Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
By Lizzie on October 27, 2020
Hi my friends! How is everyone doing? Well, every time I do a blog post lately, I’m hoping to say that it finally feels like Fall here in Florida 🙂 I guess it’s still wishful thinking at this point, because it’s been almost 90 degrees here each day. How is the weather in your part of the country? Try not to make me jealous when you tell me that the leaves are changing color and you get to wear sweaters each day 🙂
I’m super excited to share my newest recipe creation with you, and I have to admit…I ate way more of these than any human being should have while I was trying to get the recipe just right!! My Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing are the perfect balance of Fall flavors, soft dough, luscious glaze, and crunchy pecans on top. They are truly magical and after eating 2 whole ones while taste testing them, I had to freeze the rest right away before I got myself into anymore trouble 🙂
Let me know what you think, and what your favorite Fall baking treats are as a tradition in your home. I love hearing everyone’s baking stories and memories of what makes you most happy during the holidays.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I loved making it for you!!
Happy Baking!
xoxo
Lizzie
Start with the very best ingredients when you bake!! My favorite flour is always King Arthur Flour!
I used 3 different kinds of my favorite sugar from Dixie Crystals!
I also used my favorite canned pumpkin by Libby’s Pumpkin.
And of course, my favorite vanilla extract from my favorite extract company, Nielsen Massey!
Whisk all the Fall spices into the flour mixture!
The filling is so yummy!
Whisk together all the wet ingredients before you add it to the flour mixture.
This is what the dough looks like before it rises.
After an hour, you will have this gorgeous fluffy dough that has doubled in size. Just make sure your yeast is fresh!!
You can roll the dough onto a baking sheet covered in a silicone mat, dusted with flour, or just on your counter.
Spread the cinnamon sugar and butter mixture over the rolled dough, leaving a bit of a border so you can pinch the roll closed.
After you cut the dough, grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and place your 12 slices into the pan. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.
They are good enough to eat without any icing on them…straight from the pan.
While the rolls are cooling, make the gorgeous maple icing and toast the pecans, if you are using them. I LOVE pecans!
I mean…how pretty is this?
When the rolls are cool, spread that amazing icing over the top!
Sprinkle with the toasted pecans! I love the texture of the pecans, so if you love them as much as I do, I would definitely use them!
A thing of beauty, if I do say so myself 🙂
So pretty, a close up is a must!
I wonder where this bite went? 🙂
Sometimes, all I can say is yummmmmmm 🙂
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing
Makes: 1 dozen rolls Prep time including rising : 90 minutes Bake time: 23 to 26 minutes
Ingredients
Dough
4 cups plus 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole Organic Valley milk
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons Organic Valley unsalted butter
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup Dixie Crystals sugar
Filling
8 tablespoons, unsalted and softened Organic Valley butter
1 cup, Dixie Crystals brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup toasted pecans for sprinkling on top of the icing, (optional)
Maple Cream Cheese Icing
8 ounces, softened, full fat, Organic Valley Cream Cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted and softened, Organic Valley Butter
1 teaspoon, Nielsen Massey pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, (do not use extract)
3 cups, Dixie Crystals confectioners sugar
pinch of salt
Directions
Make the dough:
Combine the yeast, flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt in your stand mixer bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool slightly.
In a microwave safe mixing glass, heat the milk and water for about 45 seconds to a minute. You want it to be really warm but not hot.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin, and milk and water mixture.
Add in the melted butter.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with your dough hook until the dough comes together.
The dough will still be a bit sticky, and that’s ok.
Scrape down the side of the bowl and form into a ball and place back in the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for one hour.
While the dough is rising, make the filling by mixing all of the ingredients by hand in a medium sized bowl.
Punch the dough down to get the air bubbles out.
Now, the next step I learned online and it’s a clever one when it comes to rolling out dough for cinnamon rolls. 🙂
Use a baking sheet without sides, (see my photo above), and place a silicone mat on top.
If you don’t have a silicone baking mat, you can just dust the baking sheet with flour.
Now, roll the dough out the about the size of your baking sheet.
Spread the filling to about 1/2 inch of the border so you will be able to seal the dough properly.
Roll the dough lengthwise and pinch all along the seal.
With a sharp serrated knife, cut the dough in half.
Then cut each half in half.
Then cut each half into 3 equal pieces.
You will end up with 12 fairly equal size pieces. (The ones on the end are always the smallest) 🙂
Place the slices in a buttered 9×13 inch pan.
Cover the dough with a towel and let rise for 15 minutes.
While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 360 degrees.
After 15 minutes, place the rolls into the oven.
Bake for 23 to 26 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown on top. Be careful not to over bake them.
While the rolls are cooling, make the icing.
If you are using pecans, I recommend toasting them for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees. I highly recommend using them 🙂
Chop them slightly once cooled and set aside.
To make the icing, whip the softened cream cheese and butter in your stand mixer until creamy and smooth.
Add in the maple syrup, vanilla extract and pinch of salt.
Slowly add in the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth and silky.
Frost the cooled rolls in the pan and sprinkle the nuts over the top.
Serve these magical bites of heaven as soon as you frost them. They are unbelievable the first day they are made!
If you have any leftovers, wait until the icing sets and wrap them up individually or in twos.
Take foil and place a piece of wax paper over the top and wrap them up like a sandwich.
Freeze them until you are ready to eat them. Then defrost and you can warm them slightly in the microwave.
I would recommend freezing them if not eating them all by the second day. These truly need to be eaten fresh.
Please let me know if you have a chance to make them!!
I love seeing your photos on social media too.
Happy baking my friends.
xo
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