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Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

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These soft, fluffy pumpkin cinnamon rolls are packed with real pumpkin flavor and topped with a dreamy maple cream cheese icing. Perfect for fall mornings, they’re make-ahead friendly and better than any bakery version.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F to 115°F, whole milk works best but 2% is fine)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard packet)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling—make sure it’s 100% pumpkin)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark both work)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup—use the real stuff)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm milk and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s foamy and smells like bread. If it doesn’t foam, your milk was too hot or the yeast is dead—start over.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients: Add the remaining sugar, pumpkin purée, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Whisk by hand until everything is well combined. It’ll look a little lumpy—that’s fine.
  3. Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add this to the wet mixture in the mixer bowl. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be sticky.
  4. Knead the dough: With the mixer on medium-low, add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still feels soft and slightly tacky. You may not need all the flour. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  5. First rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size. (I set my oven to the ‘proof’ setting or just turn the light on.)
  6. Make the filling: While the dough rises, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until it forms a spreadable paste. Set aside at room temperature.
  7. Roll out the dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 16×12-inch rectangle. The dough should be about 1/4-inch thick. If it springs back, let it rest for 5 minutes before rolling again.
  8. Add the filling: Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the long edges. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get it smooth.
  9. Roll it up: Starting from the long side closest to you, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Don’t roll too tightly or the filling will squish out—gentle but firm pressure works best.
  10. Cut the rolls: Using a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place them in a greased or parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking dish, spacing them evenly.
  11. Second rise: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 30 to 45 minutes, until they’re puffy and touching each other. (For overnight preparation, refrigerate at this point for up to 12 hours. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.)
  12. Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 22 to 28 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the center rolls feel set. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 15 minutes.
  13. Make the icing: While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy. Don’t overmix or it’ll become runny.
  14. Ice and serve: Let the rolls cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan. Spread the maple cream cheese icing generously over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.

Notes

Let pumpkin come to room temperature before mixing for better dough behavior. Don’t skip the second rise for soft, airy rolls. For overnight prep, refrigerate after cutting and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Warm the icing slightly if it stiffens.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cinnamon rolls, maple cream cheese icing, fall breakfast, pumpkin rolls, cinnamon rolls with pumpkin

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/best-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-with-maple-icing/