pumpkin cinnamon rolls

YOU GUYS.

I something amazing happened on Sunday...I made pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

In case you're unaware of the sheer glory I'm referring to, I'll say it again.

I made pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Are we on the same page yet? I do hope so!

So here's the deal. It's like, super easy, and they're like, super delicious. And it's all thanks to the wonderful Jen over at Beantown Baker, who's recipe was adapted from a pumpkin bread recipe. I tweaked her recipe, too, a bit. So. Here it is, are you ready?

Dough:

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbsp instant yeast

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt 

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree

4 Tbsp butter

Filling:

1 1/2 cup light brown sugar

3 Tbsp ground cinnamon

3 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tbsp melted butter

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups powdered sugar

vanilla to taste

optional: butter and spices

(from Jen)

Mix the flour, yeast, spices, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. In a large measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs and whisk in the pumpkin and butter. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the liquid ingredients. Continue mixing on medium-low until the dough is elastic and supple, about 8 minutes. You may need to add a little more flour or water to get the correct consistency – soft but not sticky.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp dishtowel. Set the dough aside to rise until it has doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.

Make the filling by combining the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Grease two 8" round pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a serrated knife, cut the dough in half. 

Set half of the dough aside and roll the other half into a large rectangle around 16"x12". Spread half of the filling onto the dough and roll into a log starting with the long side nearest to you. You may need to use some warm water to seal the edge of the dough. Slice the log into 8 pieces. Repeat with other piece of dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1.5-2 hours.

To serve now: Preheat oven to 350. Bake cinnamon rolls 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. 

To freeze and serve later: Preheat oven to 325. Bake cinnamon rolls for 15 minutes. Let the buns cool complete in the pan. When they are completely cooled, cover and freeze. 

When you are ready to serve the buns, place buns in the fridge to thaw out overnight. The next morning, preheat oven to 350. Bake until buns are light brown, about 20 minutes. 

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To make the frosting, cream the cream cheese with the whisk attachment of your mixer for a good 2-3 minutes. Add in powdered sugar til you get the desired consistency. Add vanilla to taste - I recommend 1/2 - 1 whole teaspoon. If you want a more buttery frosting, add in 2-3 tbs of room temperature butter with the cream cheese. You can also add some spices to it too. Whatever you feel like!

I made the rolls Sunday night. I put them in the fridge overnight, and took them out 30 minutes prior to baking to let them "warm up" a bit. I put them under our heat lamps, which I realize not everyone has - so you go with your gut on what to do. But. They turned out marvelously, and rose perfectly. 

Let me know if you make them, and let me know how much you love them! 

xoxo, Ruthanne