Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are fluffy, sweet, and packed with everyone’s favorite pumpkin spice flavor. These are pumpkin cinnamon rolls with real pumpkin in the dough. Perfect recipe for the fall season.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Additional Time: 1 Hour, 30 Minutes Total Time: 2 Hours, 10 Minutes Servings: 12 Rolls

It’s fall, y’all! The leaves are beginning to turn, there’s a crispness in the air, and suddenly, baking something warm and cozy sounds like the perfect idea. When pumpkin season rolls around, we love finding new ways to work those classic fall flavors into our favorite homemade treats.

These homemade pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and filled with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and warm pumpkin pie spice. Then they’re finished with a creamy maple cream cheese icing that adds just the right touch of sweetness. The combination makes these cinnamon rolls feel especially cozy and perfect for a fall breakfast, weekend brunch, or afternoon treat.

Cinnamon rolls are a favorite in our family, and we love changing up the fillings and experimenting with different flavors. If you’re looking for another fun twist, be sure to try our homemade cherry cinnamon rolls. The sweet cherry filling is such a delicious change from traditional cinnamon rolls and definitely worth trying with your family.

Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Spice Rolls

Perfect Fall Flavor – Warm pumpkin spice combined with sweet cinnamon makes these rolls taste like autumn in every bite.

Soft and Fluffy Texture – The dough bakes up pillowy and tender, with gooey spiced filling swirled inside.

Pumpkin Twist on a Classic – A cozy seasonal upgrade to traditional cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients Needed

For the pumpkin cinnamon roll dough:

• Flour – Provides the structure of the rolls. Gluten develops as you knead, giving the dough strength and elasticity. You will be using all-purpose and bread flour.
• Yeast – Makes the dough rise, creating light and fluffy rolls instead of dense bread.
• Sugar – Feeds the yeast to help fermentation, adds sweetness, and tenderizes the dough.
• Milk – Adds moisture, richness, and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
• Butter – Adds flavor and richness, and helps keep the rolls soft.
• Eggs – Contribute to structure, richness, and color in the dough.
• Salt – Balances sweetness, strengthens gluten, and enhances overall flavor.
• Pumpkin Purée – Provides moisture, subtle pumpkin flavor, and natural color, while making the dough extra tender.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – Infuses warm, cozy fall flavors (typically a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves).

Smart Baking Tips

Don’t overheat the milk. For this recipe, aim for 105–115°F. Milk that is too hot can damage or kill the yeast, which can leave you with dense cinnamon rolls that don’t rise properly. If you don’t have a thermometer, the milk should feel warm rather than hot to the touch.

Use softened butter. Room-temperature butter is much easier to spread evenly over the rolled-out dough without tearing it. It also helps create an even layer of buttery cinnamon filling throughout the rolls. Let the butter soften naturally rather than melting it.

Bring your egg to room temperature. A room-temperature egg blends more easily into the dough and helps keep the ingredients at a more consistent temperature. If you forgot to take your egg out ahead of time, place it in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before using.

Reach for bread flour. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the gluten needed for soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with a satisfying, slightly chewy texture. It’s readily available in most grocery stores and is worth using for this recipe.

Give the dough enough time to rise. Don’t rely solely on the clock when proofing your dough. Yeast activity can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Look for the dough to become noticeably puffy and roughly double in size before moving on to the next step.

How to Make These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

First, you will want to warm the milk in the microwave using a medium (microwave-safe bowl or 4-cup measuring glass. Add melted butter to this same bowl.

Please note: the bowl should be warm to the touch and not hot.

Transfer the warm milk and butter, and add 1/4 cup of sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer. Put on low speed using a paddle attachment, and mix until incorporated (30 seconds).

Next, add the yeast on top and let it bloom for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, combine pumpkin puree and room-temperature egg. Mix until creamy. Then slowly add to the yeast mixture and beat at medium speed for roughly 2-3 minutes.

Then add in bread flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Once this mixture begins to form a ball of dough, place the dough hook on the mixer.

Knead dough on low speed for 8-10 minutes. The dough should form a ball and be slightly sticky.

Place the dough ball in a large bowl greased with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray and cover with a towel.

Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size in a warm place or you can use your proof setting on your oven if you have one.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll it out into a 14 by 16-inch rectangle.

Next, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Then spread the softened butter over the dough and sprinkle the cinnamon mixture liberally.

Tightly roll the dough, starting with the smaller side, and place the seam side down. Slice with a serrated knife into 1/2-inch pieces.

Spray the baking dish with nonstick spray and place the rolls inside. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream all over the cinnamon rolls. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 25 min.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake pumpkin rolls for 30-35 minutes. The rolls should be brown around the edges. If not, leave in a few more minutes.

Making them perfect!

After removing them from the oven, let them rest (if they rise too much, press them back into the pan). Allow to cool to room temperature before topping with frosting.

To make the frosting. Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and mix on high. Then add maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over the rolls and enjoy.

How to Store Your Freshly Baked Cinnamon Rolls

At room temperature: Once cooled completely, store your cinnamon rolls in an airtight container. They’ll keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days. If they’re topped with cream cheese icing, refrigeration is the safer option for longer storage.

In the refrigerator: Store iced cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The rolls may firm up when chilled, so warm individual rolls in the microwave for about 10–20 seconds before serving to bring back their soft, fresh-baked texture.

In the freezer: Cinnamon rolls freeze beautifully. For the best quality, wrap individual rolls tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm before serving.

For the best texture, always let the rolls cool completely before storing them and keep them well covered to prevent them from drying out.

More Great Fall Baking Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Mini Cake Doughnuts with Pumpkin Spice Glaze

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Bread

Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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