Soft and incredibly doughy pumpkin cinnamon rolls topped with rich and velvety maple cream cheese icing!
Tell me. Is there anything in this world more comforting, more heavenly, or more mouthwatering than a warm and fluffy roll swirled with ooey gooey cinnamon-brown sugar filling and drenched in icing?
No. There isn’t.
There’s just something about a classic cinnamon roll that produces instant bliss in the brain. Not too long ago, I posted a recipe for No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls, which were nothing short of divine. This was in part due to the pandemic suddenly creating bakers out of everyone, therefore causing a yeast shortage. (Thank God I already had a stockpile of flour and sugar!)
This week, however, I was beyond ecstatic to see that my store FINALLY had yeast on their shelves. I can’t tell you how many months went by without seeing a single yeast packet anywhere. So of course I grabbed a packet, even though I had no idea what I was going to make. I just knew I needed my precious yeast!
It didn’t take long for me to decide that cinnamon rolls were the obvious option. The only question was what KIND of cinnamon rolls should I make?
How about PUMPKIN cinnamon rolls….with MAPLE cream cheese icing?
BEST. IDEA. EVER.
Aside from the fact that they’re one of the most delicious pastries on the planet, another reason to bake your own cinnamon rolls is the sweet, cinnamony, fresh-baked bread aroma that fills your entire home. There’s really nothing like it. Not even a Bath & Body Works candle can come close to the scent.
Anywho, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are PERFECTION. The dough itself is soft, slightly chewy, and extra pillowy. It’s like sinking your teeth into a cloud of pure ecstasy. Except this stuff is legal–I swear! It’s all about how you treat your dough. Not only do you have to make it with love (as I hope you do with everything you make), but you also have to be gentle with it. Don’t manhandle it by over-kneading it or adding too much flour. In fact, you only need to add just enough flour until the dough just cleans the bowl and is still tacky to the touch. Adding too much flour creates a dryer cinnamon roll, which is a big no-no in my world.
Once the dough has had time to rest and rise, you’re allowed to give it some tough love by punching it down. Don’t go overboard though–one punch is all you need. As far as rolling the dough out, I rolled mine out to about 18×15 inches. The larger the rectangle, the more spirals you end up with which creates a more even distribution of filling to bread ratio.
Speaking of filling, the cinnamon-brown sugar filling could not have been more on point in these cinnamon rolls. The filling is super ooey gooey–just like a good Cinnabon cinnamon roll! We all know there’s nothing worse than biting into a seemingly delicious cinnamon roll only to discover that there’s barely any filling and it’s mostly just dough. The filling makes up a major part of what makes cinnamon rolls so heavenly. That’s why there’s absolutely no shortage of filling in these devilish babes.
The icing/frosting you choose to top the cinnamon rolls with is just as important as the cinnamon roll itself. I never take this decision lightly.
NEVER.
Seeing as the theme of these cinnamon rolls is fall (they are pumpkin cinnamon rolls, after all), I slathered on a hefty helping of maple cream cheese icing. Cream cheese icing is an addictive son-of-a-gun on its own, but when you add maple syrup to it, BOY are you in trouble. At least, your waistline is in trouble…
But hey, who needs a skinny waist when it’s already sweater weather?? I know there’s a quote somewhere that says “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” but I don’t think the person who coined this phrase ever tried a cinnamon roll. Just sayin’.
Needless to say, these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are without a doubt tasty beyond belief. They’re flavored with just the right amount of pumpkin and perfectly spiced with nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. They’re exquisitely soft, doughy, and loaded with gooey cinnamon-sugar filling. Furthermore, they’re slathered in the most smooth and velvety maple cream cheese icing.
How could ANYone turn down such a celestial sweet?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4 ounce packet)
- ¼ cup warm water*
- ⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- ⅔ cup pumpkin purée
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 - 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour**
For the Filling:
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Maple Cream Cheese Icing:
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup***
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In a glass measuring cup, combine the yeast, water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar; set aside to foam for about 5 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin purée, 1/3 cup of sugar, greek yogurt, milk, melted butter, egg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Switch to the dough hook, and add the yeast mixture and 3 cups of the flour. Mix the dough on low and allow it to knead for about 6-7 minutes. If dough is still too soft, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until dough just cleans the bowl, but is very soft. It should still stick to the bottom of the bowl.
- Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place dough in bowl. Seal tightly with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- In the meantime, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- After dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Turn dough out onto a floured Silpat or floured countertop. With a rolling pin, roll it out to an 18x15-inch rectangle.
- With a knife (or your fingers), spread butter evenly over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar over it, followed by the spices. Lightly pat it down with your fingertips to help sugar adhere to dough. Roll dough tightly into a log (from long side to long side), ending with the seam side down. Pinch the ends to seal.
- Using plain, unwaxed dental floss (or a bench scraper), slice the rolls into 12 evenly-sized rolls. Arrange the rolls cut-side down in the prepared baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
*If baking immediately
- Allow the rolls to rise again in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
*Or...If You Want to Bake the Rolls the Next Day
- Place covered rolls in the refrigerator for up to 16 hours. Before baking, let the rolls sit at room temperature until they have nearly doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
Baking:
- For either version, bake at 375ºF for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly golden on the surface, with melty, bubbly filling. *Do not over-bake your rolls*, or they will be firm and crunchy instead of soft and gooey. Err on the side of under-baking. They will continue to bake a little after you take them out of the oven. While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese icing.
Make the Maple Cream Cheese Icing:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat for 1 more minute until light and fluffy. If desired, add more maple syrup (by the teaspoon) for extra maple flavor.
- Once rolls have baked, remove from the oven and immediately spread the cream cheese icing over the warm rolls, allowing the icing to melt into every crevice moistening the rolls even more! Serve immediately. Rolls are best eaten fresh, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat leftover rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave before serving.