Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

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These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are what I want baking when the first real fall craving hits. Soft, fluffy, swirled with pumpkin spice, and slathered in pumpkin cream cheese frosting while they’re still a little warm.

Pumpkin purée goes right into the dough, giving these rolls a subtle pumpkin flavour and an extra soft texture. Inside, there’s a buttery coconut sugar and pumpkin spice filling, followed by a creamy maple sweetened frosting with even more pumpkin on top.

They take a little time to rise, roll, and bake, but the process is surprisingly approachable. Make them for a cozy fall breakfast, Thanksgiving brunch, or anytime you’re fully embracing pumpkin season. And if cinnamon rolls are your love language, my apple pie cinnamon rolls need to be next on your list.

freshly baked unfrosted pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a baking dish.

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What You’ll Need for Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

ingredients for pumpkin cinnamon bun recipe - pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, butter, flour, milk, salt, yeast, maple syrup, oil, coconut sugar, cream cheese

There are three parts to these pumpkin cinnamon rolls: the soft pumpkin dough, the spiced filling, and the pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Here are the ingredients that matter most:

Flour: Bread flour gives the rolls a little more structure and chew while still keeping them soft and fluffy. All-purpose flour works, too. Add it gradually since using too much can make the rolls dry and dense.
Yeast: Quick-rise or instant yeast keeps the rise time relatively short. Active dry yeast can also work, but you’ll need to activate it in the warm milk first and allow extra time for rising.
Milk: Adds moisture to the dough and helps create a soft, fluffy texture. Almond milk is what I use, but another milk of choice will work.
Pumpkin Purée: Goes into both the dough and frosting for moisture and subtle pumpkin flavour. Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. If you have pumpkin left in the can, don’t toss it! You can freeze leftover pumpkin puree and save it for another recipe.
Avocado Oil: Keeps the dough soft and tender. Another neutral oil can be used instead.
Coconut Sugar: Used in both the dough and cinnamon filling for sweetness with a slightly caramel-like flavour. Light or dark brown sugar can be substituted.
Butter: Softened butter creates that rich, gooey filling and also goes into the frosting. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it spreads easily over the dough.
Pumpkin Spice: Brings those warm cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove flavours to the dough, filling, and frosting. You can use store bought or make my homemade pumpkin pie spice in about five minutes.
Cream Cheese: The creamy base of the frosting. Let it soften before mixing so the frosting comes out smooth rather than lumpy.
Maple Syrup: Sweetens the pumpkin cream cheese frosting and adds a little extra fall flavour.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and rounds out the flavour of the dough.

Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Soft & Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Keep the milk warm, not hot. Aim for around 110°F. Milk that’s too hot can kill the yeast, while milk that’s too cool can slow down the rise.
Add the remaining flour gradually. Pumpkin adds quite a bit of moisture to the dough, so resist the urge to dump all the flour in at once. You want a soft dough that pulls away from the bowl without becoming stiff or dry.
A dough hook makes things easier. A stand mixer does most of the kneading for you, but you can absolutely make the dough by hand if you don’t have one.
Use properly softened butter for the filling. It should spread easily across the rolled dough without melting or tearing it. If it’s still too firm, thin slices spread across the dough first can make the job easier.
Roll the log fairly snug. Starting from the long edge, keep the roll tight enough to hold those pumpkin spice swirls together without aggressively squeezing the dough.
Dental floss makes beautifully clean cuts. Slide a piece of unflavoured floss underneath the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull. It slices through without squishing your rolls.
Give the shaped rolls time to rise. That final 30 minute rise helps create the soft, fluffy texture you want. A warm, draft-free spot is your friend here.
Don’t overbake them. Bake until the edges are golden and the centres are still slightly soft and gooey. Cinnamon rolls can go from fluffy to dry surprisingly quickly.
Let them cool slightly before frosting. You still want them warm, just not piping hot. That way the pumpkin cream cheese frosting softens into the swirls instead of completely melting off.

unbaked pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a tray

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time

Want warm pumpkin cinnamon rolls in the morning without doing all the work before coffee? Prepare the recipe through the point where the rolls are shaped and arranged in the baking pan, but don’t do the final 30 minute rise.

Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, take the rolls out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature and fully rise in a warm spot, about 30–60 minutes.

Once they’re nicely puffed up, bake as directed and make the pumpkin cream cheese frosting while they’re in the oven.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

These rolls get finished with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting made with pumpkin purée, maple syrup, butter, pumpkin spice, and softened cream cheese. It’s tangy, lightly sweet, and has enough pumpkin spice flavour to stand up to the swirls underneath without making the whole thing overly sweet.

For the smoothest frosting, make sure the cream cheese and butter are properly softened before mixing. I like spreading it over the pumpkin cinnamon rolls while they’re still slightly warm so it melts into all those swirly little nooks and crannies.

How to Store and Reheat Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store leftover pumpkin cinnamon rolls covered in the fridge. They’ll keep well for up to 4 days.

For that soft, gooey texture again, warm individual rolls in the microwave for about 15–20 seconds. You can also reheat several at once in a covered baking dish in a 300°F oven until warmed through.

If possible, avoid overheating them. A little warmth brings back that soft, fluffy texture, but too much can dry them out.

pumpkin cinnamon roll with orange frosting on a plate with a fork, more rolls on a plate in the background

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll FAQs

Check your yeast first. Expired yeast or milk that was too hot can prevent the dough from rising properly. The rolls also need a warm, draft-free spot for that final rise. If your kitchen is cool, they may simply need a little longer than 30 minutes.

Too much flour and overbaking are the biggest culprits. Add the flour gradually and stop once you have a soft dough that pulls away from the bowl. In the oven, look for golden edges with centres that are still slightly soft rather than waiting until every part looks completely baked through.

Yes. Either bread flour or all-purpose flour works in this recipe. Bread flour gives the rolls a little more structure and chew, while all-purpose flour still produces soft, fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Yes. For the best texture, freeze the baked rolls well wrapped and preferably without the frosting. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, warm them gently, then add the pumpkin cream cheese frosting before serving.

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls made with pumpkin purée, a buttery pumpkin spice filling, and creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting. A cozy fall breakfast or brunch favourite.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 35

Servings 12 Rolls

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Dough

3.5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (divided)
¾ cup warm almond milk (or milk of choice, about 110°F)
¾ cup pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
⅓ cup avocado oil
¼ cup coconut sugar
2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) quick-rise or instant yeast
1.5 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt

For the Pumpkin Spice Filling

¾ cup coconut sugar
½ cup butter (softened to room temperature)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

For the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
½ cup pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp butter (softened)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Make the Filling:
In a small bowl, combine the coconut sugar and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
Add 2 cups of the flour, coconut sugar, yeast, pumpkin spice, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix until combined.
Pour in the warm milk, pumpkin purée, and avocado oil. Mix until smooth and combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Gradually add the remaining flour, a little at a time, kneading until a soft dough forms and no longer clings to the sides of the bowl. Avoid adding more flour than necessary.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and lightly flour the top. Roll it into a large, even rectangle.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
Sprinkle the pumpkin spice and coconut sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
Starting at one long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Cut into 12 even rolls using a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss.
Arrange the rolls in a greased, parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centres are still slightly soft and gooey. Avoid overbaking.
While the rolls bake, combine the softened cream cheese, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, softened butter, and pumpkin spice. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Let the pumpkin cinnamon rolls cool slightly, then spread the pumpkin cream cheese frosting over the top. Serve while still warm.

Notes

Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The latter is already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the recipe.

Go easy on the flour. Add the remaining flour gradually and stop once the dough is soft and pulls away from the bowl. Too much flour can make the rolls dense and dry.

For overnight rolls: Shape and arrange the rolls in the pan, but skip the final 30 minute rise. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let them come to room temperature and fully rise in a warm spot, about 30–60 minutes.

Watch the centres when baking. Pull the rolls when the edges are golden but the centres are still slightly soft and gooey. Overbaking is the fastest way to lose that fluffy texture.

Store leftovers in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. Keep them covered for up to 4 days and gently reheat individual rolls before serving.

Nutrition

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scroll up above the recipe card for ingredient notes, tips & tricks, and easy swaps/variations.

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