counter and stretch it out a bit to form a small squarish shape.

Cut the softened butter into cubes, place them onto the dough, then fold the dough over and begin to knead the butter into the dough. It will become very sticky at this point. This is normal. You can add a tiny bit more flour if it is sticking too much to your hands, but try not to add too much. As you work the dough it will become less sticky.

You are going to knead it for 10-15 minutes. As you work the dough it will become soft and smooth and should no longer stick to the counter. Keep going until you have a soft, supple dough. Then form it into a ball, place it in a bowl and let rise.

Preparing Cinnamon Rolls the Night Before

If you want to save yourself time in the morning but still want fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls, you can prepare these pumpkin cinnamon rolls the night before.

You will want to start the process later in the evening, usually a couple of hours before you go to bed.

Once you have reached the step of cutting the cinnamon rolls and have placed them in the baking pan, cover the rolls with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator.

In the morning, please take the rolls out of the fridge and let them rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed.

Storing Cinnamon Rolls

Due to the pumpkin filling and the cream cheese frosting, leftover cinnamon rolls should be stored in the refrigerator.

Make sure they are tightly wrapped. Refrigerated rolls will tend to dry out a bit after a day, but if you pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds they should be fine.

These rolls also freeze very well, but I recommend freezing them before frosting them. You can freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. They will keep for several months.

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