Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting – a recipe you’re going to love from start to finish! Easy to make, soft and gooey, and full of that amazing fall flavor. The smell alone will fill your home with the best fall scents, as well as cause your tummy to grumble in anticipation.
These soft and gooey treats are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. They are perfect with a warm cup of coffee on these cool, fall mornings!
CALLING ALL PUMPKIN LOVERS
If you’re a pumpkin-anything lover, or you know someone who is, then make this recipe as soon as possible! These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting are warm, soft and gooey (like they should be!), and the perfect way to welcome in all things fall and holiday related.
Trust me when I tell you that you (and hopefully your family and friends) are going to polish these cinnamon rolls off in no time. They are that good. So gather the ingredients, get to baking, and pour yourself a glass of milk to wash these down. You’re about to be one happy, pumpkin-loving camper! 😉
Let’s not forget the frosting.
The frosting…
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Sweet, smooth, and incredibly decadent cream cheese frosting. You are going to be licking your fingers clean. You may even lick the mixing bowl clean! Hey, no judgements here. How do you think I know how good it is??
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Half & Half
All four come together to make a creamy, sticky, and sweet frosting that compliments the pumpkin, cinnamon flavors of this recipe quite well. Make the frosting by combining the powdered sugar, cream cheese (best if softened to room temperature), vanilla extract, and half & half into a small mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and no clumps remain. I find that using a fork with break up and mix the cream cheese works a little better than using a whisk.
Spread the frosting all over the warm cinnamon rolls and devour! Remember, its ok to share!
MORE DELICIOUSLY SWEET RECIPES TO TRY
- Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Muffins – If you love a tart, yet sweet, muffin – then you will love this recipe! Easy to make and perfect for those on-the-go mornings. Pairs well with coffee!
- Skinny Double Chocolate Walnut Brownies – Light on the calories for those days we all need a chocolate fix!
- Greek Yogurt Banana Coffee Cake Muffins – Incredibly decadent muffin recipe! A childhood favorite lightened up a bit. Perfect with a tall, cold glass of milk. Mmmmm!
- Greek Yogurt Banana Coffee Cake Muffins – One of the most remade muffins on my blog! Easy, healthy and absolutely delicious!
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Mug Cake – Perfect if you’re single or simply looking to make a single serving dessert! Sometimes it’s easier to keep from over-indulging. Right?
TIPS AND GOOD THINGS TO KNOW
→ Rolls are best served warm. To reheat in the microwave: 15+ seconds. Be careful as the center may be very hot! Oven: 350 degrees F, covered, for approximately 10-15 minutes.
→ If you are wanting to control portion sizes and freeze some for later, I would recommend making the dough with the filling and baking completely. Allow them to cool before placing them into the freezer. Glaze them when thawed and rewarmed.
→ The pumpkin spice really helps to bring out the pumpkin flavor in this recipe, so don’t skimp on the spice at all!
→ If your knife is sticking while slicing, flour the knife or use plain dental floss to wrap around the roll and slice.
→ Don’t use cold ingredients in the dough! Make sure the milk is heated properly for the yeast and the butter is softened to room temperature.
→ Make sure to roll the dough tightly. The dough will expand when it bakes, so you want to make sure to roll it tight to keep the filling on the inside and to prevent them from baking apart!
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TOOLS USED TO MAKE THESE PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS
- Pumpkin Spice: I buy organic, but here is a cheaper version available if you won’t use it much, Pumpkin Pie Spice. Buying this spice is easier (and cheaper) than buying each individual spice to make a mix: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.
- 100% Pure Pumpkin: Be sure to get pure pumpkin – not pumpkin pie filling!
- Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Instant Yeast – Fast Acting: Make sure to get the instant yeast! This helps cut down on the time needed for the dough to rise.
- Kitchenaid Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield: I have had this mixer for years and it works beautifully for recipes like this where the dough needs to be throughly mixed and kneaded. It comes with the dough hook, as well as other attachments.
- Harbor Digital Instant Read Thermometer: Works great to make sure the half & half is the perfect temperature before adding the yeast. I use this thermometer for everything – especially making sure meats are cooked to temp!
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp Rapid Rise Instant Yeast
- 3/4 cup half & half, warmed to 110-115F (or substitute with milk)
Filling:
- 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, (melted)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
Frosting:
- 6 oz cream cheese, (softened (left out on the counter))
- 1 cup powdered sugar, (more or less to your sweet tooth taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp half & half, (or milk)
Instructions:
- To a glass measuring cup, combine instant yeast with warmed half-n-half (or milk). Make sure the liquid is between 110-115 degrees F. Check the directions on the back of the yeast package to see the exact temperature for that yeast product, to be mixed with liquids.
- To a mixer or bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, butter, salt, and eggs.
- Combine the milk and yeast mixture with the rest of the dough ingredients and run mixer (or hand mix) for 5-7 minutes to form a ball of dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Leave dough to rise for 1 hour or until it is approximately twice it's size.
- When ready, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Lightly flour your countertop to roll.
- Roll the dough out into a 16" x 22" rectangle that is approximately 1/4" thick. Coat with the melted butter from edge to edge, covering completely. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice all over, from edge to edge.
- Carefully roll the longer bottom edge to the top edge, so that the roll is approximately 22" long. Start by slicing down the center, creating two halves. Then slice down the center of those halves, and so forth. I find it's easier to get more consistently even slices this way. You should have 12 rolls total.
- Place each roll into the prepared baking dish and bake 15-20 minutes. I found they were perfect at 15 minutes, but I like mine a teensy bit gooey. Check at 15 minutes.
- While the cinnamon rolls are cooling, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and half-n-half into a mixing bowl. Add the half-n-half 1 tablespoon at a time. Some may like their frosting thick, while some may like it more thinned out.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the rolls, making sure to cover each one thoroughly.
