Fluffy pumpkin dough filled with a gooey pumpkin cinnamon filling and topped with a dairy-free cream cheese glaze – is there anything better than Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls?
It’s baking season and if you’re not making cinnamon rolls at least once a month are you even celebrating baking season? Lucky for you, we have your October cinnamon rolls ready. These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze are the perfect fall treat.
Not only is it baking season, but it’s also pumpkin season and with that comes half full cans of pumpkin purée inevitably going bad in the back of your fridge. We’re here to help! All week long we’ll be releasing 5 pumpkin recipes that combined use up 1 full can of pumpkin purée and we’re starting with a good one. These fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls take some time and effort to make, but we promise it’s worth every bit of it.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Packed with warm spices and delicious pumpkin.
- Light and airy with an ooey-gooey centre.
- Helps reduce your food waste.
Top tips for making Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:
- If you the yeast doesn’t activate, don’t use it. You activate yeast with warm milk and sugar. If the temperature is too warm it can kill the yeast, if too cold it can slow the rise time. The sweet spot is around 45℃. You’ll know that the yeast is active if after 5 minutes the mixture is foamy. If it’s not, start over.
- Knead until smooth. You’ll know that the dough is kneaded enough when it’s smooth. So whether you use your hands or a stand mixer, knead until a dough forms and it has a smooth surface. Make an indent with your finger in the dough and if it bounces back it’s ready to rest!
- Let the dough rest. Time is what gives cinnamon rolls their signature fluffy bite. They should rise at least twice, once after forming the dough and a second time after creating the rolls. You can even let them rest overnight for the second proof if you want to prepare them the day before.
- Proof in the ideal environment. Depending on when you want to eat the cinnamon rolls should determine what temperature you proof them at. The warmer the temperature the quicker the rise, but the less flavour develops. If making them same day proof in a warm space. If you’re saving them for the next morning, proof in the fridge overnight.
- Fill from edge to edge. Spread the brown sugar and butter filling from edge to edge to the best results and a delicious eating experience. This ensures it’s gooey in every bite.
- Let the rolls cool slightly. Before icing them, let them cool for at least 15 minutes so that the icing doesn’t all melt away.
Ingredient Notes:
- Quick Rise Yeast – This is what gives these cinnamon rolls their fluffy texture – yeast and time. We use quick rise yeast for the as it yields the best results in a shorter time frame.
- Non-Dairy Milk – We almost exclusively use soy milk in our recipes, but you could use any non-dairy milk you prefer or have access to.
- White Sugar – Note that white sugar is vegan in Canada but that may not be the case everywhere. White sugar can be processed through animal bones. If this is a concern for you, we’d recommend an alternative sugar though we haven’t tested with another sugar.
- Vegan Butter – If you have access to a vegan butter substitute that you like we recommend using that, we use the Becel Plant-Based Sticks. If you don’t have access to one, you can try cold coconut oil.
- All-Purpose Flour – We use an unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Icing Sugar – Also called powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. If you can’t find this, you can make your own by processing white sugar in a high speed blender until a powder.
- Vegan Cream Cheese – This replaces dairy cream cheese in the tangy icing you know and love. We like using the Tofutti brand vegan cream cheese.
Other vegan recipes that use pumpkin purée:
How to make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Everything you love about cinnamon rolls and pumpkin spice in one! These fluffy rolls filled with a gooey pumpkin filling – you won't be able to resist going back for seconds.
Print Pin ItServings: 9 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 12 g (1 tbsp) quick rise yeast
- 240 mL (1 cup) warm non-dairy milk
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 75 g (⅓ cup) vegan butter, melted
- 125 mL (½ cup) pumpkin purée
- 560 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- pinch kosher alt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Filling
- 75 g (⅓ cup) vegan butter, melted
- 67 g (⅓ cup) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- 125 mL (½ cup) pumpkin purée
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 120 g (1 cup) confectioner sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) maple syrup
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) non-dairy milk
- 30 g (2 tbsp) vegan cream cheese
Instructions
Pumpkin Dough:
- On the stove warm the non-dairy milk until it's just warm enough to touch – about 40-50°C.
- To a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. If it doesn't start to foam, the yeast may be dead or expired – you should start again with new yeast.
- To the yeast mixture whisk in the pumpkin puree and salt.
- Fold in the all-purpose flour and spices using a silicone spatula until the dough just comes together.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively this can be made in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Place the dough into a clean bowl. Cover with clear wrap and a towel and place in a warm, dry location for at least 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Pumpkin Filling:
- Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl then set in the fridge to re-set the butter until spreadable. The duration of the first proof should be enough time.
Prepare Rolls:
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough with your fist. On a well floured surface roll out your dough in a long rectangle about 1/4" thick.
- Spread the pumpkin butter filling across the rolled out dough, edge to edge.
- Gently roll the dough to form a log. Using a sharp knife cut into 1.5 inch rolls.
- Place rolls into the dish and cover again to rise another 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Once heated bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and fully baked.
Cream Cheese Glaze:
- Using an electric hand mixer combine the glaze ingredients until smooth.
- Pour over the glaze onto slightly cooled, but still warm cinnamon rolls.
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