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Homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese frosting and cinnamon swirls in a baking dish.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls filled with buttery brown sugar and warm cinnamon, then covered in tangy maple cream cheese frosting. A cozy pumpkin breakfast or brunch recipe for fall weekends and holiday mornings.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Pumpkin Dough
  • ¾ cup pumpkin purée
  • ½ cup whole milk warm
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Cinnamon Filling
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 oz full-fat cream cheese softened
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Method
 

  1. Combine milk, pumpkin, sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, and yeast.
  2. Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt separately.
  3. Gradually combine the wet and dry ingredients.
  4. Knead for 7–9 minutes until soft and elastic.
  5. Cover and rise for 60–90 minutes until approximately doubled.
  6. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  7. Roll the dough into approximately a 14 × 18-inch rectangle.
  8. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon filling.
  9. Roll into a log from the long side.
  10. Cut into 12 equal rolls.
  11. Arrange in a greased 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
  12. Cover and rise for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
  13. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 24–30 minutes.
  14. Cool for 10–15 minutes.
  15. Beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.
  16. Spread frosting over the warm rolls and serve.

Notes

Don't add excessive flour simply to eliminate every bit of stickiness—the dough should remain soft and slightly tacky.
Pumpkin purée varies in moisture, so add extra flour only if the dough remains genuinely wet after kneading.
For overnight rolls, refrigerate them after shaping, then allow them to become puffy at room temperature before baking.
Because the finished rolls contain cream cheese frosting, refrigerate leftovers.