These tasty Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are so soft and fluffy all throughout with pumpkin both in the dough and in the filling. They’re also smothered in a silky vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. It’s the coziest treat to make this fall!
WHAT YOU NEED all purpose flour granulated sugar instant yeast pumpkin pie spice kosher salt whole milk unsalted butter canned pumpkin puree egg light brown sugar ground cinnamon cream cheese powdered sugar vanilla bean paste
1. Whisk together 2 cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. 2. In a measuring glass, add the milk and sliced butter. Microwave for 60-90 seconds. Pour the warm milk into the dry mix and use a wooden spoon to stir and combine. Then mix in the pumpkin and egg.
3. Scoop in 1 1/2 cups of flour and stir to combine. Dust in extra flour as needed and knead (inside the bowl) until you reach a soft dough that’s no longer sticky to the touch. Form the dough into a ball and press a finger into the surface. If the dough slowly springs back, it’s ready. 4. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes while we prep the filling.
5. Scoop the pumpkin into the center of a paper towel. Gather up the sides and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Replace with a clean paper towel and squeeze again. 6. Place the butter in a small dish and add the pumpkin. Mash the two together with a fork until you reach a smooth consistency.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface, making a 15×18″ rectangle. 8. Spread the pumpkin butter in an even layer on the cinnamon roll dough, leaving about 1/2 inch bare around the edges. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top followed by the cinnamon. Use your hands to evenly spread the cinnamon sugar.
9. Then roll up the dough into a log, rolling from the longest side. 10. Slide some flavorless floss underneath the log to make your cuts, starting by cutting off and discarding the two uneven ends. Then move to the very center to cut the log into two equal pieces, then cut those two pieces in half to create four equal pieces, then cut the four pieces into three slices to create 12 rolls in total.
11. Place your rolls in a lightly buttered 9×13 baking dish. Cover and allow the rolls to rise a room temperature for about an hour.
12. Close to the hour mark, preheat the oven to 350F. The rolls should have nearly doubled in size.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes. To test for doneness, lightly press the very center of one of the middle rolls. If it has some resistance, they’re done. If it still feels doughy, bake for another 3-5 minutes. 14. Allow the rolls to cool for about 15 minutes while we make the icing.
15. Mix and mash together the butter and cream cheese with a fork. Mix in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and then the vanilla. Switch to a whisk to vigorously whisk out any potential lumps. 16. Scoop a spoonful of icing onto each roll and then spread even.