Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls are soft and tender yeast buns with pumpkin puree in the roll dough. A sweet brown sugar mixture is spiced with pumpkin pie spice and rolled up with raisins inside. A baked fall treat drizzled with a rum icing made with confectioners sugar and rum. I love this recipe and will make it every fall!
Jump to:
Whether you're looking for something to enjoy at brunch with your family, or an afternoon treat to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea, these Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls will be sure to please! This recipe makes very large, soft and tender rolls that are full of pumpkin flavor.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
I love pumpkin! Because of this, when I knew I had a friend coming to visit for the weekend, I wanted to have something special for her. I had had a Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll recently and decided it was the perfect time to try making them myself.
The very first time I made this recipe, I made a vegan version. The last time I made this recipe, I used an egg and real butter. Both versions were absolutely delicious. As a matter of fact, it was the vegan version that made me fall in love with the recipe and had me making it often!
Because we don't necessarily eat vegan all the time, I decided to try this recipe with an egg instead of the flax egg. I found that the rolls were super puffy this last time, but other than that, I could not tell the difference between the two.
Top Tips
- Make sure the yeast is fresh. I'm pretty sure that is why my roll dough was so much nicer this last time.
- If you are unsure if your yeast good to use, add a little bit of sugar to your yeast after it has dissolved in the warm water. If it foams and bubbles up, it is active and ok to use.
- 1 tablespoon of flax meal and 6 tablespoons of water is equal to 1 egg. You can use either for this recipe.
- Make sure your roll dough has proofed long enough and is doubled in size before baking.
- Feel free to make your own favorite icing. I will sometimes make a cream cheese icing instead of the rum flavored confectioners sugar one.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare the yeast per instructions. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Then, add the yeast and pumpkin mixture to the kitchenaid mixer with a dough hook attachment.
Gradually add the flour mixture, 1 cup flour at a time, to the pumpkin mixture. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl to be sure all ingredients are incorporated.
Once dough mixture is smooth, turn out onto a floured surface and knead a few times.
Place in a well greased bowl and set aside to rise until dough rises to double its size.
While the dough is rising, mix together the walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Set aside until ready to fill the roll dough.
When the has doubled in size, remove from bowl and roll out to size.
Spread softened butter over the pumpkin cinnamon roll dough. Then, sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, walnut, raisin mixture.
Roll the dough lengthwise, then cut into 12 equal sized bun sized pieces. I always use my secret roll cutting device. Dental floss!
As you cut the buns, place them in a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover, and let rise for 30 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Bake the rolls in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Drizzle icing on top if desired.
Variations
- Substitute chopped toasted pecans in place of the walnuts.
- Chocolate chips can replace the raisins.
- Use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel like flavor.
- Omit the icing and top with a drizzle of caramel syrup.
Other Pumpkin Recipes you may like
- Pumpkin Patch Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll
- Chocolate Pumpkin Baked Donuts
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Mini Pumpkin Toffee Cream Pie
Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products!
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
For the Roll Dough:
- 1 package package fast-acting active dry yeast
- 1¼ cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅔ cup warmed milk , 120 degrees (or cows milk)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon ground flax meal plus 6 tablespoon water , or 1 egg
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
For the Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts , optional
- ¼ cup raisins , optional
- 2 tablespoons earth balance margarine or butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over top of warm water. Let dissolve. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over yeast and let sit for 1-2 minutes. The yeast should bubble and foam. If it does not, it is not active and should not be used.
- In a large bowl, white whole wheat flour flour, 1 cup of all purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, and salt together.
- In separate bowl, mix pumpkin puree, butter, almond milk and flaxseed meal mixture together. Or, use 1 large egg.
- Pour wet ingredients into kitchenaid mixer along with activated yeast. Turn on mixer and combine yeast and pumpkin mixture.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the kitchenaid, one cup at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides in between addition of flour.
- Turn out onto counter coated with some of the remaining flour. Knead the remaining flour into the dough until it is used up and you have a smooth, elastic dough.
- Put dough into a bowl coated with cooking spray and lightly spray the top of the dough.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and raisins in a small bowl, set aside.
- Transfer the risen dough to a work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16″ x 12″ rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.Roll the dough into a log the long way.
- Next, using what I call my “dental floss trick”, cut the rolls into even slices (I got 9 rolls). The dental floss trick uses a long string of unwaxed, unflavored dental floss. You slide it under the roll dough and bring it up and across like you are going to start to tie a shoe. Then you pull each side to slice the roll dough.
- Place slices in a greased 8 inch square baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap (not tightly) and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until they turn golden brown across the center.Remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes.
- Drizzle with your favorite confectioners frosting. I used Rum frosting I put on my Banana fosters Snack Cake.
Notes
- Make sure the yeast is fresh. I'm pretty sure that is why my roll dough was so much nicer this last time.
- If you are unsure if your yeast good to use, add a little bit of sugar to your yeast after it has dissolved in the warm water. If it foams and bubbles up, it is active and ok to use.
- 1 tablespoon of flax meal and 6 tablespoons of water is equal to 1 egg. You can use either for this recipe.
- Make sure your roll dough has proofed long enough and is doubled in size before baking.
- Feel free to make your own favorite icing. I will sometimes make a cream cheese icing instead of the rum flavored confectioners sugar one.
Megan
These sound sooo good and I bet the house smelled awesome too.
vivisue
What's not to love about every single thing in these rolls? NOTHING! Wow! I can almost smell them now. My wishful thinking is going to turn in to baking shortly when I have to make these! YUM!!!
JuneBug
Oh those look ah-mazing! Glad you're settling in well in Albany and obviously your kitchen is humming along!
Noelle
I am so glad you loved these. I like your pictures. I feel like I need to make these again! 😀
Cookin' Canuck
Oh my! What a perfect breakfast treat for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog
These rolls Shelby are scrumptious ideal for a cold day needing sugar 🙂
Cheers,
Gera
Leslie
I have sooooo been wanting cinnamon rolls lately! Thanks for teasing me!
Cheryl
Man that looks good, I love the way you have made it healthier. WE love Flaxseeds!
Cajun Chef Ryan
Shelby,
First, welcome back! So nice to have you back and blogging and sharing again!
Second, I would like two dozen of these ready for breakfast tomorrow okay! Thanks!
Just kidding!
These cinnamon buns are wonderful!
Bon appetit!
CCR
=:~)
teresa
i'm always so amazed with all the things you can do with pumpkin, these look awesome!
pigpigscorner
A fall cinnamon bun! Great flavours!
Barbara Bakes
So nice to have you back! These look fabulous!
Shelby
Thanks everyone! Dawn, I love the middle and the edges lol. Especially when they are all crystalized with brown sugar. 😉
Coleen's Recipes
Scrumptious!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fallon
Oh yum save a bun for me 😉 These look SO MOIST!!
vanillasugar
Mmm that middle part of the buns are always the best part. I have been staying away from carbs, so this is something that I would devour in 2 bites.
moderncomfortfood
I've been a big fan of cinnamon buns ever since I used to "help" (as in, "get in the way of") my grandmother when she made the non-vegan version of these when I was growing up. And yours look just wonderful, Shelby! The additions of almond milk and flax seed must add to the flavor here and be healthier to boot. Yum!
Mags @ the Other Side of 50
I keep seeing recipes for pumpkin cinnamon rolls. I really need to try them. Yours look delicious!
bellini valli
I love the concept Shelby. It just seems so homey and comforting..especially topped with icing.
ajcabuang04
Yum!! Looks sooo good! A great fall twist to cinnamon rolls. I can smell them now. hehe