Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

Everyone’s favorite  Everyday Cinnamon Rolls get an autumn makeover with tender pumpkin in the dough and spices in the filling.  These Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are 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.

pan of cinnamon rolls

Ingredients and Equipment Needed

Dough

  • Milk – For best results I recommend whole milk, but anything will work!
  • Butter – Use real butter.
  • All-purpose flour
  • 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!
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Pumpkin puree – Make sure you’re getting 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Egg

Filling

  • Brown sugar
  • Butter – Use real butter.
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Cloves

Icing

  • Powdered sugar
  • Melted butter
  • Maple extract – I just use Mapleine because it’s usually the easiest maple flavor to find. Also called maple flavoring, you will find this by the other extracts and flavors near the spices. If you prefer, use pure maple extract.
  • Milk – Any milk will do.

Equipment

  • 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.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

  1. 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.
  2. Add in an egg and some pumpkin puree and then with the mixer running, drizzle in a warm milk and melted butter mixture.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Gently spread the filling on and push it out to the edges.
  7. Then roll them up and slice them. I use dental floss, but thread works great too.  See this post if you have no idea what I’m talking about
  8. 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.
  9. 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. Make sure to eat them warm, and I won’t tell anyone if you even slather a little extra butter in there.

Frequently Asked Questions

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!

Do I have to do maple flavored glaze?

In my opinion you should, but no, you don’t have to! You could absolutely use vanilla extract in place of the maple flavor or try this Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting.

pumpkin roll on white plate

 

pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls in baking dish on towel

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 7 votes
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!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rising Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings12 rolls

Ingredients

Dough

  • ¾ cup milk for best results I recommend whole milk, but anything will work!
  • 4 tablespoons butter cut into chunks
  • 4 – 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg

Filling

  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves

Icing

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons maple extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Dough: Place milk and 4 tablespoons 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 cups 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: Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • 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. 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 ℉.
  • 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.

Notes

  • Store finished rolls, tightly covered on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days (but really these are going to be best fresh out of the oven or eaten the next day!).
  • To make the day before: If you’d like fresh rolls in the morning, you can save yourself some time and prepare these pre-baked the day before.  Simply follow the instructions as written, but after rolls have been placed in the pan, immediately cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge.  The next morning, put them out and let them rise as room temp and continue as instructions describe.
  • Freezer instructions for planning ahead: After rolls are sliced and before they rise, immediately place in/on a parchment-lined pan in the freezer.  When they are frozen, remove them from the parchment and place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for easier storage.
  • To cook from frozen:  Bring to room temperature and then allow to rise as normal. You can transfer them to the fridge to thaw overnight, and then place them on the counter in the morning to plump and rise, or you can place your frozen rolls at room temperature and wait for them to thaw and then rise (just like you would Rhodes Rolls). The total time for both of these really depends on the temperature of your home and other factors.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal, Carbohydrates: 76g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 217mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 3619IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 3mg
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Calories: 454kcal
Author: Sara Wells
Cost: $8
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
woman in denim shirt holding a salad bowl
Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite RecipesSavoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting MagazineBetter Homes & GardensFine CookingThe Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

Read More

Join The Discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Questions & Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    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!

  2. 5 stars
    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!

  3. 5 stars
    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.

  4. 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!!

    1. 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?

    2. 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!

  5. 5 stars
    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!

  6. 5 stars
    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.

    1. You can DEFINITELY eat more to get in your serving of whole grains. Good girl 😉

  7. 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

    1. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 5 stars
    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.

  10. 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.

    1. Sunny, we use an automated feed service. Subscribe by using the pink box on the sidebar of our website 🙂

  11. 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!

    1. 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!

  12. 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.

  13. YES! Now I have a plan for my husband’s birthday on Saturday. This will make me a VERY popular wife. = )

  14. 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!

  15. This looks really tasty! I might have to try to make it some time – but maybe minus the glaze…