Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

Follow our step-by-step guide on how to make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls.

1. Step 1

   Start by mixing together the packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set this sweet mixture aside for later use. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the active dry yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar, and warm water. Whisk it together and let it sit until it becomes foamy, which should take about 10 minutes. Once foamy, add the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, 1/4 cup of white sugar, melted butter, salt, optional vanilla extract, ground ginger, ground allspice, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, and the egg to the yeast mixture. Mix everything together using the dough hook attachment for about 2 minutes until well combined. Gradually stir in an additional 2 1/4 cups of flour, mixing on low speed with the dough hook. If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour until it becomes slightly sticky, smooth, and elastic, which should take around 6 to 7 minutes. Once the dough is ready, remove it from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Lightly coat the bowl with vegetable oil, return the dough to the bowl, and turn it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and place it in a warm spot to rise until it doubles in size, which will take about 1 1/2 hours. After the dough has risen, generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and flatten it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle flour over both sides of the dough and roll it out into a 20x12-inch rectangle. Pour the melted butter over the dough and brush it evenly, leaving a 2-inch edge unbuttered. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the buttered surface and moisten the unbuttered edge with a little water. Starting from the wide edge that has butter, roll the dough tightly into a log, pressing firmly along the moistened edge to seal it. Trim any uneven ends from the roll and discard them. Cut the rolled dough into 16 equal pinwheels and place them cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until the rolls double in size, which should take about 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Once the rolls have risen, bake them in the preheated oven until they are golden brown, which will take about 30 minutes. While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the softened cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, milk, and optional vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth. Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and slightly cooled, drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and finish with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds for a delightful crunch.