Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting.
Ingredients
Yeast mixture
- 80 grams lukewarm water 1/3 cup
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
Dough
- 125 grams canned pure pumpkin 1/2 cup
- 75 grams light brown sugar 1/3 cup
- 55 grams melted salted butter, cooled 1/4 cup
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 500 grams all purpose flour 4 cups
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Filling
- 75 grams salted butter, softened 1/3 cup
- 220 grams brown sugar 1 cup, packed
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Cream cheese frosting
- 115 grams pumpkin spice cream cheese, softened 4 oz (If you aren’t able to find it, you can substitute regular cream cheese, then either add pumpkin spice to the frosting, or use a pumpkin spice coffee creamer instead of the heavy cream)
- 40 grams salted butter, softened 3 tbsp
- 75 grams powdered sugar 3/4 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 grams heavy cream (or coffee creamer) 1/2 cup
Instructions
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the water, yeast, and the 1 tbsp granulated sugar. Mix with a fork until integrated, then let it rest until it bubbles and foams. About 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the 1/3 cup light brown sugar, canned pumpkin, melted butter, whole egg, egg yolk, and give it a quick mix. Add the pumpkin pie spice, flour, salt,. and your yeast mixture and mix until a rough dough forms.
- Lightly flour a work surface and your hands, then transfer the dough to the surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic and passes the poke test. (you can of course use a stand mixer as well if you have one readily available.) if its too sticky, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time until it is still slightly tacky but workable.
- Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rest in a warm place until it doubles in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Make the filling: in a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and cloves. stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until spreadable.
- Make the frosting: In a separate medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and fine salt, if desired. Stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated, then add the coffee creamer. The consistency should be pourable but not so thin that it rushes out over the cinnamon rolls when you pour it; it should pour in ribbons. If necessary, add more creamer, a teaspoon at a time, until you're happy with the consistency.
- Assemble the rolls: Punch the dough down gently and place on a floured surface, smooth side down (this way, the smooth side becomes the outer layer when rolling the log). Roll it out into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches and ¼ inch thick. The thickness is more important than the exact size of the rectangle. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling over the dough, all the way to the edges of the rectangle.
- With a short side of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough into a log. Your goal is to roll it up as tightly as possible without stretching or tearing the dough. I like to start at the center of the edge I'm rolling and work my hands outward; this ensures that there are tight, even layers in the finished roll. the cinnamon roll log ends up being around 20 inches long after using this technique. You should be able to get 10 to 12 two inch rolls.
- To cut these rolls, I recommend using unflavored dental floss. I prefer floss over a knife because it creates a much cleaner cut and prevents the cinnamon rolls from being smushed down while cutting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang so you can easily remove the rolls later. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish, cover with a damp cloth, and let rest until they're about one and one-half times their original size, about 40 minutes.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream on top of each roll.
- Bake until nicely puffed in the center and some of the rolls have taken on a golden color, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool in the pan for a 10 minutes before topping them with the frosting. I use a spoon to attractively dollop and drizzle the frosting, but you can just pour the frosting from the bowl. Cinnamon rolls are at their best when they're fresh from the oven.