WARNING: If you live alone, make these at your own risk. You may end up eating all 12 rolls yourself. A safer option is to make these on Thanksgiving morning and share them with your friends and family while you’re otherwise occupied, but make sure you set one aside as a reward for all that cooking.
These rolls are packed with pumpkin, both in the dough and in the filling. For the filling, you’ll reduce the pumpkin puree in a saucepan for about 5 minutes to release some of the moisture and concentrate the flavor. It’s worth the extra step, I promise!
These can be made the morning you serve them or you can prep them the night before and bake them the next day. If you want to proof them overnight, place them in your greased pan, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Let them sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes then bake!
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Dough:
3/4 cup milk (whole, 2% or almond)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons quick rise yeast (1/4-ounce package)
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg, at room temperature
4 cups flour, spooned and leveled, plus additional (optional)
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup reduced pumpkin puree
Icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus additional (optional)
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 pinch salt
milk (optional)
To make dough: In microwave-safe bowl, microwave milk about 45 seconds until it reaches approximately 110 F. Transfer warm milk and sugar to bowl of electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Stir in pumpkin puree, melted butter and egg, mixing until smooth, well combined and creamy. Using wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt until dough begins to form.
Attach dough hook to stand mixer and mix dough on low speed 8-10 minutes until slightly sticky. If it’s still too sticky to handle, add 1 tablespoon flour at a time until it’s smooth enough to form into ball.
Form dough into ball, place in lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel. Place in warm area to proof about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to floured surface and, using well-floured rolling pin, roll dough into 14-by-16-inch rectangle.
To make filling: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and reduced pumpkin puree to form paste. Carefully spread over rolled out dough.
Starting at 14-inch end of dough, tightly roll into log and place seam side down. Trim off both ends to 12-inch log. Score dough so rolls are 1 inch each.
Place cut rolls in greased 9-by-13-inch metal pan or 10-inch round metal or cast-iron pan. Line pan with parchment paper to avoid sticking if filling leaks while baking. Cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and place back in warm area to rest 30 minutes. (If baking following morning, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
Heat oven to 350 F and bake 22-25 minutes until lightly golden brown on edges.
To make icing: In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, maple syrup and salt; beat until combined. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add splash of milk. Spread on slightly cooled rolls and serve.
Hi! I'm Bayleigh, the baker and photographer behind Baked By Bayleigh. When I'm not in my little kitchen baking up a storm, you can find me around Kansas City doing Visual Merchandising for Under Armour or at CityGym in Waldo beating up a punching bag! I started Baked By Bayleigh a little over a year ago after several people in my life asked me to start baking for their birthdays and special events and I thought I might as well brush up on my photography skills and carve out my own little piece of the internet to see where it takes me! Baking is truly my passion and I love nothing more than making other people happy with what comes out of my kitchen. I hope you enjoy my recipes and if you need a sweet treat for a birthday, a special occasion, or even just a Wednesday, you know where to find me!