Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are what I crave when the air turns crisp and I find myself feeling… I dunno, just hungry for cozy. Have you ever wanted something sweet, soft, dreamy, but the regular cinnamon rolls just feel a bit plain for the season? Adding pumpkin turns them into magic. Honestly, these are the rolls I make when I want people to think I’m a five-star breakfast champion. If you’re into pumpkin stuff (I mean, who isn’t?), you might want to check out these delicious soft cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread mini loaves or my must-repeat favorite, delicious pumpkin muffins bake again and again. All right, let’s tear into what makes these my go-to fall bake.
Why These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Are a Must-Bake This Fall
Okay, real talk. I used to think pumpkin cinnamon rolls were just a “meh” twist on a classic. Wrong. The pumpkin in the dough makes these rolls super soft — and gives them this golden-orange color that’s just wild for a breakfast treat. The best part? The warm spices mixed with pumpkin just scream autumn. Frosting them with cream cheese glaze makes everything gooey… then you can say goodbye to boring mornings. I once brought a tray to my neighbor’s brunch and, listen, grown adults elbowed each other for seconds. That never happens with plain rolls. If you’re bored of the usual or wanna wow a crowd, this is your go-for-it recipe.
“These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are the fluffiest rolls I’ve ever had. My family was obsessed! The pumpkin flavor with that glaze is unreal.” – Rachel, weekend baker
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Use Fresh Yeast | Ensure your yeast is fresh and active for the best rise. A quick test: mix yeast with warm water and sugar, it should bubble. |
| Warm Ingredients | Using warm (not hot) milk and letting your dough rise in a warm place makes a big difference in fluffiness. |
| Don’t Skip Glaze | The cream cheese glaze is a game changer. It adds moisture and flavor, making your rolls irresistible. |
| Cool Before Serving | Let them cool slightly before icing for a thicker glaze that holds its shape better. |
| Experiment with Fillings | Feel free to add nuts or chocolate chips to the filling for extra texture and flavor. |
Ingredients You’ll Need (Plus Substitution Tips)
To get the rolls perfect, here’s what you’ll scoop up:
- Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling or it’s way too sweet)
- All-purpose flour (I use the regular stuff, nothing fancy)
- Warm milk (whole milk, but I’ve used 2% in a pinch… don’t tell my grandma)
- Granulated sugar (basic white kind for dough)
- Brown sugar (adds caramel-y flavor to swirl)
- Salt (don’t skip or your dough tastes flat)
- Butter (melted for dough, soft for the filling)
- Instant yeast (it just works faster for me)
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (the pumpkin spice situation)
- Egg (makes dough rich and tender)
- Cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla (for the heavenly glaze)
If you need to swap: Oat milk works in place of regular milk if you gotta. You can use bread flour if you want a chewier roll — though all-purpose is fine. No cream cheese? Mix up a basic vanilla glaze or honestly, try the top from my fall for irresistible pumpkin cream cheese bread for something new.
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch (Step-by-Step)
Here’s how it generally goes. Don’t overthink it — I promise it’s not that hard:
Start by warming the milk (just until it’s like bathwater warm… not scalding!). Toss in the yeast and a little sugar, let it get foamy. In a big bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, egg, butter, and the bubbly yeast milk. Add your dry stuff — slow and steady, just until a sticky dough forms. Yeah, it’ll be sticky. That’s good.
Knead until smooth, either by hand or stand mixer if you’ve got one — maybe 5-7 minutes. Leave the dough to rise till it’s doubled. This part feels like it takes forever, but go start some delicious pumpkin spice milk recipe at home while you wait. Roll it out into a big rectangle. Spread with softened butter, scatter brown sugar, and then sprinkle all the spiced goodness. Roll it up tight, slice into rounds, let them hang out for another rise.
Bake till the rolls puff and brown slightly on top. Immediately, while still warm, slather on that cream cheese glaze so it melts into all the cracks. (Drool.)
Expert Tips for Soft, Fluffy Rolls Every Time
Here’s the honest secrets I’ve picked up after a few, uh, “learning experiences.”
First, make sure your yeast is alive. (Dead yeast means dense, sad rolls. Learned that the hard way.) Let the dough double — don’t rush it because impatient dough is cranky. Use pumpkin puree, not pie filling, or you’ll get weird, overly sweet flavor. I always go big on the glaze, frankly, because it covers up all mistakes and makes the rolls taste like a fancy bakery special.
Also, let the rolls cool just a smidge before icing them so the glaze is thick but still oozy. Oh and if your kitchen’s freezing, park the dough in your oven with just the oven light on. Instant cozy, like a little dough nap spa.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Filling Ideas & Toppings
So yes, your classic cinnamon and brown sugar swirl is awesome. But want to mess with tradition? Try adding toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch. A handful of mini chocolate chips in the swirl is ridiculous in the best way. Still, honestly, the cream cheese glaze is king — but if you don’t like cream cheese (gasp) a drizzle of plain vanilla icing works. I’ve even tried a maple glaze when I was out of cream cheese and had Canadian syrup in the fridge. It was wild, not bad.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you wanna sound fancy at brunch. Some folks even add a little pumpkin spice cake crumble on top for, well, more pumpkin! Just have fun — nobody ever complained about too much frosting, right?
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze Your Rolls
If (big if) there are leftovers, here’s what works for me:
- Store cooled rolls in an airtight container at room temp for about 2 days.
- Want ‘em warm again? Zap for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. So gooey.
- Freeze individually (that way, late night snacking stays easy). Defrost overnight or do the microwave trick.
- Baked rolls without icing hold up better for freezing, actually.
One time I left a batch on the counter overnight and they dried out, so seriously, airtight is the magic word here.
More Cozy Fall Recipes You’ll Love
I get it, you can’t live on pumpkin cinnamon rolls alone… tempting as it is. If you want to keep going all-in with pumpkin, I’ve got more ideas. Check out irresistibly moist chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe if you need something chocolatey. Those who want loads of spice will love pumpkin spice cake moist fluffy fall inspired. Maybe you like a little veggie in your dessert? Don’t miss pumpkin zucchini bread moist spiced fall inspired. And if you want a snack for movie night, that heavenly pumpkin spice caramel popcorn easy recipe is always a riot.
Common Questions
Do I have to use pumpkin puree or can I use pumpkin pie filling?
Always use plain pumpkin puree. The pie filling has sugar and spices already, which just feels wrong in this dough.
Can I make these rolls ahead of time?
Yep! Assemble, let them rise in the fridge overnight, then bake in the morning so you wake up to that fresh sweet smell.
My dough isn’t rising. What gives?
Check your yeast — if it doesn’t foam in warm milk, it’s probably old. Also, cold kitchens slow the process.
Can I freeze the dough or the baked rolls?
Both work. I’ve frozen shaped, unbaked rolls before and baked straight from the freezer, just add extra minutes.
What if I don’t like cream cheese glaze?
No judgment. Use a simple vanilla or maple icing, or even just powdered sugar dusted on top.
Pumpkin Rolls So Good You’ll Eat More Than You Should
There you have it — all my best tips for soft & fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls (with cream cheese glaze!). These aren’t just any breakfast rolls, honestly, they’re a fall tradition at my messy little kitchen table. If you want more inspiration, check out the classics like these insanely good Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat from Ambitious Kitchen or get tips from Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls by Sally’s Baking for new ideas. The Pioneer Woman’s twist is wild too, and for a slightly different take, I love pumpkin cinnamon rolls from Smitten Kitchen. Oh, and don’t miss the pure comfort of Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls from Butternut Bakery. Go bake a pan. If you don’t eat at least two in one sitting, you’ve got way more willpower than me.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft and fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls topped with a creamy glaze, perfect for fall mornings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup warm milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, melted (for dough), soft (for filling)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 large egg
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the milk until bathwater warm, then mix in yeast and sugar, letting it foam.
- In a bowl, combine pumpkin puree, egg, butter, and the foamy yeast milk.
- Gradually add dry ingredients until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough until smooth (5-7 minutes), then let it rise until doubled in size.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangle, spread with softened butter, and sprinkle with brown sugar and spices.
- Roll tightly, slice into rounds, and let them rise again.
- Bake until puffed and golden, then apply cream cheese glaze while still warm.
Notes
Make sure yeast is fresh; use pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Let rolls cool slightly before icing for a thicker glaze.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baked Goods
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg