Everyone’s favorite Everyday Cinnamon Rolls get an autumn makeover with tender pumpkin in the dough and spices in the filling. They’re just as easy to make as the original, and such a fun twist for Pumpkin Spice season! This fall version is topped with a simple maple glaze, making this your new go-to.
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Rapid Rise Yeast – Look for yeast labeled as instant, rapid-rise, or quick-rise. This variety contains enzymes and other ingredients that help cut that rise time. This also means you don’t need a double rise as you would with traditional yeast. Rapid rise yeast is sold right next to regular yeast in your store’s baking aisle, in almost identical packaging, so just make sure you read the label to get the right one!
- Flour – While not required, bread flour will result in an unbelievably moist and fluffy finished roll.
- Silicone Dough Mat – Also not required, but super helpful, a giant silicone dough mat is my absolute favorite here; well worth the price- I use mine ALL the time.
- Spices – The filling of these rolls is spiked with some favorite fall spices. You could sub pumpkin pie spice in a pinch, but I prefer measuring them out individually.
- Maple Extract – I use Mapleine. Also called maple flavoring, you will find this by the other extracts and flavors near the spices.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- This recipe is easy because there’s no proofing necessary with the yeast. Just toss it in a bowl with the other dry ingredients and whisk them together.
- Add in an egg and some pumpkin puree
and then with the mixer running, drizzle in a warm milk and melted butter mixture. - That will give you a nice orange-tinted batter, to which you’ll add more flour until you get a nice, soft dough. You’ll then let that knead with your dough hook for a few minutes.
- I say this every time I post a sweet roll recipe, but resist the urge to add more flour than needed. This dough is incredibly soft. The trick is to scrape it onto a well floured surface and handle it very lightly. Don’t knead in all of the flour, just dust all the sides so it won’t stick to you, and especially make sure the bottom is dusted well so it doesn’t stick once you roll it out. A giant silicone dough mat is my absolute favorite here; well worth the price- I use mine ALL the time.
- While your dough is resting for just a minute, whip up the filling. This is basic cinnamon roll filling: butter, brown sugar, and a generous douse of cinnamon, plus those pumpkin-spicey flavors of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You could use pumpkin pie spice as well, but I find I like using the individual spices better.
- Gently spread the filling on and push it out to the edges.
- Then roll them up and slice them (I use dental floss, thread works great too. See this post if you have no idea what I’m talking about!)
- Place them in a pan and let them sit to rise. I have a “proof” setting on my Thermador Oven, but if you don’t- try placing them in a cold oven with the door shut and placing a pan of boiling water underneath them. It creates the perfect little steam room to make nice, plump rolls.
- Once they’ve risen, pop them in the oven until they’re golden brown and then slather them with a little maple glaze while they’re still warm.
and then with the mixer running, drizzle in a warm milk and melted butter mixture.
They’re super yummy with cream cheese frosting, too!
Make sure to eat them warm, and I won’t tell anyone if you even slather a little extra butter in there.
Similar Suggestions
If you’re in the mood for cinnamon rolls, check out my favorite Everyday Cinnamon Rolls, or these Pear-Ginger Cinnamon Rolls.
If pumpkin spice is on your mind, but you’re looking for something quick and easy, try this long time reader favorite: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread!
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead of time? While best baked fresh, you could prepare the rolls up to 12 hours ahead of time. After placing the rolls in your prepared pan, cover the pan with plastic and refrigerate. When ready to bake, pull the pan out and allow the rolls to rise until they’ve doubled in size, then bake as directed. Make them in the evening and pull them out to rise in the morning!
Did You Make This?
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Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- Yield: 12 rolls
Description
Tender pumpkin bread dough is filled with warm, gooey cinnamon sugar filling with hints of fall spices. Topped off with a maple glaze, these Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are amazing!
Ingredients
DOUGH
3/4 cup milk (for best results I recommend whole milk, but anything will work!)
4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
4 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
FILLING
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
ICING
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract
1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Dough: Place milk and 4 Tbs butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for about 45 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds. All microwaves cook differently. The milk should be nice and warm but not scalding. Butter should be at least partially melted. Stir and set aside. In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 C flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt. When milk mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) add it to the flour mixture along with the pumpkin and egg while the beater is running. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and switch to a dough hook. Add remaining flour only until dough comes together and barely leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be very soft and slightly sticky. Continue to let the dough knead for 3-4 minutes. Scrape dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes while you make the filling.
- Filling: make sure butter is softened well, but not melted. Beat with brown sugar and spices until smooth.
- Assembly: Dust dough ball with flour and make sure surface is well floured. Do not overwork dough. Gently roll dough into a rectangle about 18 x 14 inches (eyeball it). Spread brown sugar mixture (it will be slightly thick, you might have to “crumble” it) over the surface and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread around. Roll up from the longer side of the rectangle and pinch edges closed. Score the roll into 12 equal pieces and use dental floss or thread to cut into rolls. Place in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover pan with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30-45 minutes. If you have double ovens, place them in an oven with a pan filled with boiling water while you preheat the other oven. In the mean time, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- When rolls have finished rising bake for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown. (Check them at 15 minutes and watch from there. Total bake time can vary oven to oven.) Mix icing ingredients and then spread on while still warm.
Questions & Reviews
My 15 year old daughter made these a few weeks ago and they turned out amazing! She had never made cinnamon rolls before, but followed your directions and they turned out perfect!
These were perfect!! I shared the recipe with friends 🙂
AMAZING! made these last night, DELICIOUS! Brought them into work, coworkers LOVED it….a little labor intensive for me, bc I dont have a stand mixer, but SO WORTH IT! I topped it with cream cheese whipped cream from your pumpkin pancake recipe…awesome!
These were absolutely amazing. I added a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree to the filling and went crazy on the pumpkin pie spice. Only got to eat one because they disappeared so fast.
Hi Sara, I’m having company during the Holidays but feel like I’d have to be up at the crack of dawn to make these for Breakfast 🙂 Is there any parts that you think would work to make ahead of time?? Thank you!
PS-I’m dying to see/hear more about your new healthy cookbook!!
Colleen – I bought the Fleischman’s rapid rise yeast packets and it says you can make the dough and leave in the fridge for 24 hours… Maybe it will work?
I’ve made cinnamon rolls in the morning by doing everything the night before up until they’re shaped and in the pan, then leaving them in the fridge overnight for that last rise. Then all you have to do in the morning is bake and frost! I usually pull them out of the fridge to warm up a bit as soon as I’m up, then preheat the oven and get going!
I made these last night for a girls night and they were a hit! everyone loved them! They were so easy for me to put together. Definitely something I will make again and soon!
I made these today for a house full of hungry boys, and they loved them! I couldn’t find my maple flavoring, so I used vanilla and stirred in maybe an eighth of a teaspoon of nutmeg. Also, I had some freshly ground whole wheat and I used that for about half the flour. No one noticed because of the color and texture of the pumpkin. And since they’re half whole wheat, I probably ought to eat twice as many, right?
Thanks for the great recipe.
You can DEFINITELY eat more to get in your serving of whole grains. Good girl 😉
would you try and explain more clearly the bit about the pan of hot water ~~???? is it meant to be cooked along side of it for a crisp crust as per artisan bread ??? just not sure what you were meaning there ~~great looking recipe by the way
Denise, it’s simply to create a warm, steamy environment that encourages dough rising, that’s all. The steaming water provides heat and moisture, and the oven simply provides a place to trap it all in.
Good job in converting him! I am with your husband my favorite sweet roll treat is a cinnamon roll. BUT my next favorite is maple bars. So this allows me to have it all rolled (pun intended) in one and thus sparing myself from eating Two sweet rolls. Plus I get a pumpkin fix too. I can still remember the fist time I tasted pumpkin ice cream and what my reaction was to it. And that my dear was when the world was flat, but that’s how big of an impression that pumpkin flavor had on me. Prior to that I wasn’t even that fond of pumpkin pie. I always chose mince.
I made these today with my five yr old. They were coming out of the oven just as everyone else walked in from school. We all loved them! The maple glaze was delicious and the pumpkin flavor was distinctive yet still subtle enough not to be overwhelming. They were soft and yummy and we will definetly be making them again.
Thanks! So glad you liked them!
Oh my GOODNESS these look amazing!!!
Oh.My.Awesomeness. You had me at pumpkin and then, to my surprise, you knocked it out of the park with maple glaze. Maple glaze?!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Do you have my new email address? Have not received any emails lately.
Sunny, we use an automated feed service. Subscribe by using the pink box on the sidebar of our website 🙂
I don’t have a Kitchen Aid (I know – very sad for me), so I do all my kneeling by hand. Do you think the same time 3-4 minutes would be sufficient by hand or should I do closer to 6-8 minutes. These look delicious by the way – can’t wait to try them!
I don’t think it makes a huge difference. Just do it for a few minutes and call it good and I bet they’ll be great!
Thank you! This is the recipe I have been waiting for! I love the everyday cinnamon roll recipe and was wondering how/if I could figure out how to make it Pumpkiny myself. Now I don’t have to! Can’t wait to try these.
YES! Now I have a plan for my husband’s birthday on Saturday. This will make me a VERY popular wife. = )
The maple glaze sounds delicious. Each fall I make the recipe from King Arthur using white whole wheat flour: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-swirl-pumpkin-rolls-recipe. Sometimes I use fresh (not canned) pumpkin and skip adding water. Now you have me thinking I need to make some soon!
Would I do anything differently if I use Instant Yeast? These look so good! I’m going to opt for the cream cheese frosting instead. Yum!
This looks really tasty! I might have to try to make it some time – but maybe minus the glaze…
That glaaaaaaaze!! These look so yummy!