The best homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with real pumpkin baked into the dough, and a pumpkin pie spice filling. Soft, fluffy, gooey and delicious, plus a cream cheese frosting to finish. Egg free and vegan friendly.
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Post updated November 2023 with more information. Originally published October 2021, same delicious recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The perfect weekend baking project – who doesn’t want to enjoy warm cinnamon rolls on chilly fall mornings?
- Pumpkin lover’s dream with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice in the dough and filling!
- Soft, bouncy, fluffy – everything in a cinnamon roll you love with the ultimate gooey filling!
- Try something new! You will love challenging yourself with a new recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
Fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls start with a list of the right ingredients. For ease, the ingredients have been broken down into the dough, filling and frosting. These luscious rolls are made without eggs and the recipe can be made dairy-free and vegan friendly as well. Here’s a look in more detail of what we need:
Dough:
- cashew milk – or your choice of milk.
- rapid rise yeast – I prefer using active dry yeast or quick yeast. One packet is equal to 2 1/4 teaspoons.
- brown sugar or coconut sugar – either works here!
- butter – unsalted, vegan butter or conventional butter is best, but coconut oil works too.
- pumpkin puree – I used canned pumpkin puree and can’t speak to the results using homemade pumpkin puree, but it should work. You may need more flour to compensate for the extra moisture in homemade puree.
- flour – unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour will give you the fluffiest rolls and taste amazing. If looking to add whole grains you can use 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. OR 3-ish cups of whole wheat white flour or whole wheat pastry flour, just know the dough will be more dense. I didn’t test this with any gluten-free flours.
- spices – pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon for a delicious cinnamon roll dough.
- fine sea salt – to enhance all those fall flavors!
Filling:
- unsalted butter – or vegan butter, just make sure it is room temperature as cold butter can tear the dough.
- dark brown sugar – or coconut sugar, to give it that gooey sweetness.
- spices – we are using ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in the filling too, to really amp up those flavors!
Frosting:
- cream cheese – softened is important here! So let it sit at room temperature as you’re preparing and making the cinnamon rolls. Note: I love a traditional cream cheese frosting for these pumpkin cinnamon rolls. It’s really the perfect pairing. If you’re looking to make cinnamon roll icing dairy free you could either sub the cream cheese frosting with a dairy-free, vegan-friendly brand, or make a simple powdered sugar glaze.
- vanilla extract – for a hint of flavor in the frosting.
- powdered sugar – to sweeten it up into frosting.
- yogurt / whole milk – the yogurt or milk helps to thin out the frosting to the right consistency. Use regular dairy or your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
If you haven’t made cinnamon rolls yet, I walk you through all the little details so you can feel confident in your pumpkin cinnamon roll baking skills! I can assure you, these are worth the time and effort and will not disappoint. Here’s how I like to make them:
Make the Dough
Warm the milk to 110 F (about lukewarm) by placing it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Note: If the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast, so you can check the temperature with an instant read thermometer to be extra sure.
Then, proof the yeast by combining sugar, yeast and warm milk in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and let it sit for about 10 minutes, until the top is foamy.
If the mixture did not get foamy, your yeast is not active. So make sure you’re not pulling old yeast packets out from months and months ago – check the dates.
Then, add the pumpkin puree and melted butter, then stir in the flour (and touch of salt) about 1/2 cup at a time with the paddle attachment. The dough will start to come together around 3 cups of flour. You’ll know it’s time for the dough hook when the dough looks elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Next, change to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. You’ll need to add more flour here as the dough begins to ball up but likely stick to the bottom. I add about 2 tablespoons at a time, take the dough off the hook to reshape and then place back in the bowl to continue kneading.
Once you’ve kneaded the dough for 5 minutes, it needs to rise in a draft-free place, or a warm place in your kitchen.
TIP: Set the oven to 170ºF, turn off once it reaches temperature and allow the dough to rise in a lightly greased large bowl until it doubles in size – about 45 minutes.
Roll the Dough
After the first rise, lightly flour a rolling pin and clean work surface. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 15″ x 9″. Be gentle and patient as you roll out the dough.
Spread the entire surface with the softened butter, then sprinkle on the brown sugar and spices. Pat gently into the butter so everything sticks.
Then, roll up the rectangle starting with the long side into a long roll, slice into 12 rolls.
Bake
Bake the cinnamon rolls until the tops are lightly golden and when you push them they kind of spring back a little bit, about 20-25 minutes.
Check the rolls half way through baking and if the tops are browning too quickly, cover the cinnamon rolls with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Easiest Way to Slice Cinnamon Rolls
Follow the floss method for a clean cut! Simply use unflavored dental floss and shimmy the floss under the log, pull the floss together towards each other in the center and pull down until you’ve cut the roll.
Trust me, it’s so easy and you won’t run the risk of smushing your dough roll as you try to cut into it.
If you don’t have floss, use a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1 1/2″ width. You should get about 12 rolls for a 9×13 pan. Place rolls in a greased pan, leaving room to rise, and put the pan in draft-free environment. You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation.
Make the Frosting
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar and non-dairy yogurt or milk and mix on low speed until combined.
Spread over the warm rolls!
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Method
If you’re looking to have fresh cinnamon rolls the next morning but don’t want to be up super early, here’s what you do:
- Prep the recipe up until you’ve sliced the dough, and place rolls in the baking dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, remove the pan from the fridge about 45 minutes before pre-heating the oven.
- Place the rolls in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Nothing says pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls more than a crisp fall morning. Serve these any time of day with some freshly brewed coffee or tea.
This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving morning or Christmas morning, too!
How to Store
Delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days.
When ready to enjoy, rewarm in a preheated 350 F oven for 5-10 minutes, or pop one in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
Recipe Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:
Don’t overheat the milk! The milk should be 110 degrees F. Anything hotter and it will kill the yeast. Dip your finger in the milk to check the temperature – it should be slightly warm to the touch – or use an instant-read thermometer. If it’s too hot, wait a few minutes for it to cool down.
Pat the brown sugar and spices into the butter after rolling out the dough. This helps it adhere and keeps the filling intact.
Do not use too much flour for rolling, or your dough will be stiff.
Make sure you leave enough room in your baking dish for the rolls to rise again. I spread mine out just a little bit so as you wait for the second rise, they don’t overcrowd each other.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you make this Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup cashew milk, or milk of choice
- 2 ¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast, 1 packet
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, vegan butter or coconut oil, melted & cooled, plus more for greasing
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin purée
- 3 ½ – 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, or bread flour for extra fluffy
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Filling
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter, softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Frosting
- 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons yogurt or milk, to thin frosting as desired
Instructions
- Mix warm milk: In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, heat milk for about 20-30 seconds. Allow temperature of mixture to reach 110F (or lukewarm). If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. Add yeast and sugar into large mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer and gently add milk. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 10 minutes, until top is foamy. If your mixture doesn’t get foamy, the yeast did not activate.
- Make Dough: Once the milk and yeast mixture is foamy, add melted butter and canned pumpkin mixing on low speed until combined. Add 1 cup flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and salt and start to mix on low speed. Then begin adding more flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. You will likely need about 3 ½ cups. Dough should be elastic and start to pull away from the side of bowl when it is ready. At this time, change the attachment to the dough hook, and allow the hook to knead the dough on low speed for about 5 minutes. Dough should remain soft but not overly sticky – this is typically where I add another ¼ cup of flour with the mixer running, then stop the mixer once the flour has mixed in slightly, reposition the dough and start the mixer again to continue kneading the dough.
- Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl and shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball into the greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in warm environment until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. TIP: Set oven to warm or preheated to 170F then turn off. Place the bowl in the warmed oven and allow to rise.
- Roll out & slice: Grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter or, set aside. Once the dough has about doubled in size, lightly cover rolling pin and a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a 15×9 inch rectangle. Be patient, and roll gently. Don’t use too much flour or your dough will be stiff. Spread on softened butter, sprinkle sugar and spices; gently pat to let sugar absorb into butter slightly. Using the heels of your hands and thumbs, gently roll dough into a long roll, placing seam side down. Use the floss method to slice rolls (helps for a visual) or a serrated knife to gently cut into about 1 1/2″ width. You should get about 12 rolls for a 9×13 pan. Place rolls in greased pan, leaving room to rise, and put the pan in draft-free environment. You can use the warm oven tip above. See notes below for overnight adaptation.
- Bake: Once the rolls have risen again slightly (about 15 minutes), preheat the oven to 350ºF (take rolls out and wait for oven to get up to 350F). Bake cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Then, if necessary, cover top of rolls with foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Covering the rolls for the last 5-10 minutes will prevent them from getting too brown on the top.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: In medium bowl using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, powdered sugar and yogurt (or milk) and mix on low speed until combined. Spread on slightly cooled pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Best served warm – enjoy!
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