Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

We are now in the dying days of summer, its finally almost autumn time. When I think of autumn, I think of all the ground spices and pumpkin, all very warming, that’s why I’m making these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

If you’re thinking, pumpkin isn’t strongly flavoured or it’s boring – you’re wrong. When it’s added into baked goods, it makes them more tender and can be used as an egg replacement or along side eggs to act as binding ingredient or to add moisture – all without ruining the flavour.

These rolls won’t be the most seasonal variety available (I have another recipe coming up in Autumn which is going to be for a pumpkin spice flavoured roll) but let me assure you, they’ll be pillowy soft and perfectly spiced to get you through until next time.

I know, these aren’t exactly revolutionising the bread making world but flavour wise, they are special.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

 

Bread:

500g white bread flour.

8g salt.

7g yeast.

125g butter.

50g granulated sugar.

3 eggs.

100-150g pumpkin puree.

75ml whole milk.

 

Cinnamon Filling:

200g Light brown sugar.

200g Butter.

15g Ground cinnamon.

 

Cream Cheese Icing:

85g Soft cheese.

60g Butter.

200g Icing sugar.

 

Methods:

Before you get into any baking, you’ll want to do some prep work first. Take the time to weigh up all the ingredients, lightly oil a bowl and get any equipment ready. When the time comes, preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

Bread:

To start on the bread dough, place the bread flour and salt into a bowl and give it a good mix to incorporate the two together.

Then place the remaining ingredients into the bowl, then mix them all together on a medium-low speed until a dough has formed. The dough should be soft, if it’s sticky, add a little flour.

Flour the work surface with a generous amount of bread flour and place the dough onto it. Knead the dough until the dough is smooth and elasticated. This takes around 5-7 minutes, depending on how well mixed it was in the first place.

Place the dough into the lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with cling-film and allow to proof/prove for around 60 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough is proving, you can make the cinnamon sugar filling. Into a bowl, place the butter, light brown sugar and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.

 

Beat all the ingredients together until they are all well combined, they should come together and form a cinnamony-brown coloured spreadable paste (it looks questionable but smells unbelievable).

Once the dough has completed its first proof/prove, you’ll want to generously flour your worktop and place the dough onto it. You can then knock the dough back, this is just the process of removing the gases that had built up.

Now the dough has been knocked back, onto a floured worktop, bring the dough into a ball shape and start to roll the dough out using a rolling pin. The dough may resist being rolled out, this is a sign that the gluten has formed, this is a good sign. You’ll want to roll the dough out to roughly 30cmx30cm.

Take the cinnamon sugar filling and spread it all over the dough, until you have a generous and level amount spread on the dough.

While your dough still laid on the counter, use a knife and cut 1 inch strips of dough, rolling them up individually. Repeat this process for all 12 rolls.

Place the rolls into a deep sided tray, into my 9×13 trays I was able to get all 12. Although it looks a little snug, this will help the buns batch together while proving and baking.

Cover the tray with cling film and allow to double in size. Prove for around 30-45 minutes – these will batch while baking, this is normal.

Bake in your preheated oven at 180˚c/350˚f for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Now that the cinnamon buns are baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool down, while you make the icing.

Into your mixing bowl of choice, place the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Beat together all of the ingredients have become fully combined.

You can start to add the cream cheese icing on to the buns. I start with a little on each and adding more as its needed – add as much as you’d like.

I personally like to add the cream cheese icing on top while the buns are still warm, this way the icing seeps into the buns and just sets better – which is what I prefer but you can also add the icing once the buns are fully cool.

Then to finish the rolls, you’ll want to give them a light dusting of some ground cinnamon. This is optional but I really like cinnamon, so why not?

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.