Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls on a crisp, slow fall morning? A little predictable, maybe. But no doubt the right decision. If you have a morning free with nowhere to be, we can’t think of a better excuse to make a batch of these pumpkin spice latte cinnamon rolls! Consider them your favorite fall coffee order, just reimagined as a big fluffy cinnamon roll.

They take everything you love about classic cinnamon rolls and give them a fall makeover. Pumpkin-infused dough, a cozy pumpkin spice filling, and a thick layer of dreamy espresso frosting bring the whole pumpkin spice latte situation to life. 

Sweet pumpkin spice swirls layered between fluffy pumpkin dough bake up to a pillowy, soft roll. Each roll is then topped with a rich espresso frosting to balance the spices and give these pumpkin cinnamon rolls their signature SPL flavor. They’re the perfect bake for lazy Saturday mornings or even Thanksgiving morning if you want a breakfast to feel a little more special.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls

• Crisp edges, gooey centers! The perfect cinnamon roll is cooked crisp on the edges with a gooey center. As you unravel each swirl, it just gets better the closer you get to the center!
• Full of pumpkin spice flavor! It wouldn’t be a pumpkin spice latte cinnamon roll without the star ingredient – pumpkin spice. We swapped cinnamon for pumpkin spice in the filling to give these rolls a fall makeover. 
• Great for serving a group! This recipe makes about 16-18 cinnamon rolls, which makes them great for sharing or gifting to friends and neighbors.

How to Make These Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls, Step by Step

Step 1. Make pumpkin cinnamon roll dough. Let it rise for 1 hour. 

Start at the stovetop with a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add milk, sugar, salt, and butter to the pan and gently stir until the butter and sugar dissolve. Cool the mixture to a lukewarm temperature. If it is too hot or too cold, it could kill the yeast.

Add warm water and yeast to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer to bloom (or activate). Add the warm milk mixture, room temperature eggs, pumpkin puree, and flour to the bowl and mix on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.

Reduce the speed and add the rest of the flour to the dough. Stop mixing when the dough clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. 

Lastly, continue to knead the dough in the mixture on speed 2 for 5 more minutes.

Tip: It’s essential to keep the ingredients at room temperature to maintain yeast activity while you make the dough.

Grease a large bowl and place the dough ball in the bowl to rise in a warm place – microwave or oven with the light on –  for 1 hour. It should double in size as it sits. 

Step 2. Make pumpkin spice brown sugar filling. 

The filling is arguably the best part of these rolls. Start with softened (not melted) butter. If the butter is too soft, it can make it hard to spread the filling. 

Add softened butter, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the softened butter until it forms a soft, fluffy filling that can be smoothly spread across the dough. 

Step 3. Roll out the dough, spread the filling, and cut into cinnamon rolls. Let them rise a second time for an additional hour.

Your sweet pumpkin dough should now be doubled in size. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and use a rolling pin to form a 10 x 30-inch rectangle. 

Spread the cinnamon sugar filling in an even layer over the top of the dough. Starting from the longer side of the dough, tightly roll the dough into a log. Slice into 16-18 rolls. 

Depending on the size of your baking dish, you may need to grease another dish for the extras. 

Cover the rolls with a clean dish towel to rise for an additional hour.

Tip: Use dental floss to get a super-clean cut of the dough. Keep scrolling for our tips on cutting the dough with floss.

Step 4. Bake cinnamon rolls and top with espresso frosting.

While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for about 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown. 

Let the rolls set for 10 minutes and whip together the espresso cream cheese icing. Add all your ingredients to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the icing on medium speed until soft and fluffy. 

Use a spatula to spread a generous layer of icing over the top of the rolls. They’re best if enjoyed warm.

Tips for making perfect cinnamon rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls do take some time to make, but they are fairly easy to make and are well worth the wait. Here are some tips we have to make sure your cinnamon rolls turn out near perfect every time.

• Make sure your milk mixture and warm water are not too hot. Warm water is used to activate the yeast. You want to make sure that it is between 100-110ºF or else it will kill the yeast. You want to also make sure that the milk mixture is not too hot because you will add the yeast to the dough.
• On the other hand, you don’t want ingredients to be too cold. Make sure eggs and butter are room temperature. This will help to maintain a warm temperature to keep the yeast active.
• Grease the bowl before the first dough rise. This will ensure that the dough doesn’t stick to the bowl and can easily be removed.
• Let the dough rise in a warm place. We recommend putting the bowl in the microwave or in a turned-off oven with the light on.
• Use floss to perfectly slice each roll. It sounds strange, but it works! See our steps to slice the dough with floss below.

How to store leftover cinnamon rolls

Cinnamon rolls will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.

How to reheat cinnamon rolls

Quick reheat: Microwave for 10-20 seconds.

If you have time, try reheating in the oven or toaster oven: Heat oven to 350°F for 5-10 minutes until warm.

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