Chef John’s Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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Description

The addition of pumpkin puree made these the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • ½ teaspoon white sugar
  • ¼ cup warm water (100 to 105 degrees F/38 to 41 degrees C)
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (Optional)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup milk, or as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (Optional)
  • ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Mix brown sugar
  2. 1/4 cup white sugar
  3. and cinnamon together in a small bowl; set aside.
  4. Combine yeast
  5. 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
  6. and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and set aside until foamy
  7. about 10 minutes.
  8. Pour pumpkin puree
  9. cream
  10. 1/4 cup white sugar
  11. 1/4 cup melted butter
  12. salt
  13. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  14. ginger
  15. allspice
  16. 2 cups flour
  17. and the egg into stand mixer bowl with the yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook attachment until combined
  18. about 2 minutes.
  19. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour and mix on low with the dough hook
  20. adding more flour if the mixture is too sticky
  21. until dough is slightly sticky
  22. smooth
  23. and elastic
  24. 6 to 7 minutes.
  25. Remove dough and shape into a ball. Coat the bowl of the stand mixer lightly with vegetable oil
  26. return dough to the bowl
  27. turning to coat with oil. Cover with aluminum foil and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size
  28. about 1 1/2 hours.
  29. Generously butter a 13×9-inch baking dish.
  30. Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface. Use your hands to flatten into a rectangular shape about 1-inch thick. Generously sprinkle flour over both sides of the dough; roll out to about a 20×12-inch rectangle. Pour melted butter over the top and brush evenly over the surface
  31. leaving 2-inches along one wide edge unbuttered. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the dough and moisten the unbuttered edge with water. Starting at the wide edge with butter
  32. roll dough tightly into a log; press firmly along moistened edge to seal.
  33. Trim uneven ends from the roll and discard. Cut rolled dough into 16 equally-sized pinwheels. Place the pinwheels
  34. cut side up
  35. in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size
  36. 45 to 60 minutes.
  37. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  38. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown
  39. about 30 minutes; set aside to cool slightly while mixing glaze.
  40. Whisk cream cheese
  41. confectioners’ sugar
  42. milk
  43. and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth; drizzle over the warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the rolls to serve.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 16

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