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pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese icing
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls filled with a gooey cinnamon swirl and topped with rich maple cream cheese icing. This cozy fall recipe uses canned pumpkin for a soft, spiced dough that tastes like autumn in every bite.
Active Time25 minutes
Total Time3 hours 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: pumpkin cinnamon rolls, cinnamon pumpkin, best pumpkin cinnamon rolls, fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe, cinnamon roll and pumpkin recipe
Yield: 10 cinnamon rolls
Author: Erika Lin

Materials

Pumpkin Dough

  • ⅓ cup 80 ml whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp 28 g unsalted butter
  • ½ cup 115 g canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¼ cup 50 g granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2¼ tsp 7 g instant or active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 2⅔ cups 335 g all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

Filling

  • 6 Tbsp 85 g unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup 100 g packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves

Maple Cream Cheese Icing

  • 4 oz 113 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 3 Tbsp 45 ml pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp 15 ml whole milk
  • ⅔ cup 80 g confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Optional: pinch of ground cinnamon or sea salt

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Warm milk and butter together until the butter is just melted (about 105°F–115°F). In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Add warm milk mixture, egg, and yeast. Stir to combine.
  • Add 1 cup flour and mix until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until dough forms and pulls away from the bowl.

Knead the Dough

  • Knead for 5–7 minutes (by hand or mixer with dough hook) until dough is soft, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add flour only if needed.

First Rise

  • Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1½–2 hours or until doubled in size.

Shape the Rolls

  • Punch down dough. On a floured surface, roll it into a 10x14-inch rectangle. Spread butter evenly over dough. Mix brown sugar and spices; sprinkle over butter. Roll tightly and cut into 10–12 even rolls. Place rolls in a greased 9x13-inch pan.

Second Rise

  • Cover and let rise again until puffy, about 1 hour.
  • (Overnight option: Cover and refrigerate overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking.)

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake 22–28 minutes, tenting with foil if browning too quickly. Cool for 10 minutes before icing.

Make the Icing

  • Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add maple syrup and milk; mix until creamy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Spread over warm rolls and enjoy.

Notes

  • Storage: Keep covered at room temp up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
  • Freeze: Freeze unfrosted rolls up to 2 months; thaw and reheat before icing.
  • Add-ins: Try adding chopped pecans, walnuts, or a drizzle of browned butter to elevate the flavor.