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Easy One-Bowl Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

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These easy one-bowl pumpkin cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing are soft, fluffy, and incredibly tender. Made with real pumpkin purée and a foolproof dough, they deliver all the cozy fall flavor without the usual stress.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard packet)
  • ¼ cup warm water (about 110°F)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ cup milk (whole milk works best, but 2% is fine), warmed
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 to 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft (for filling)
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt (for filling)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (for icing)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (for icing)
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (for icing)

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In your large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy and smells like bread. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be dead — start over with fresh yeast.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients: Add the warm milk, pumpkin purée, melted butter, ¼ cup sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk until smooth. The mixture will look a little lumpy from the pumpkin — that’s perfect.
  3. Add the flour: Add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Add the remaining ½ cup flour gradually, just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You might not need all of it.
  4. Knead in the bowl: Keep the dough right in the bowl. Use your hands to knead it, folding the dough over itself and pressing down. Do this for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should feel soft and slightly tacky, not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
  5. First rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Place it in a warm spot — I set mine on top of the fridge or in the oven with the light on. Let it rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until doubled in size. It should look puffy and feel airy when you poke it.
  6. Make the filling: While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl until it forms a spreadable paste. Set aside.
  7. Roll out the dough: Punch down the risen dough gently. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle about 12×18 inches and about ¼ inch thick. Don’t stress about perfect edges — rustic is fine.
  8. Add the filling: Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one long edge. Make sure it reaches every corner. I use an offset spatula for this, but a butter knife works.
  9. Roll it up: Starting from the long edge opposite the border, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Roll it gently back and forth to even it out.
  10. Cut the rolls: Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal pieces. For clean cuts, slice with one motion — don’t saw back and forth. Place the rolls in a greased or parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking dish, cut side up.
  11. Second rise: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy and touching each other. They should look like they’re snuggling.
  12. Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 22-28 minutes until golden brown on top. The center should be set and the edges lightly browned. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  13. Make the icing: While the rolls bake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then beat until creamy. Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency. It should be thick but spreadable.
  14. Ice and serve: Let the rolls cool for 5-10 minutes — not completely, or the icing won’t spread as nicely. Pour the cream cheese icing over the warm rolls and spread it evenly. Serve immediately while they’re still warm and gooey.

Notes

For extra gooey rolls, pour about ¼ cup of heavy cream over the rolls just before baking. Use unflavored dental floss for clean cuts. The rolls taste even better the next day as the spices meld together.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cinnamon rolls, one-bowl cinnamon rolls, cream cheese icing, fall baking, easy cinnamon rolls, pumpkin recipes

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/easy-one-bowl-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-with-cream-cheese-icing/