Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (Shaped Like Pumpkins!)

These fluffy spice-filled pumpkin cinnamon rolls are actually shaped to look like little pumpkins. After cutting them into slices, they are tied with pieces of twine to create the grooved sides of the pumpkin while baking. After baking, the cinnamon rolls are topped with a cinnamon stick for the stem and drizzled with a sweet buttery glaze. They are easier than they look--give them a try!

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 15

Rising Time 1

Servings cinnamon rolls

5 from 2 votes

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Equipment

1 stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer
1 Dough hook for stand mixer (optional)
Kitchen twine or string
Unflavored dental floss or thin string (optional)
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

⅓ cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoon package instant yeast
14 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree
5 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
3¼ cups all-purpose flour

Filling

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
1½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoon unsalted butter, very soft and spreadable

Vanilla Glaze

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon whole milk
6 cinnamon sticks for decorating (optional)

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Instructions

Make the Dough

Warm milk to 105-110 degrees F by placing milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 30 seconds. Transfer warm milk and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top.
Add the canned pumpkin puree, melted butter, salt and egg, mixing with your stand mixer or a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the pumpkin pie spice and flour until a dough begins to form.
Place the dough hook on your mixer and knead dough on low speed for 8-10 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured work surface. folding the dough over and push down with the heel of your hand as you knead, then turn and repeat.
Transfer the dough ball to a large bowl greased with nonstick cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Prepare the Filling and Assemble

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
After dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 12X14 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far long side of the dough.
Sprinkle spice mixture over the dough, and then rub it into the butter.
Tightly roll up the dough, starting from the long side, and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can. Trim the ends of the roll to make the shape even.
Use unflavored dental floss or thin string ,cut even 1-inch sections from the roll by placing the floss under the roll and bringing the ends together to form neat slices.
Cut a piece of string or twine long enough that it can wrap around a cinnamon roll slice four times. Make a total of 12 of these strings. Flip the slice over, turn it 90 degrees, and cross the string over itself like you are wrapping a present. Flip the slice over again and wrap it two more times so that the slice is divided into 8 sections. See photos in post to illustrate.
Important: The string should just graze the sides of the slice, You don't want it to be too snug or else it will cut through the cinnamon roll when it rises and baked.
Tie a double knot at the end, and trim the ends of the string so they aren’t too long. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and repeat for all remaining slices.
Cover slices with plastic wrap and let rise again for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Remove plastic wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls for 15-18 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges.. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before icing.

Prepare the Glaze

Whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and milk. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls, and then stick a half cinnamon stick in the center to resemble a pumpkin. Serve warm!

Notes

To get 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ginger, nutmeg, allspice or cloves (choose two.)
To make overnight cinnamon rolls, prepare the dough up through Step 4 and then transfer it to a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out, adding the filling, and shaping it into pumpkins!

Nutrition

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