The pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft pumpkin brioche with a creamy and spiced cinnamon filling, perfect for breakfast and a snack. They are a delicious variation of cinnamon rolls, Swedish-origin cinnamon rolls that are already a perfect autumnal and winter leavened dessert. With the pumpkin puree we put directly into the dough, these rolls acquire a warm orange color that makes them perfect for the colder seasons. They are also extremely soft, little pillows that with their spiced and buttery filling melt directly in the mouth. Preparing them is not complicated, in fact, it is quite simple because the dough is easily obtained by combining all the ingredients. You will just need to have a bit of patience to wait for the dough to rise perfectly. Then it will be fun to form these rolls because you just need a kitchen string to get nice big slices to arrange in the baking tray next to each other. With the second rise, the rolls will unite with each other and in baking will swell becoming extremely soft and colorful. The scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices will give even more flavor to these fragrant and very soft cinnamon and pumpkin rolls.
The preparation is very simple: we mix the flour with the pumpkin puree, sugar, soft butter, one beaten egg and yolk, spices, vanilla, and yeast dissolved in milk. Once we have a smooth and soft dough, we let it rise until it doubles in volume. We roll out a large rectangle with the dough and spread it with a filling of butter, brown sugar, and spices. We form a roll and cut 12 slices using a kitchen string. We place them in a buttered tray or two trays and let them rise again for another hour. We bake for 25 minutes at 356°F (180°C) and once cool we spread them with a cream cheese and maple syrup glaze.
Soft, spiced, delicious, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls will become one of your favorite breakfasts in autumn but also a fabulous idea for a snack to accompany with a warm pumpkin spice latte. Try these delicious rolls and let us know if you liked them.
Also discover:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 12 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Swedish
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for making pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin (puree)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp fresh yeast (or 1/2 tbsp of dry yeast)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- nutmeg
- cloves
- cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom)
- 9 oz cream cheese
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Tools for making pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Work surface
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Oven
How to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls
To prepare the pumpkin cinnamon rolls start by making the dough: crumble the fresh yeast and dissolve it in lukewarm milk. Let it rest for about ten minutes. If you use dry yeast, a light foam should form on the surface.
Pour the flour into a bowl and add the spices, a pinch of salt, and the sugar.
Start mixing and then add the previously beaten egg and egg yolk, the soft butter at room temperature, the pumpkin puree, and the vanilla.
Mix and also add the milk and yeast mixture. Knead by hand or use a stand mixer with the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough no longer sticks to the bottom and forms a ball. It should be smooth and slightly sticky.
With lightly floured hands, take the dough, work it for a few moments on a work surface, then put it in a large greased bowl. Let it rise in a warm place covered with plastic wrap or a lid until it doubles in volume. It will take about an hour and a half, maximum two hours.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling by mixing the soft butter with the brown sugar, spices, and a pinch of salt.
When the dough has risen well, press it to release the air, then roll it out on a floured work surface into a rectangle about 18×12 inches (45×30 cm).
Spread the prepared filling on the dough and spread it evenly.
Roll the dough up from the long side to form a large roll, trim the ends, then divide it into twelve pieces by cutting them with a knife or alternatively using kitchen string.
Place the rolls in one or two greased trays.
Cover them with plastic wrap or a cloth and let them rise again in a warm place for about an hour or until they have doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C) and when the rolls are well risen, bake them for about 20-25 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the glaze by mixing the soft cheese with the maple syrup, and if you want, you can add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Remove the pumpkin cinnamon rolls from the oven and let them cool. Cover them with the prepared cream cheese glaze and enjoy.
Simo and Cicci recommend
You can store the pumpkin cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
You can substitute the cream cheese glaze with a glaze made with powdered sugar and maple syrup. In this case, you can store the pumpkin cinnamon rolls at room temperature in a glass dome.
You can easily obtain pumpkin puree by simply cutting the pumpkin into slices and baking or steaming it. When it is soft, mash it with a fork and it’s ready.
