Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy with a light chew, these pumpkin pecan cinnamon rolls are just the right amount of sweet with an amazing flavor of fall. With pumpkin puree in both the dough and filling and maple in the frosting, these make the perfect treat for fall or anytime.

This recipe is a fun fall spin on the classic cinnamon roll. Adding pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the dough and filling gives it a great flavor. The added pecans give a bit of flavor and a nice texture, while the maple-flavored cream cheese frosting ties everything together.

Not overly sweet, the filling and maple glaze help sweeten the rolls without being cloyingly sweet overall. Using a blend of all-purpose and bread flour gives the cinnamon rolls a bit of chew and structure, while remaining pillowy soft and moist for days.

Pumpkin and maple also make a great combination that works well together. I use this same combination in my bourbon pumpkin cheesecake bars in the whipped cream, or the maple drizzle for my pumpkin scones.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough

Yeast – Cinnamon roll dough is a yeasted dough, so you’ll need a packet of instant or active yeast. No matter what kind of yeast I use, I like to proof it first to be sure that it’s still alive. This way, if the yeast is bad all you waste is water/milk and a bit of sugar.

Milk – Instead of water, use milk here since the recipe uses an enriched bread for the rolls. I prefer whole milk, but most milk should be fine.

Sugar – I only use a bit of sugar in the dough to keep things from being overly sweet. Add a few pinches to the yeast and warm milk to help feed the yeast.

Flour – I like a combination of all-purpose and bread flour here for the best of both worlds in texture and structure. Feel free to use all of one or the other though.

Butter – Use room temperature unsalted butter. If using salted butter, omit the added salt in the recipe card.

Pumpkin Puree – Canned or homemade pumpkin puree is used a bit in the dough. Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix as that is sweetened and spice already.

Spices – I use a combination of pumpkin pie spice and a bit of ground nutmeg here. Normally I use homemade pumpkin pie spice and add extra ground cinnamon, but too much cinnamon can inhibit the yeast’s ability to raise the dough.

Egg – Use one large egg at room temperature. Some recipes use two eggs here, but I prefer to increase the pumpkin puree and use one less egg for more pumpkin flavor.

Pumpkin Pecan Filling

Butter – In most similar recipes I would use softened or melted butter as a first layer to sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar. For here, use softened, unsalted butter to mix the rest of the ingredients into a paste.

Sugar – I like dark brown sugar here for the pumpkin filling, but light brown can also work.

Pumpkin Puree – As above in the dough, be sure to use pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling here.

Spices – Similar to the dough, use a combination of pumpkin pie spice and extra ground cinnamon for the flavor in the filling.

Pecans – If you don’t want to use the nuts here, feel free to omit them. I toast some pecan halves and use most of them in the filling and reserve some for topping the finished pumpkin pecan cinnamon rolls after frosting them.

Maple Frosting

Butter – Once again, use some room temperature unsalted butter for the frosting. This adds a bit more flavor to the cream cheese.

Cream Cheese – Use full-fat block-style cream cheese for the frosting. This adds tanginess and helps thicken the glaze.

Sugar – Powdered sugar that’s been sifted helps sweeten and thicken then cream cheese frosting.

Maple – Use pure maple syrup here for added flavor. This replaces commonly used milk or cream to add liquid and thin out the frosting enough to spread.

Pecans & Cinnamon – Use the reserved, toasted and chopped pecans as a topping after frosting the cinnamon rolls. A bit of ground cinnamon also adds a bit of flavor but is optional.

Make the Pumpkin Dough

Start by warming the milk in a heatproof container like a measuring cup in the microwave. It only needs to be warm, so somewhere between 90-110°F / 32-43°C is fine. Stir in a few pinches of sugar and the packet of yeast you’re using. Set aside for 10-15 minutes until foamy and bubbling.

While waiting, add the all-purpose and bread flour into a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl if making by hand, add the butter, pumpkin puree, egg, sugar, spices, and the yeast mixture once proofed. Mix at medium speed until well combined.

Switch to the dough hook if using a stand mixer. Begin adding the flour mixture, one cup or so at a time, and mix for a minute or so between each addition. Use a rubber spatula between additions to scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl. When adding the final cup of flour, add the reserved salt as well.

Once the final addition of flour has been mixed in, scrape down the sides and bottom one more time, then let the dough knead at low speed for another 5-6 minutes. When the dough is finished, it should be soft and still slightly tacky. When pressed with your finger, it should bounce back slowly. If it seems too sticky, add a teaspoon of flour at a time while mixing. Don’t add too much though as it should be tacky and not completely dry.

Lightly grease a large bowl and transfer the dough into that bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm environment until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Make the Pumpkin Filling

While the dough is rising, make the pumpkin filling for the cinnamon rolls.

Start by toasting ¾ cup of pecans in a dry pan over medium heat. Shake and toss the pecans occasionally until lightly darkened and you can smell them, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool. Roughly chop the cooled pecans and reserve up to ¼ cup for a topping later.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, dark brown sugar, pumpkin puree, spices, and the chopped, toasted pecans. Mix with a whisk or rubber spatula until the ingredients form a thick paste. Set aside until needed.

Shaping & Filling the Cinnamon Rolls

Grease a 13x9 baking dish or pan with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.

Once doubled in size, punch the dough down and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Add a bit more flour to the top of the dough and lightly flour a rolling pin. Begin to gently press and roll the dough into a 13 by 15-inch rectangle.

If the dough resists being rolled out and keeps pulling back, stop rolling. Lightly cover the dough and let it rest for another 10 minutes, then try again. This lets the gluten relax a bit more.

Once rolled out, add the reserved filling in chunks around the top of the dough. Looking at the dough with the shorter side facing you, spread the filling evenly across the top, leaving a 1-inch gap at the end farthest from you. This will make sealing the edge easier in a moment.

Starting from the edge closest to you, begin tightly and evenly rolling the dough away from you. At the end, gently press the blank edge into the dough and keep that section seam side down.

I like to slightly trim the two ends here, then mark the dough every inch so that you have 12 evenly marked rolls. Use a very sharp knife to slice through the marks you left, then transfer the cinnamon rolls, cut side down, into the prepared baking dish.

The easiest and prettiest way to cut cinnamon rolls, however, is to use unflavored dental floss. Break off a strand about 18-inches long and slide it under the cinnamon roll log. Pull the floss up and cross the strands over the cutting mark, then pull away from the log. The floss will pull itself through the roll and perfectly cut each slice.

Once all 12 cinnamon rolls are in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow them to rise a second time. This should take about 40-60 more minutes.

Baking & Frosting Cinnamon Rolls

While the rolls are rising a second time, preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.

When the cinnamon rolls have roughly doubled again and the oven is ready, uncover the baking dish and place it into the center of the oven. Bake for 18-24 minutes, until the tops and edges are just starting to brown.

While the pumpkin cinnamon rolls are baking, make the maple cream cheese frosting.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and softened butter. Using a hand mixer, cream the two together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Sift the powdered sugar into the mixture with a pinch of salt. Mix again until combined, then pour in maple syrup and continue mixing at medium-high speed until fully combined. The frosting should be thick, but loose enough to spread easily.

Once the cinnamon rolls are done, let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Spread half of the frosting over them. Since they are hot, the frosting will melt slightly into the rolls, this helps them stay moist. Now let them cool almost completely and spread the remaining frosting on top.

After frosting the second time, add the reserved pecans on top and a few shakes of ground cinnamon. Both are optional.

Separate with a spatula and serve slightly warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

🍽 Recommended Equipment

While you can make these pumpkin pecan cinnamon rolls by hand or with simple whisks, here’s a few items I recommend.

Stand Mixer – If you do much home baking, I recommend investing in a decent stand mixer. You don’t have to go super high end, but this tool makes so many recipes a lot easier. You can do your mixing and kneading right in the same bowl.

Floss – The surprising tool that makes the easiest and cleanest cuts for cinnamon rolls. If you use water picks or those small single use picks, just pick up a thing of unflavored dental floss at any store. It’s a very inexpensive and effective hack.

Once baked and cooled, you can store your pumpkin cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days if unfrosted. Because of the dairy in the frosting, I recommend storing the maple cream cheese frosting or glazed cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.  

Cinnamon rolls can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months. If planning on having leftovers or making a batch to be frozen, I recommend leaving them unfrosted and making a fresh batch of the glaze after thawing. When freezing already frosted rolls, I would place them on a plate or baking sheet and freeze for about 1-2 hours. After freezing, wrap the cinnamon rolls tightly in plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil and place back into the freezer.

You can also freeze unbaked rolls. After the first rise, shape and cut them as directed and place on a baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours and then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and place back into freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and then leave them at room temperature for 1 ½ - 2 hours for a second rise before baking.