Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls {With Cream Cheese Frosting}

It's October,  It's Fall, it's time for PUMPKIN. I love pumpkin everything, especially in the form of cinnamon rolls!

I first made this recipe a couple of years ago, they were really good but I wanted to continue to tweak it and try it with my fave, cream cheese frosting. Then I saw this recipe recently which looked delish, so I adapted the two for the recipe below.

I have to tell you something first though. I don't make homemade bread. In fact when I make just good ol' original cinnamon rolls I use this recipe. Yes that's right, it's sandra lee's semi homemade version using store bought bread dough. The recipe is so easy and tastes really similar to Cinnabon. So I really have no need to deal with making originals from scratch.  But because I haven't found pumpkin bread dough at the store, these babies must be made by scratch. But in reality it's not that bad and they've turned out great each time. Basically I'm saying if I can do it so can you. Okay I'm done rambling...

Just out of the oven Mmmmm...

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Dough-
1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 C warm water
1/3 C milk (room temp)
3/4 C pumpkin (canned)
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
4-5 C. bread flour

Filling-
3 T. softened butter 
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/16 tsp. cloves (or a just a little bit)

Cream Cheese Frosting-
4 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm (not hot) water. Wait 5 minutes. Add milk, pumpkin, egg, sugar, butter, salt, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and mix well.
2. Slowly add flour one cup at a time until dough forms (I used 4 cups). Turn dough into greased bowl. Cover and set in warm place to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 more minutes. Roll dough into a 12"by 16" rectangle.
4. Filling: Brush dough with softened butter. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Sprinkle the dough with mixture.
5. Starting with the long side, roll up dough, pinch seams to seal. Cut roll with sharp serrated knife into 15-16 rolls. (I do 16). Place rolls, cut side up in greased pans. I either use my 9X13 (12 rolls) and my small pan (4 rolls), or I use my two round cake pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 min.
6. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
7. While the rolls are baking beat the cream cheese and butter together in mixer, add vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy. You can use enough sugar until get desired sweetness (I use 1 C.). Frost the rolls while warm. Devour!

You probably all know these things but here's what little tips/info I have:

• I use my kitchen aid bread hook to make/form/knead the dough, thank you whoever invented it.
• I turn my oven on very low for a bit until its warm, turn it off, and then put the dough in there to get it to rise faster.
• I looked up why you need to "punch" the dough down. I don't entirely know why, but I liked where I read somewhere that you're "degassing it." Anyways you don't actually "punch," you just push it down gently with your fist a few times to release the CO2.
• I spray the top of my dough with oil after I've punched it down to get it greased a bit so it doesn't stick when I dump it on the counter.
• I cut my rolls using sewing thread. Just put it underneath, cross the ends on top, and pull. Perfect every time.
• If making them the night before, after you put the rolls in the pans you can cover them and put them in the fridge. In the morning let them rise and then bake. They will need to get to room temp/warm again to rise.

Let me know if you give them a try. I know they take some time but the end result is so very worth it :)


linking to:
whipperberry, Tatertots & Jello, bedifferentactnormal