Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Stage

Bloom the yeast: Add the yeast and a pinch of sugar to the warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It will smell like bread and become foamy. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, it’s probably dead or the milk was too hot and you’ll need to repeat this step with new yeast.)

2. Stage

Combine the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl add the flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Use a whisk to combine.

3. Stage

In the bowl of a stand mixer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the pumpkin puree, and the butter on low speed, until the mixture is smooth and no large lumps of pumpkin remain. Add 1 cup of the flour mixture and all of the yeast-milk mixture to the bowl. Blend these into the pumpkin mixture on low speed until it forms a batter. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle.

4. Stage

Add the remaining flour and knead the dough: With the mixer on low speed, add 5 cups of flour. (You should still have 1/2 cup flour to the remaining to adjust the dough as needed). Once the dough becomes too stiff to mix with the paddle attachment, switch to the dough hook attachment. Increase to the second speed (medium-low) and knead the dough for 10 minutes. The bowl should gather into a ball on the mixer’s hook and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured countertop for 10 minutes.

5. Stage

Adjust the dough if needed: If you notice that some of the dough looks wet and remains in a paste on the bottom of the bowl, add more flour one tablespoon at a time to stiffen it up. Once the dough is fully kneaded, it should feel soft, pliable, and cool to the touch. The dough should not stick to your hands when you remove it from the bowl.

6. Stage

Allow the dough to rise: Once the dough has been kneaded, remove it from the bowl. Grease the inside of the bowl with pan spray or a small amount of butter, then return the dough back to the bowl. Turn the dough over so the greased side is now facing up. This keeps the dough from crusting over as it rises. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or with a piece of plastic wrap and put the bowl in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen (my microwave is my go-to dough rising spot). Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

7. Stage

Punch the dough down: Once the dough has risen, punch it down. After punching it down, cover the ball of dough with a clean towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes on the countertop while you mix the pumpkin-cinnamon filling. Just clean the mixing bowl and make the filling in that.

8. Stage

Make the pumpkin-cinnamon filling: In a mixing bowl, add the softened butter. Using an electric hand mixer, blend the butter until it’s smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining pumpkin puree and the flour. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, scraping down the bowl and beaters once during mixing. The pumpkin and flour should form a smooth spread with the butter. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.

9. Stage

Roll out and fill the pumpkin dough: On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the pumpkin dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle of dough that measures 18 x 17-inches. Spread the pumpkin-butter mixture over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin along one long side of the dough. This margin will allow you to seal the roll later. Sprinkle the spiced-sugar mixture evenly over the part of the dough with pumpkin-butter.

10. Stage

Roll the dough: Starting with the longest side, roll the dough tightly from one end to the next. Pinch the roll to seal it and position it so that the seam is down.

11. Stage

Slice the rolls and rise again: Cut the log of pumpkin cinnamon dough into 1 1/2-inch slices. You should end up with 12 rolls. Spray a 15 x 10 3/4-inch baking dish (or a 9x13-inch baking dish if you have it) with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish, making sure to leave 1/4 inch of space around each one to allow for room to rise. Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel or a piece of plastic wrap and set it in a warm, draft-free area in the kitchen. Allow the rolls to rise a second time, this time for 30 minutes.

12. Stage

Preheat the oven: While the rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 350°F/177°C.

13. Stage

Bake the rolls: Once the rolls have risen a second time, they should puff up noticeably and fill the baking dish. Place uncovered in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and risen. Remove the dish from the oven and allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes.

14. Stage

Make the cream cheese frosting: In a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and cream cheese. Beat together on low speed until smooth, or about 2 to 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix again on low speed for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater once during the mixing time. Add the remaining powdered sugar if you prefer a thicker frosting. Use it as-is for thinner frosting.

15. Stage

Frost the pumpkin cinnamon rolls: After the rolls have cooled, slather the cream cheese frosting on the tops of each roll. Store the baked, frosted rolls in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to warm them.