Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (with Overnight Option)

Soft, tender pumpkin cinnamon rolls made with real pumpkin and warm fall spices, finished with a cream cheese glaze and a drizzle of caramel. This easy makes a full dozen rolls in a 9×13 pan, with an overnight option so you can prep tonight and bake fresh tomorrow morning!

 

If there’s one recipe I make on repeat every single fall without fail, it’s this one! These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls have all the soft, pillowy texture of a classic cinnamon roll, with a tender dough made from real pumpkin puree, the warm spices that make fall taste like fall, and a simple cream cheese glaze with a drizzle of caramel on top. They’re truly the BEST fall treat!

The best part of this recipe? The overnight rise option. You can do the entire mixing, rolling, and slicing the evening before, then let the rolls do their last slow rise in the fridge overnight. In the morning, the pan goes straight into a cold oven, you set the temperature, and about 30 minutes later you have warm pumpkin cinnamon rolls. It’s the easiest way to serve fresh-baked cinnamon rolls at a brunch, a holiday morning, or a lazy Sunday!

This recipe has been a fall favourite on the blog for years, and the bigger-batch version is the one I lean on for Thanksgiving morning, the first weekend the leaves turn, and every cozy fall hosting moment in between! I KNOW you’re going to love it as much as I do!

Real pumpkin in the dough. A full cup of pumpkin puree goes right into the dough, which is what gives these rolls their soft texture and gentle pumpkin colour. It’s not a sugar-bomb pumpkin pie filling, it’s pure pumpkin doing its best work!

Warm spices in the filling. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in the filling are layered over cinnamon and nutmeg in the dough. The spice flavour comes through in every bite instead of just showing up in only one place, which is what separates these from a basic cinnamon roll.

A full dozen in a 9×13 pan. The bigger batch fits a standard rectangular baking dish, which is what most home cooks have on hand, and 12 rolls is the right amount for a brunch crowd or a family holiday morning.

Maple syrup in the bottom of the pan. This is the trick that makes them taste like a proper diner cinnamon roll. The maple syrup pools, caramelizes a little under the heat, and gives the bottoms of the rolls a soft, sticky finish that’s the perfect contrast to the soft top.

Real overnight option. Make-ahead is built into the recipe, if you need that option. The cold rise in the fridge actually improves the flavour and gives you a softer, more tender crumb than a quick warm rise would.

If you’ve never made cinnamon rolls before, here’s a comprehensive list of all the tips and tricks you need to ensure this pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe turns out perfectly, every single time!

Your water for the yeast should feel like baby’s bath water (100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit). Too hot and you kill the yeast; too cold and it won’t activate. Your butter, eggs, and pumpkin should all be at room temperature so they don’t shock the yeast.

The dough should feel slightly tacky to the touch but pull cleanly off your hands. If it’s truly sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time and go light. Over-flouring the dough is the number-one cause of dry rolls.

Pumpkin dough rises a little slower than a plain dough because of the moisture and fat from the puree, so don’t rush it. A warm, draft-free spot is ideal (the inside of an off oven with just the light on works beautifully).

The maple syrup in this recipe is a fantastic secret ingredient that creates the beautiful golden, sticky bottom to these cinnamon buns. If you’re looking for a diner-style cinnamon bun, this is exactly how to do it at home! Pour the maple syrup into the pan, tilting the pan if necessary to make sure the syrup coats the bottom completely.  If you want to add a little extra syrup, go ahead. You’ll get no judgment from me!

A spritz of vegetable oil on the counter or a sheet of parchment is better than flour for rolling. Flour absorbs into the dough and dries it out.

A medium-firm spiral is what you want. Too tight and the centres pop up into little cones as they bake.

You’ll probably notice there is some space left between the rolls. This is exactly what you want to see because you’re about to let the rolls rise again for about 20 minutes. For these rolls, a shorter second rise helps to maintain a super soft-textured dough that’s fluffy but not too airy. The key here is not to over-rise; the heat of the oven will cause them to puff up even more and if they’ve risen too much before going in the oven they can actually lose their height and lose their beautiful texture. When large air pockets develop in the dough it creates rolls that are misshapen, which causes them to brown unevenly when baking. Over-rising is a recipe for disaster, so if you want uniform cinnamon rolls that stay in the pan while baking, only rise for 20 minutes the second time.  

Avoid over-baking as it can make the rolls tough and chewy. Be sure to follow the recipe and bake the rolls just until they’re golden brown.

Allow the rolls to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before trying to remove them from the pan. If you plan to frost the cinnamon rolls, I recommend waiting until they’ve cooled almost completely to prevent the icing from melting off.

Yes, and this is the version I make any time we have houseguests, holiday mornings, or a big brunch planned in the fall or winter season. All the work happens the evening before, and the morning is just bake and glaze.

1. Make the dough through the pan-arrangement step the evening before. Drizzle the maple syrup into the greased pan, arrange the 12 sliced rolls in three rows of four, and cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap.
2. Place the covered pan in the fridge overnight. The cold temperature slows down the yeast so the rolls rise slowly for 8 to 12 hours. The slow cold rise actually develops more flavour than a fast warm rise.
3. In the morning, remove the plastic wrap and place the cold pan into a cold oven. Starting cold-to-cold protects the glass dish from thermal shock.
4. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven reaches temperature, start timing 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Cool, glaze, serve. Same as the same-day version.

For the same-day version, the first rise takes about 90 minutes in a warm spot, until the dough has more than doubled in size. The second rise (after the rolls are sliced and arranged in the pan) is much shorter, only 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. For the overnight version, the second rise happens slowly in the fridge over 8 to 12 hours instead.

You’ll know the first rise is done when the dough has more than doubled and a finger gently pressed into the top leaves an indent that doesn’t immediately spring back. A fully sprung-back dough needs more time; a totally collapsed dough has over-risen and you’ll need to start again.

No. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the dough and make it too wet and too sweet. Always use 100% pure pumpkin puree (sometimes labelled just “pumpkin”). The can should list pumpkin as the only ingredient. Libby’s makes the most widely available version in North America, and store brands of pure pumpkin puree work just as well as name brands.

• Cinnamon-sugar butter topping (skip the cream cheese). Instead of the cream cheese glaze, brush the warm rolls with 3 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle with a mix of 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Lighter, less sweet, but still cozy.
• Bake in two 9-inch round pans. If you don’t have a 9×13, you can split the 12 rolls between two 9-inch round pans (6 rolls per pan). The bake time stays about the same.
• Maple glaze instead of cream cheese. Whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk for a maple-forward glaze that doubles down on the warm fall flavours.
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans over the buttered, sugared dough before rolling for nutty, crunchy layers.

These are at their best as the centrepiece of a cozy fall breakfast or brunch spread. Pair them with a savoury egg dish (a quiche, baked eggs, or scrambled eggs with herbs), some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage, and fresh fruit salad to balance the sweetness. A pot of strong coffee and a Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte for a crowd makes this a proper fall hosting situation.

For holiday mornings (Thanksgiving or the first weekend of October when you finally decide it’s officially fall), serve them warm from the pan with extra glaze on the side and a small jug of warm caramel sauce for drizzling!

Room temperature: Store the cooled, glazed rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Warm them for 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave before serving for that fresh-baked texture.

Freezer (unglazed, baked): Cool the rolls completely, wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm in a 300 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes, then glaze.

Freezer (unbaked): Make the recipe through the pan-arrangement step. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. To bake, thaw overnight in the fridge, then proceed with the second rise and bake as directed.

• Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Waffles
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
• Pumpkin Scones
• Pumpkin Roll
• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Pumpkin Chili
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Pumpkin Pancakes

Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this fall recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

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