Cinnamon Rolls are good any time of year for any (or no) occasion. They’re extra special when you cozy up with a fresh, hot and gooey one during the fall and winter holidays. Feeling the fall spirit particularly strong this year, I decided to welcome the season with a cinnamon roll dressed for the part. In other words, they’re slathered in pumpkin butter and generously doused in pumpkin pie spice.
These might just be the best cinnamon rolls you’ll ever eat. The dough is supremely soft and fluffy, the filling is sweet and pumpkiny without being sickeningly over-spiced, and the maple cream cheese frosting is that extra bit of luscious topping every cinnamon roll loves. As the base for this delectable roll, the dough itself is spruced up with real pumpkin puree and follows a basic dough working and proofing process, made super easy with instant yeast. I usually use active dry yeast, which would work equally well here, but it’s just too fast and easy with instant not to use it.
Now the rolls pictured here are technically “mini” since I divided the risen dough in half before rolling it up with the filling, so it’s entirely up to you to go full-size or half. These babies weren’t exactly small either, so I think mini might just be the way to go, especially if you’d like a higher yield of rolls. The pumpkin butter and brown sugar-spice mixture with the added flair from the pumpkin pie spices make for the perfect gooey filling once baked. And call me crazy, but I get more excited to see the interesting maple flavored goodies that pop up in stores this time of year than the usual pumpkin-flavored everything. So this cream cheese maple frosting is a unique and subtle dose of something special to top the already mouth-watering cinnamon-pumpkin dough balls. The maple syrup gives a subtle, earthly flavor beyond the normal sweetness of the sugar and enhances the tang of the cream cheese beautifully.
Whether as an offering for a seasonal gathering or simply to fill your home with the warmth and flavors of fall, these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are an absolute dream definitely fit for any autumnal festivities. Indulge with a glass of ice cold whole milk! 🥛
In a large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, add the warm milk and sprinkle the yeast on top.
Add in the egg and yolk, butter, sugar, pumpkin puree, and spices. Whisk all together until smooth and combined.
Fit the dough hook attachment to the stand mixer, add in the flour and salt and begin mixing on medium speed until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. It is normal for the dough to stick to the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it to rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Filling
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and spices until well-combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the butter and pumpkin puree until smooth.
Roll the Dough**
Flour your working surface and roll out dough into about a 14 x 20 inch rectangle.
Using a rubber spatula, spread the pumpkin butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving about a ½ inch edge.
Sprinkle the brown sugar spice mix over the butter and press it down firmly.
Starting from the long edge, roll each rectangle up tightly into a log.
Cut the dough into about 1 to 1 ½ inch slices for a total of 12 rolls for each log. Transfer the rolls to a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Cover and allow to proof again for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.***
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Pour the heavy cream around the cinnamon rolls in the pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract and heavy cream until creamy.
Frost the warm rolls and enjoy!
Notes:
* If using active dry yeast, allow the milk/yeast mix to sit covered for about 10 minutes until foam, then proceed with the remaining instructions as indicated.
** To make “mini” rolls as pictured in these photos, divide the risen dough in half and roll out into 2 rectangles about 8 x 12 inches to make 2 logs and cut into 24 rolls.
*** If proofing the second rise overnight, simply pull the rolls out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
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