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September 15, 2010

The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (with Cream Cheese Frosting)

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect fall treat! Pumpkin spice dough is rolled with plenty of cinnamon and sugar, and then slathered with cream cheese frosting. You’ll love all the pumpkin flavor that these cinnamon rolls offer!

overhead photo of pumpkin cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting in a white cast iron pan

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Creating This Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

It’s fall now, I’m all about the pumpkin recipes, and these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are absolutely sinful. Forget just eating one. Say goodbye to your diet and hello to indulgence.

This is my new favorite breakfast treat. And I can’t wait to make these delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls again, but I knew I better share the recipe with you first.

What actually inspired the creation of this recipe was my recipe for Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. That recipe has been hands down over time THE most popular recipe on the blog. I knew there had to be other fun ways to make recipes that tasted like pumpkin pie that were a little bit different than usual.

And I’m pretty confident that is what I’ve achieved here with these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

photo of ingredients to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients

This recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls has three parts: the pumpkin yeast dough, the cinnamon roll filling, and the cream cheese cinnamon roll frosting. Here’s what you’ll need to make the three parts:

For the pumpkin cinnamon roll dough, you’ll need:

  • Warm water
  • Active dry yeast
  • Whole Milk
  • Egg
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Melted butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Whole wheat pastry flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Salt
  • Spices

Can I Omit the Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

Yes, you can make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls using only all-purpose flour if desired. Your cinnamon roll dough may have a slightly different consistency than mine, but your homemade cinnamon rolls should turn out fine nonetheless!

For the pumpkin cinnamon roll filling, you’ll need:

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • White sugar
  • Spices

And for the cream cheese cinnamon roll frosting, you’ll need:

  • Cream cheese
  • Butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Lemon juice
  • Powdered sugar

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Check out these step by step photos that will visually detail the process of making this recipe.

The below is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Make the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough

You’ll first need to make the cinnamon roll dough, then let it rise in a greased bowl until it’s doubled in size. While the dough rests, stir together the cinnamon roll filling ingredients; set aside in a small bowl.

step by step images showing how to make pumpkin yeast dough for this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe

Roll the Cinnamon Roll Dough and Add Filling

Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it out into a large rectangle on a floured surface using a rolling pin and brush it with melted butter. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the top before rolling up the dough and slicing it.

step by step photos showing how to add butter and cinnamon sugar filling to pumpkin cinnamon roll dough before rolling the dough into a log

Slice and Let Rise Again

Slice the cinnamon rolls, then place the raw cinnamon rolls into a greased pan and let them rise a second time until nearly doubled in size.

step by step photos showing how to cut pumpkin cinnamon rolls before adding to a baking pan

Bake and Add Frosting

Once they’ve risen for a second time, bake the pumpkin cinnamon rolls until golden brown on top. After you’ve taken these easy homemade cinnamon rolls out of the oven, slather them with the cream cheese frosting and serve.

step by step photos showing how to frost baked pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Tips for Making the Dough for this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Baking with yeast is definitely something that many people struggle with. So I thought I’d share my top tips for yeast bread baking because they definitely come in handy when making these easy homemade cinnamon rolls.

Let the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough Rise Until Doubled in Bulk

Rising times are just guidelines. My main concern: has the pumpkin cinnamon roll dough doubled in bulk? That is how you know the rise is complete when making the dough for these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Test the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough to Make Sure It’s Risen

Now, you’re probably wondering: how do I know if my dough has doubled in bulk?

The simplest method that I have learned over the years is to dust my fingers in flour and plunge them into the dough as the “guideline” recipe rising time nears. The hole that you make in the cinnamon roll dough will quickly collapse if it is not ready.

Give it another 10 minutes and try again. If the dough is ready, the indentations will remain.

photo showing an example of pumpkin yeast dough that has doubled in bulk after rising

Use Fresh Yeast to Make the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough

I always make sure to check the expiration date on my yeast. If I don’t remember purchasing it, then it could have been in the pantry for months (or longer).

Old yeast doesn’t yield reliable rising results. If you don’t think you’ll be baking regularly, buy packets rather than jars of yeast to eliminate waste. Additionally, you can lengthen the life of yeast by storing it in the refrigerator.

Just make sure you let it come to room temperature before starting this recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Use Your Hands to Knead the Pumpkin Dough

You don’t need fancy equipment to bake these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Yes, a bread machine, a stand mixer, and a food processor are all nice to have and they do make the process easier, but your own two hands work just as well if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Try This Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Recipe Again

We all have our flops. Cinnamon rolls that don’t rise enough and taste like yeasty rocks. I’ve learned that you can’t let failure keep you from giving it another go.

Practice makes perfect! And there is no better way to practice than with this pumpkin spice cinnamon roll recipe.

photo of pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls in a pan

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

  • If you like, make your own pumpkin puree: How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree.
  • Make sure you use warm milk. You can gently warm it on low heat on the stove or for a few seconds in the microwave.
  • You can also prepare this recipe in the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment and dough hook attachment
  • If you have a proof or dough setting on your oven, that is a nice, warm place to let the pumpkin dough rise.

Can this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Recipe Be Prepared in Advance?

Yes! To prep these pumpkin cinnamon rolls the night before, prepare the rolls up to the point where you roll and place in the pan. Then, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

  • I like to make a double batch of this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe so I can freeze half of them to enjoy later on.
  • I recommend using full-fat, brick-style cream cheese to make the icing. It will result in a richer, thicker icing.
  • Once baked and glazed, you can store the cinnamon rolls at room temperature for up to three days. Note that they dry out over time.

In the morning, remove the pan from the fridge and proceed with the instructions where you left off. Rising time may be slightly longer than noted in the recipe due to the dough being cold vs room temp.

photo of woman serving pumpkin cinnamon rolls

Save this recipe for Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls to Pinterest!

Does this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Recipe Freeze Well?

Freezing pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls is a great way to prepare for your brunch ahead of time or keep this delicious recipe on hand for a later date. You can freeze the cinnamon rolls baked or unbaked. Here’s how I freeze them:

How to Freeze Unbaked Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Prepare the recipe as instructed through the step that details how to roll and slice the dough.
  2. Place the sliced pumpkin rolls in a freezer safe container with a lid. Transfer the container to the freezer and freeze until solid.
  3. You can store the frozen cinnamon rolls in the container in your freezer if you like, but I prefer to transfer them to a vacuum seal bag to help prevent freezer burn (note: you can’t vacuum seal them until they’ve frozen solid first, otherwise they’ll be smashed). Store the rolls in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Bake the Frozen Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Remove the frozen pumpkin cinnamon rolls from their freezer storage container and thaw overnight in the refrigerator in the pan you plan to bake them in (cover the pan with foil so they don’t dry out).

In the morning, remove the foil and cover the baking pan with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise draft-free place until doubled in size (this is the second rise in the instructions).

Bake and frost according to the remaining instructions.

How to Freeze Baked Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Prepare the recipe as instructed through the baking steps, let them cool completely, but do not frost them yet.
  2. Place rolls in a freezer safe airtight container with a lid. Transfer the container to the freezer and freeze until solid.
  3. Store the cinnamon rolls in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thawing and Frosting the Frozen, Baked Rolls

Take the frozen pumpkin cinnamon rolls out of the freezer just before bed and thaw overnight on the counter. In the morning, transfer the thawed rolls to a baking dish and transfer to a warm oven to reheat.

Alternatively, you can reheat the rolls one at a time in the microwave on partial power for 30-45 seconds each. After reheating the cinnamon rolls, frost as instructed. (Cream cheese icing is best prepared day of serving)

photo of a pumpkin cinnamon roll on a white plate with a fork

What to Serve with this Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Recipe

These these Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect cinnamon rolls for a fall or winter brunch. Here are some of my suggestions for serving alongside this delicious treat:

Why Readers think these are The Best Cinnamon Rolls

You don’t have to take my word for it! Check out these reviews from readers who have made this recipe:

“Took these to dinner at my dad’s straight from the oven and slathering icing all over them. They’re officially a winner. He didn’t want me to take any of them home…” -Ally

“Hello there, I tried out this recipe – and it was out of this world! I’ve never had a roll come out this soft before. Maybe it was the pumpkin that did it? Anyway, this roll was a great success and my husband’s response has made me make this a fixed item on our breakfast for Sunday menu planner. Thank you so much for your great recipes.” -Dhilma

“I’ve made these twice now and they are sooo delicious. My family loved them when I made them for Christmas breakfast. Thanks for the recipe! They are now my go-to cinnamon rolls.” -Abber

“Oh my goodness! I’ve never tasted anything so heavenly. You were absolutely right – there’s no way you can eat just one.” -Jackie

photo of a woman eating a pumpkin cinnamon roll

More Pumpkin Recipes:

Looking for some more tasty ways to enjoy your pumpkin spice this fall? Check out some of these favorite pumpkin recipes, or browse these 25 Pumpkin Recipes to Try this Fall for even more great recipe ideas:

Pumpkin Sugar Cookie Bars are a kid favorite. Kids love the classic sugar cookie made into bars. They’re perfect for fall with hints of pumpkin spice flavors. 

This Easy Pumpkin Pudding is the perfect way to celebrate fall with your kids!  It is easy to prepare, super creamy and full of all your favorite fall spices.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte, featuring real pumpkin, can be whipped up in just a few minutes for you to enjoy and warm up with this fall.

A toasted cinnamon swirl bagel is delicious slathered in this Whipped Pumpkin Cream Cheese. This is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramel Sauce with Real Pumpkin is so easy to make at home. It is over the top good thanks to the addition of real pumpkin puree and plenty of pumpkin pie spices.

Orange Spice Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel freeze well, so make a double batch and keep some on hand for busy mornings. 

For a chocolatey after dinner treat, try these homemade Pumpkin Pie Truffles. They are also perfect for holiday gifting!

This Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie is easy to prepare, super healthy, and full of all your favorite fall spices. What isn’t to love about a smoothie recipe that tastes like pumpkin pie?

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 15 rolls
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect fall treat – pumpkin spice dough is rolled with plenty of cinnamon and sugar, and then slathered in cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Dough

  • 1/4 cup warm water (not hot, about 110 degrees)
  • 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup warm milk
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 cups (approximately) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 1 /4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Filling

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2-3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Dough

  1. Stir yeast into water to soften in a large bowl.
  2. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before stirring to combine. Stir in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, butter, 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to yeast mixture.
  3. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
  4. Slowly add the rest of the flour (all purpose), a bit at a time, until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Begin with 1 1/2 cups of flour and increase if necessary.
  5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. 
  6. Place the dough into a greased bowl.
  7. Turn the dough in the bowl to coat the entire ball of dough with oil.
  8. Cover with plastic wrap and rise until doubled, approximately 1 hour.

For the Filling

  1. Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cornstarch in a another bowl, set aside. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Assembly

  1. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle.
  2. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture. 
  3. Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll.
  4. Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into 15 slices. In order to cut down on drag, it helps to rinse the blade in hot water, and wipe it off, between slices.
  5. Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans).
  6. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
  7. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven.
  8. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
  2. Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice to a small food processor.
  3. Blend until smooth and combined.
  4. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending in between, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached. (I used 2 cups powdered sugar)
  5. Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately.

Notes

For night before prep:

Prepare the rolls up to the point where you roll and place in the pan. Then, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the pan from the fridge and proceed with the instructions where you left off.

Note: Rising time may be slightly longer than noted in the recipe due to the dough being cold vs room temp.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 622Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 120gFiber: 8gSugar: 63gProtein: 12g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this?

I’d love it if you let me know what you think! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at @goodlifeeats with the hashtag #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen!

© Good Life Eats
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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Updated: November 9, 2023

Reader Interactions

  1. Great recipe!! I posted in my facebook page. Thank you!!!

  2. These are in my plan for this week! Can’t wait to try them. They look awesome.

  3. Any idea how long these will stay fresh? I’d like to make them on Sunday, but not serve them until Tuesday evening.

    • You can make the rolls ahead of time and freeze them unrisen in the pan. Just cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. When you go to bake them, remove from freezer. Discard the wrapping and allow them to thaw and rise before continuing the baking process. Note: because the rolls are frozen they will take longer to thaw/rise. I usually take them out of the freezer the night before and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator, but the rising time will still be longer after you remove them from the refrigerator in the morning because the dough is cold from being refrigerated rather than room temp.

  4. Hello there, I tried out this recipe- and it was out of this world! I had to use a lot more flour because the dough was very sticky but still it gave a lovely, mouthwatering cinnamon bread which my husband and in-laws loved! I’ve never had a roll come out this soft before. Maybe it was the pumpkin that did it? Anyway, this roll was a great success and my husband’s response has made me make this a fixed item on our breakfast for sunday menu planner. Thank you so much for your great recipes. I will be sure t come back for more great ideas. DHilma

  5. I’ve made these twice now and they are sooo delicious. My family loved them when I made them for Christmas breakfast. Thanks for the recipe! They are now my go-to cinnamon rolls 🙂

  6. Oh my goodness! I’ve never tasted anything so heavenly. I bookmarked this recipe earlier in the fall and forgot about it. I have a recipe for ginger cinnamon rolls, but wanted to use up some cream cheese. I googled and viola! There it was again. Yum. I used some crystalized ginger in the filling. You were absolutely right – there’s no way you can eat just one.

  7. Hi Katie, I found your blog from googling “pumpkin cinnamon rolls”. I am excited to try more of your recipes!

    I tried to make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls the other day and it took hours for them to rise the first time. Then, they just didn’t come out great and I think I messed it up somehow. I tried to follow your recipe exactly as I am new to baking. This was my first time using yeast! I even looked up on YouTube how to knead dough the right way. I couldn’t find any “pastry flour” so I found a recipe online combining regular flour with cake flour to make pastry flour but it wasn’t wheat.

    Can you think of reasons why they wouldn’t rise? I ended up with dry, semi-hard cinnamon rolls and really want to get this right because they look so amazing!!!!!

    Thanks!

    • Hi Margo –

      A few things to check for next time…how old is your yeast? I’m guessing it was new because you said that you’re new to baking, but old yeast definitely does not work well. Also, until you’re able to sense the water temp by touch, go ahead and take the temperature so that it isn’t too hot. Too hot water can kill the yeast. Next time I would just try using all-purpose flour for the whole recipe since you aren’t able to find the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tried the recipe with cake flour so I can’t say how that will affect the results.

      Also, just use rising times as guidelines. If it is cold in the kitchen then your dough will rise slower than during warm weather. (i.e. in winter my house is 68 deg, in summer 74 deg). To help with this you can turn your oven on the lowest it will go, 175 for me. And place your bowl of dough on top of the stove. The oven below will keep that area a little warmer. I’ve also heard of people putting a towel covered heating pad on low underneath their dough bowls in the winter. So instead of relying on the rising times, go by if the dough has doubled in bulk. I mentioned in the cinnamon roll post how I test that.

      Another tip I learned is that you won’t always need the full amount or flour…or you might need more. Everyone measures flour differently so unless the recipe gives the flour measurements in ounces it can be pretty subjective. You’ll want to add flour until the dough is no longer sticky, but is smooth and elastic. If you’ve added less that the recipe says but it feels right then stop there, otherwise you’ll end up with a very stiff and hard to work dough.

      That’s all I can think of. I certainly produced a lot of dry, semi-hard rolls in my beginning days of working with yeast. I think it’s something that most people experience and after a while you get the hang of it. Hope this helps!

  8. I made these originally for a potluck for my college class. I tripled the recipe and left some home. EVERYONE loved them!!! These are fantastic to take anywhere and to leave at home and reheat the next day (if there are any left)! I am now making these for a second time for another potluck … so yummy!!!

    Thank you for sharing!

  9. oo this looks amazing. Just one question, in the recipe it says to use whole wheat pastry flour but I have always been told that whole wheat pastry flour has less gluten than normal whole wheat flour so it shouldn’t be used in yeast bread doughs because the gluten is essential to the rise. Wouldn’t it be better to use a flour like white whole wheat flour instead?
    Let me know your thoughts.
    Thanks

    • Unfortunately I don’t know the answer to that question. I grind my own whole wheat with an electric grinder and use Winter White Wheat. I grind it on the very finest setting, which I guess is why I called it “pastry flour.” If that’s something you’ve heard before, then I would go with that, or you can always use a full amount of all-purpose flour. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

      Also, I just searched King Arthur’s recipes on their website (which is where the pumpkin dough was adapted from) and I see several recipes for whole wheat pastry flour that are yeast breads…so I don’t know? Maybe try emailing them since they are the flour experts. 🙂 If you find anything out, please do let me know.

  10. I made these last week for Thanksgiving and everyone that tried them LOVED them. I am baking some right now for meetings in the morning and I am sure they will be a huge hit! Thanks for the recipe!

  11. wow these were so good, I have my second batch started. Thanks for sharing.

  12. Amazing Katie!!!

    We made these for Thanksgiving morning with a dairy-free cinnamon glaze…so delicious!

    And I doubled the batch and froze two disposable cake pans worth…weekend breakfasts will be so tasty the next few weeks!!!

    Erin

    • Happy Thanksgiving, Erin! I’m so glad you liked them!

  13. Wow these are really good! I am so glad you posted this recipe. We love pumpkin stuff and I wondered if there were such a thing as pumpkin cinnamon rolls, so I googled them & found your site! I will have to try more recipes from your site because this one sure came out great. I used all wheat flour & added pecans. Do you mind if I share it on my blog?
    http://ladykayskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-pecan-cinnamon-rolls.html

    • Share away! So glad you liked them!

  14. Will it still work if I don’t use any whole wheat flour and substitute the regular stuff? Just don’t want to have to buy a lot of whole wheat flour when I only need a bit.
    Thanks!

    • Yep, all purpose will work fine!

    • Hi Dana, I’m so glad you liked it and thanks so much for sharing it!

  16. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! This will be added to my favorite recipes for sure! The rolls are so sweet they don’t even need the icing! Some of the sugar filling fell out when I rolled the log so I sprinkled that on top of each roll. It created a delicious hard carmel crust as it baked (AMAZING!). These are better by far than any cinnabon roll I’ve ever had! (I too had to use a bit more flour; close to three cups)

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