Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

16 large rolls 30 min. (prep) + 10.5-15.5 hrs (rest) + 40 min. (bake)

This recipe is adapted from a sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe by Emilie Raffa, which I have slightly altered to incorporate pumpkin puree. Because it uses so much pumpkin, the recipe increased from 8 smaller rolls to 16 large rolls. I decided to freeze 8 to bake another time.

If you want to freeze the rolls, transfer the rolls to the freezer in a small pan or baking sheet after the Roll & Cut the Dough phase, and freeze until they’ve hardened. Then transfer to a freezer bag.

Ingredients

For Dough

  • 160 g milk
  • 56 g unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 100 g active starter
  • 24 g sugar
  • 200 g pumpkin
  • 700 g all purpose unbleached flour
  • 3 g salt

For Filling

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

For Glaze

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 c whipped cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 - 1/2 c powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp milk

Directions

Make the Dough and Ferment

  1. Warm the milk and 28 g butter. Allow butter to cool slightly before using.
  2. Add the egg, starter, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine using the paddle attachment. Add the pumpkin and mix to combine using the paddle attachment. With the machine running, slowly pour in the warm butter and milk mixture. Add the flour and salt, and continue mixing until the dough comes together into a large mass. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
  3. After the dough has rested, switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be soft and tacky.
  4. Coat the inside of a medium bowl in butter and move the dough into the bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for another 30 minutes.
  5. Grab a portion from the bottom of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the top of the dough. Turn 90 degrees and repeat until you have folded the dough up and inwards four times.
  6. Cover and let rise at room temperature overnight (8-12 hours).

Roll the Dough

  1. Lightly oil and flour your counter top and then gently dump the dough onto the work surface.
  2. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions, working with one portion at a time.
  3. Stretch and fold the edges toward the center, deflating the dough slightly, and flip the dough. Let it rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
  4. Roll the dough into a 16 x 12 in. rectangle, using flour on your work surface and rolling pin as needed. If the dough starts to become too elastic, let it rest for 10 minutes and then continue rolling.

Make the Filling

  1. Melt the remaining 28 g of butter, and set aside.
  2. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl.
  3. Once the butter has cooled slightly, brush the entire surface of the dough.
  4. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the buttered dough, leaving a 1/2 in border along the long sides.

Roll & Cut the Dough

  1. Spray a small circle of cooking spray onto your work surface for dipping your fingertips. Using your oiled fingertips, begin to roll the dough from one of the long sides. At the end, make sure the log is seam side down.
  2. Lightly score the dough using a bench scraper or knife to mark 8 equal portions and then cut.

Final Rise and Bake

  1. Place the rolls into a 9-in round pan lined with parchment paper, and let them rest for about 1-2 hours at which point they should be noticeably puffy.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Place the pan onto the center rack and bake for 40-45 minutes. The tops should be a light golden brown, and the internal temperature should read 190 °F. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack.

Optional: Glaze

While the rolls are cooling, you can make the cream cheese glaze by combining all of the ingredients except the milk and beating with a hand mixer until smooth, thinning out the mixture to the desired consistency.