Pumpkin cinnamon rolls are regular cinnamon rolls with pumpkin puree worked right into the dough, which makes them softer, a little denser in a good way, and a very pretty orange inside. This recipe makes 12 big rolls with a brown sugar spice filling and a tangy cream cheese frosting, and you can shape them the night before so breakfast is mostly baking and frosting.
They are having a moment, too. Searches for “pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe” on Pinterest in the US jumped about 500% over the summer into September 2026 and are roughly 20 times higher than this time last year. So if your feed is full of them, that’s why.
RECIPE
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk warmed to about 110°F
- 2 1/4 tsp instant or active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 180 g, blotted
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 440 to 470 g, spooned and leveled
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter very soft
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk as needed
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Method
- Stir the warm milk, yeast and a pinch of the brown sugar together. Let it sit 5 minutes until foamy (instant yeast can skip the wait).
- Add the rest of the brown sugar, pumpkin, melted butter, egg, salt and pumpkin pie spice and whisk smooth. Mix in 3 1/2 cups flour until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead 6 to 8 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a dough hook. The dough should be soft and a little tacky. Add more flour only a spoonful at a time.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
- Roll the dough into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle. Spread the soft butter to the edges, then scatter the brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice over it.
- Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 12 rolls with unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife. Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
- Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes until puffy and touching. (Or refrigerate overnight, see notes.)
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 26 minutes, until golden and the center roll reads about 190°F (88°C).
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and enough milk to make it spreadable. Frost the rolls while they are still warm.
Notes
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Why Pumpkin Makes Better Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin adds moisture and a bit of natural sugar, so the rolls stay tender for days instead of going stiff by the afternoon. It also gives you a sticky dough, and that’s the part most people fight. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky after kneading. If you keep adding flour until it stops sticking, you end up with dry, bready rolls.
The fix is simple: blot the pumpkin first. Spread it on a double layer of paper towels, press another towel on top, and leave it for 5 minutes. You’ll pull out a surprising amount of water, and the dough comes together with less flour.
Ingredients That Matter
- Pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it will throw off the dough.
- Brown sugar in the dough and filling. It pairs better with pumpkin than white sugar and keeps the filling gooey.
- Room temperature egg and warm milk. Cold ingredients slow the yeast down, and pumpkin dough is already on the slow side.
- Cream cheese frosting. The tang balances the sweet filling. A plain glaze works, but it’s not the same.
How to Shape and Cut Them Neatly
Roll the dough into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle and spread the butter all the way to the edges. Very soft butter spreads without tearing the dough; melted butter tends to leak out while baking. Sprinkle the sugar and spices evenly, then roll it up tightly from the long side and pinch the seam closed.
For clean cuts, slide a piece of unflavored dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top and pull. It cuts without squashing the swirl. Mark 12 even pieces with a knife first so the rolls bake at the same speed.
Make-Ahead and Overnight Method
Shape the rolls, put them in the pan, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 16 hours. In the morning, let the pan sit on the counter for 45 to 60 minutes while the oven heats. The rolls will finish rising and bake exactly the same.
You’ll probably see a trend where people pour warm heavy cream over cinnamon rolls before baking. It works here too: pour about 1/3 cup warm heavy cream around the rolls right before they go in the oven. It soaks into the bottoms and makes them extra gooey. Nice, not required.
How to Tell They’re Done
Golden tops can fool you, especially with pumpkin dough, which browns faster. Use an instant-read thermometer in the center roll: about 190°F (88°C) means fully baked. If the tops brown before that, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pan for the last few minutes.
Serving Ideas
- Serve warm with coffee and a drizzle of homemade pumpkin spice syrup in your latte.
- Stale rolls make excellent cinnamon roll French toast. Our vanilla cinnamon French toast method works with thick slices.
- Baking for a crowd? Pair them with a loaf of pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl.
Storing and Freezing
Frosted rolls keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days because of the cream cheese. To freeze, wrap baked, unfrosted rolls tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, warm in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes, then frost.
One more thing: don’t taste the raw dough. Raw flour and raw egg can carry bacteria, and the FDA recommends skipping raw dough altogether.
FAQ
Can I use canned pumpkin?
Yes. Canned pumpkin puree is what this recipe was tested with. Blot it first so the dough isn’t too wet.
Why is my pumpkin dough so sticky?
Pumpkin adds a lot of water. Blot the puree, knead a full 6 to 8 minutes, and only add flour a spoonful at a time. A slightly tacky dough bakes into the softest rolls.
Can I make them without a stand mixer?
Yes. Knead by hand on a lightly floured counter for about 8 minutes. Oil your hands instead of adding more flour if it sticks.
How long do pumpkin cinnamon rolls take to rise?
About 60 to 90 minutes for the first rise and 30 to 45 minutes after shaping. Pumpkin dough rises a little slower than plain dough, so go by size, not the clock.
Last tip: make a double batch of filling and keep half in a jar in the fridge. It turns toast, oatmeal and baked apples into something special all fall.
