Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Fall is officially here and I am fully embracing all things pumpkin spice. I love that when the seasons change our food changes too! Isn’t that what we love about the holidays? Food?!?
As we transition from flip flops to boots, shorts to jeans, and tank tops to sweaters, our food transitions from burgers to soup, coffee to hot chocolate, and popsicles to pumpkin bread.
Is it just me or is the obsession with pumpkin spice flavored drinks and food a recent thing? I don’t remember it being such a prevalent fall flavor when I was younger. This may have been due to my sheltered food options since I had a mom who didn’t love to cook. But I don’t even remember seeing commercials for it? Where did this fascination with pumpkin spice come from? I don’t really need an answer to this, although, I think the answer is Starbucks!
Well, where ever it came from, I am not complaining because I am all for it! These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are just the right amount of pumpkin spice with enough pumpkin to make them light and fluffy. These are perfect for a Fall morning!
The dough is made the night before and rises in the refrigerator over night – that’s right – this key fact makes these rolls so easy! It is a one pot dough, baby! (You don’t have to let them rise in the refrigerator – instructions for regular rise are in the recipe.) Also, I have included the ingredients to make your own pumpkin pie spice. It is at the bottom of the recipe instructions.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
These light and fluffy pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls have just the right about of pumpkin and spice to complement any Fall morning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold water
- 4 eggs slightly beaten
- 2 pkgs or .5 ounces yeast
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 7½ cups flour
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cinnamon
Frosting Glaze
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
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In a large pot, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add the ½ cup of butter, pumpkin puree, sugar, and salt to the pot and turn off the heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the one cup of cold water and stir.
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In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the ½ cup warm water. Sprinkle with a dash of sugar to help the yeast activate. Allow to rest about five minutes until it is foamy.
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When the mixture in the pot is lukewarm, add the beaten eggs. Add the yeast mixture and stir. Add the flour and pumpkin pie spice* and stir together. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and let rise over night in the refrigerator or for 2 hours until doubled in size.
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When you are ready to roll out, divide the dough into thirds. Generously flour the surface and roll the dough into 15×10 inch rectangles – about ¼ inch thick. If you let them rise in the refrigerator, the dough will be stiff and hard. Just work with it and use some muscle to roll it out.
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Spread each rectangle with ¼ cup of the softened butter. Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together in a bowl and spread ⅓ of it over each rectangle. ( I never really measure the brown sugar and cinnamon, I just spread out some sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon until it covers the sugar;)
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Roll up the dough jelly-roll style and cut into 12 rounds. Place on a greased 9×13 inch baking pan and cover with a light town to let rise for 2-3 hours or double in size. (Repeat this three times for each piece of dough.) Bake one sheet at a time at 375°F for about 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown on top.
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While they are baking, mix all the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl until smooth. Spread the glaze on the warm cinnamon rolls as they come out of the oven. Enjoy!
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*Pumpkin Pie Spice: 4 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp nutmeg
