How many people do these cinnamon rolls serve?

This recipe yields 12 cinnamon rolls for a family or other small group breakfast. Cutting 12 rolls from the log shape helps ensure the rolls are of equal size. You can prepare the full batch of cinnamon rolls and save some for another meal. Other tips for serving an equal number of rolls include scoring the log before cutting them.

Can I make pumpkin cinnamon rolls overnight?

Yes, shaped rolls can be refrigerated overnight, covered, and baked the next day. Let refrigerated rolls sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking. The recipe says the frosting can be made ahead of time and softened before using. Do not bake rolls immediately after taking them out of the refrigerator; you want them to rise.

Can I use regular melted butter instead?

Yes, you could use melted, undarkened butter in the dough and filling instead of darkened butter. The pumpkin rolls will have similar flavor notes from pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice as described in the recipe. Darkened butter adds the deeper buttery flavor described by the author, especially in the frosting. Do not use melted butter to make frosting with darkened butter. Use softened butter at room temperature instead.

Why is my cinnamon roll dough too sticky?

A soft, moist dough is expected, but it shouldn't be too sticky to the mixing bowl. Add 3 1/4 cups of flour and only add the extra 1/4 cup of flour if the dough is too sticky. You might not use the extra 1/4 cup of flour. Wipe the side of the mixing bowl during kneading to help the dough hook knead the dough more completely.

How do I know when the rolls are baked?

Bake rolls at 350F for 22 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown. Another way to test for doneness, according to the recipe, is to check the internal temperature of the rolls at 190F. Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before icing. This brief cooling time keeps the rolls warm enough for you to ice them without the icing sliding off.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

By Emma CollinsOct 3, 2026

Prep

45 min

Cook

27 min

Total

192 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

Serve these pumpkin cinnamon rolls at a holiday brunch or another weekend meal. The cinnamon roll dough and filling include pumpkin spice and brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. A browned butter cream cheese frosting is drizzled over the baked rolls, which are golden brown. Some of the frosting is absorbed by the rolls.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Browned butter is one of the ingredients in the dough and filling recipes to add butter flavor along with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Dry milk powder, egg, and instant yeast are added to the dough recipe for additional richness. Brown sugar and cinnamon, plus pumpkin pie spice, are added to the filling for flavor. Milk, cream cheese, browned butter, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and confectioners' sugar are combined to make the frosting.

The dough should be moist and somewhat sticky but not overly sticky after kneading. The dough is sufficiently risen after the first rising if it has doubled in size. Keep shaped dough logs tight and slice them evenly to promote even baking. Baked goods are done when they are golden and reach an internal temperature of 190F. The most common reason for toughness with this dough is too much additional flour.

Bake rolls right after the second rise or shape and chill the rolled buns overnight. Let buns warm up and rise before baking. Spread frosting on the rolls after they have stood 5 to 10 minutes to create swirls of frosting on the rolls. Leftover rolls can be stored in a covered container.

Why this recipe works

Good for holiday breakfasts. A 9-by-13-inch pan of gingerbread rolls yields 12 rolls, which would be enough to feed a small family or group.
Overnight proofing can save preparation time in the morning because the rolls can proof in the refrigerator overnight and partially proof on the countertop while the oven preheats.
Pumpkin enthusiasts can add pumpkin flavor to baked goods during the fall without strong flavors by adding pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to yeast dough.
Brown butter is included in the dough, filling, and icing to give the entire cookie a nutty, brown-butter taste, not just the icing.
The frosting makes the buns a little softer over time, allowing the cream cheese topping to stick to the twisted buns rather than sitting on top of them.
Leftovers will last for a few days, according to the recipe, if they're stored in airtight containers. Rolls are best when eaten fresh.

Instructions

Brown 15 tablespoons of butter to provide the 12 tablespoons of browned butter needed, allowing for evaporation.

Use melted browned butter for the dough and filling, and chill the remaining browned butter for the frosting until it can soften to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Mix in the sugar, browned butter, egg, dry milk powder, salt, and pumpkin puree until evenly combined with no traces of egg yolk.

Add 3¼ cups of flour and the pumpkin pie spice, then mix until mostly combined.

Attach the dough hook and mix; if the dough is very sticky to the bowl, add ¼ cup more flour and mix again, using the final ¼ cup only if needed.

Knead on medium speed for 8 minutes, scraping the bowl every couple of minutes if needed, until the dough is soft and moist but not overly sticky.

Preheat the oven to 200F/93C, then turn it off to create a warm place for the dough to rise.

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray or oil, place the dough inside, and move it around the bowl to help prevent a skin from forming.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place it in the warm, turned-off oven.

After 45 minutes to 1 hour, when the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with clean hands to release air bubbles.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll it into a 16-by-14-inch rectangle.

Brush the dough with melted browned butter.

Mix the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough.

Roll the dough tightly into a log, score it into 12 even pieces, and slice with unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.

Place the rolls in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or let rise immediately until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

For refrigerated rolls, set the pan on the counter for about 45 minutes to rise and thaw.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and bake the rolls for 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown and, if checked, 190F/88C internally.

Let the baked rolls sit for 5 to 10 minutes before icing.

While the rolls bake, beat the cream cheese and softened browned butter for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.

Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and confectioners sugar; beat first on low until the sugar is incorporated, then on high for 4 minutes.

Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm so it melts into each roll.

Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container.

FAQ

Serve these rolls warm at breakfasts during holiday and weekend events. Brown sugar filling and cream cheese frosting provide substantial flavors and other qualities to make the rolls a full meal. For events with many breakfast guests, consider serving the rolls in the baking dish for guests to select and eat. Frost the rolls after 5 to 10 minutes of rest so the topping settles into the warm spirals.

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Breakfast Desserts Bread American Holiday Fall Baking

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 192 min
Yield: 12 Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients: 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast (1 standard American package); 6 oz warm water (¾ cup; check yeast package for temperature, usually around 115F/46C); 50 grams granulated sugar (¼ cup; caster sugar); 2 tablespoons butter (browned); 1 large egg (room temperature); 1 tablespoon dry milk powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 5.3 oz pure pumpkin puree (⅔ cup; room temperature; not pumpkin pie filling); 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (3¼-3¾ cups; plain flour); 150 grams brown sugar (¾ cup); 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 3 oz butter (6 tablespoons; browned); 4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature); 2 oz browned butter (¼ cup; softened to room temperature); 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; 180 grams confectioners sugar (1½ cups; powdered sugar); cooking spray or oil (for the rising bowl)

By Emma CollinsOct 3, 2026

Prep

45 min

Cook

27 min

Total

192 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

Why this recipe works

Good for holiday breakfasts. A 9-by-13-inch pan of gingerbread rolls yields 12 rolls, which would be enough to feed a small family or group.
Overnight proofing can save preparation time in the morning because the rolls can proof in the refrigerator overnight and partially proof on the countertop while the oven preheats.
Pumpkin enthusiasts can add pumpkin flavor to baked goods during the fall without strong flavors by adding pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to yeast dough.
Brown butter is included in the dough, filling, and icing to give the entire cookie a nutty, brown-butter taste, not just the icing.
The frosting makes the buns a little softer over time, allowing the cream cheese topping to stick to the twisted buns rather than sitting on top of them.
Leftovers will last for a few days, according to the recipe, if they're stored in airtight containers. Rolls are best when eaten fresh.

Ingredients

Servings12

•2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (1 standard American package)
•6 oz warm water (¾ cup; check yeast package for temperature, usually around 115F/46C)
•50 grams granulated sugar (¼ cup; caster sugar)
•2 tablespoons butter (browned)
•1 large egg (room temperature)
•1 tablespoon dry milk powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•5.3 oz pure pumpkin puree (⅔ cup; room temperature; not pumpkin pie filling)
•1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
•3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (3¼-3¾ cups; plain flour)
•150 grams brown sugar (¾ cup)
•1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
•1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
•3 oz butter (6 tablespoons; browned)
•4 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
•2 oz browned butter (¼ cup; softened to room temperature)
•1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
•2 tablespoons heavy cream
•180 grams confectioners sugar (1½ cups; powdered sugar)
•cooking spray or oil (for the rising bowl)

Instructions

1
Brown 15 tablespoons of butter to provide the 12 tablespoons of browned butter needed, allowing for evaporation.
2
Use melted browned butter for the dough and filling, and chill the remaining browned butter for the frosting until it can soften to room temperature.
3
In the bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
4
Mix in the sugar, browned butter, egg, dry milk powder, salt, and pumpkin puree until evenly combined with no traces of egg yolk.
5
Add 3¼ cups of flour and the pumpkin pie spice, then mix until mostly combined.
6
Attach the dough hook and mix; if the dough is very sticky to the bowl, add ¼ cup more flour and mix again, using the final ¼ cup only if needed.
7
Knead on medium speed for 8 minutes, scraping the bowl every couple of minutes if needed, until the dough is soft and moist but not overly sticky.
8
Preheat the oven to 200F/93C, then turn it off to create a warm place for the dough to rise.
9
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray or oil, place the dough inside, and move it around the bowl to help prevent a skin from forming.
10
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place it in the warm, turned-off oven.
11
After 45 minutes to 1 hour, when the dough has doubled in size, punch it down with clean hands to release air bubbles.
12
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll it into a 16-by-14-inch rectangle.
13
Brush the dough with melted browned butter.
14
Mix the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
15
Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
16
Roll the dough tightly into a log, score it into 12 even pieces, and slice with unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.
17
Place the rolls in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or let rise immediately until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
18
For refrigerated rolls, set the pan on the counter for about 45 minutes to rise and thaw.
19
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and bake the rolls for 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown and, if checked, 190F/88C internally.
20
Let the baked rolls sit for 5 to 10 minutes before icing.
21
While the rolls bake, beat the cream cheese and softened browned butter for 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
22
Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and confectioners sugar; beat first on low until the sugar is incorporated, then on high for 4 minutes.
23
Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm so it melts into each roll.
24
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container.