How to make pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls — restaurant-quality at home. These rolls are soft and fluffy, filled with warm fall spices and finished with an irresistible brown butter cream cheese frosting.
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Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Fall is my favorite baking season: cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and cozy flavors. These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls capture that comfort perfectly. They combine pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and brown butter for a truly indulgent roll.
These cinnamon rolls are rich with autumn flavor and topped with a brown butter cream cheese frosting that elevates every bite. They’re ideal for a weekend brunch or a holiday morning.
How to make the best cinnamon rolls
This is a classic yeast-based cinnamon roll recipe, so it requires two rises and a few extra steps like browning butter and toasting pecans. The process is straightforward if you follow the steps, and the results are worth the effort: large, tender, gooey rolls with a nutty, caramelized flavor.
Ingredients
The recipe has three components: the dough, the brown butter pecan filling, and the brown butter cream cheese frosting.
- Instant yeast
- Warm buttermilk (about 110–115°F)
- Melted butter
- Pumpkin purée (use 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- One large egg, room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract
- Light brown sugar
- All-purpose flour (start with 2½ cups and add more until the dough pulls away from the bowl)
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
- Cooking spray for the pan
Filling:
- Salted butter (to brown)
- Pecan chips, toasted
- Light brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon if preferred)
Frosting:
- Reserved brown butter
- Cream cheese, softened
- Pure vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, sifted
Equipment
You don’t need specialized tools. Recommended: a stand mixer with a dough hook (or a strong wooden spoon), a rolling pin, a large bowl for rising, and a 9×9 pan, 7×11 pan, or 10-inch cast-iron skillet. A nonstick pastry mat or lightly floured counter is great for rolling the dough.
Tips for the best pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls
Use fresh instant yeast. Make sure the yeast is active and that your buttermilk is warm but not hot. If the yeast doesn’t foam in a few minutes, discard and try again with fresh yeast or cooler liquid.
Two rises are essential. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled — about 30–60 minutes per rise depending on your kitchen. An easy trick is to preheat the oven to 150°F, turn it off, and place the bowl inside to rise.
Brown your butter carefully. Browning butter adds deep, nutty flavor. Watch it closely so the milk solids turn golden brown but don’t burn.
Toast the pecans. Toast pecan chips in the pan after browning the butter to boost their flavor. Cool slightly before adding to the filling.
Roll on a lightly floured surface. Aim for a roughly 10×14-inch rectangle. Spread filling evenly, roll tightly away from you, and seal the seam before cutting.
Neat slices: Use a serrated knife or unwaxed dental floss to slice rolls into even pieces for a clean edge.
Overnight option. After assembling the rolls in the greased pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature and rise until doubled the next morning, then bake.
Fresh vs. canned pumpkin. This recipe uses canned pumpkin purée. If you use fresh purée, drain excess liquid and adjust flour as needed; results may vary.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast (one packet)
- ⅔ cup warm buttermilk (110–115°F)
- 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- Cooking spray
Brown Butter Pecan Filling
- 8 tbsp salted butter (cubed, divided)
- ½ cup pecan chips
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 tbsp reserved brown butter
- 4 oz cream cheese, lightly softened
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, or as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm buttermilk and let stand 3–5 minutes until foamy.
- Add melted butter, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and flour, mixing after each addition.
- Beat until smooth, adding flour a little at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should remain slightly tacky.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface or with a dough hook for about 10 minutes until soft and smooth.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes.
- While the dough rises, brown the salted butter in a light-colored sauté pan until milk solids turn golden. Transfer butter and pecans to a bowl and cool. Divide the browned butter, reserving half for the frosting.
- Toast pecan chips in the same pan until aromatic and lightly browned, then cool.
- Grease a 9×9 pan, 7×11 pan, or 10-inch skillet with cooking spray.
- Roll the dough into a roughly 10×14-inch rectangle. Mix the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, spread half the browned butter over the dough, then sprinkle the sugar-spice mix and toasted pecans evenly.
- Roll the dough away from you into a tight log, seam-side down. Cut into 8–9 pieces using a serrated knife or unwaxed dental floss.
- Place rolls in the prepared pan, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F while they rise.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes.
- For the frosting, beat softened cream cheese with reserved brown butter until smooth. Add vanilla and gradually beat in powdered sugar until creamy. Spread over warm rolls and serve immediately.
Notes
Brown Butter: Browning butter adds a deep nutty flavor — monitor closely so it doesn’t burn. Reserve half for frosting.
Overnight Option: Assemble the rolls in the greased pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Next morning, let them sit in a warm spot until doubled, then bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Per the recipe card, each roll is approximately 516–518 calories.
Both. They’re best warm when the frosting is gooey, but they’re also delicious at room temperature or chilled.
Serve them for fall brunch with coffee, fresh fruit, or lighter baked goods for balance.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Wrapping individually helps prevent drying.
Save this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe for later!
