If you’ve made my sourdough pumpkin milk bread or my sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls, you might recognize this recipe as another little cheat. I used the exact same dough again but this time I turned it into pumpkin cinnamon rolls! The same soft, fluffy pumpkin dough gets rolled up with a brown butter cinnamon sugar filling and baked until golden, then topped with brown butter cream cheese icing. Basically, the kind of cinnamon rolls I want for every fall breakfast.
Key ingredients
🎃 For the pumpkin milk bread dough, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice are key to give these rolls that gorgeous orange color and the signature pumpkin spice flavor that we all love so much in fall.
For the filling, I decided to use all cinnamon instead of a combination of cinnamon and pumpkin spice just because I’m obsessed with cinnamon (I put it in everything, my raisins, my latte!) but you can use a mix if you want a little more pumpkin spice in these rolls. The brown butter in the filling adds even more flavor.
But I think the brown butter in the cream cheese icing is what makes these rolls a knockout for fall. It adds a nutty, caramelized, tangy layer to these delicious spiced rolls, balancing out the sweetness and making each bite a little more interesting.
Sample baking schedule
These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are a same day bake but you still need to prepare your sourdough starter the day before. The schedule below accounts for that. Remember that the timeline is my best estimate to give you an idea what to consider when you bake this loaf. Time will vary depending on how long your starter typically takes to peak, the temperature the day you’re baking which will affect how quickly or slowly your starter and bread rise.
You can also split this bake into 2 days if you wish. You just need to add the cold fermentation step by putting your dough into the fridge after you finish your third stretch and fold and the dough has mostly finished bulk fermentation.
| Day 1 | |
| 7:00 AM | Feed your regular sourdough starter |
| 7:00 PM | Make pumpkin starter with active starter |
| Day 2 | |
| 8:00 AM | Scald milk & prepare liquid |
| 8:15 AM | Autolyse |
| 8:35 AM | Knead the dough |
| 9:00 AM | Continue bulk fermentation |
| 9:45 AM | Stretch and fold #1 |
| 10:30AM | Stretch and fold #2 |
| 11:15AM | Stretch and fold #3 + continue bulk (or put in fridge if you want to continue next day) |
| 11:30AM | Brown butter + make filling |
| 12:00PM | Finish bulk + shape cinnamon rolls |
| 12:15PM | Proof |
| 2:15 PM | Bake + make icing |
Let’s make sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls!
1. Make pumpkin sourdough starter (night before)
This starter is pretty stiff so it might be easier to mix it in a bowl rather than a jar. I still like to transfer it to my Ball jar to let it rise so I can see how much it has grown.
NOTE: Make sure you have an active regular sourdough starter before making this pumpkin starter.
2. Prepare your liquid
I like blooming the pumpkin pie spice in the hot liquid to release its flavor. Once you scald the half and half with sugar and spices, the mixture should be hot enough to melt the butter, but if not, you can put it back on the stove. Then once you mix it with the pumpkin, the whole thing should be cool enough to start autolyse but if not, let it cool a bit more.
3. “Autolyse”
Mix together flour, salt and the cooled pumpkin mixture, cover and let this rest for 15-20 minutes.
NOTE: This is not a true autolyse since we are adding melted butter as well as salt to the mixture. However, I do find that this step, while short and non-traditional, helps with dough strength and extensibility in the stretch-and-fold steps. Without this “autolyse” step, the dough can break easily during stretch-and-fold.
4. Knead the dough
Add all of the pumpkin sourdough starter to the “autolysed” dough and knead with the dough hook for 20 minutes.
NOTE: This is also technically the start of bulk fermentation, as soon as you mix the starter into the dough.
5. Continue bulk fermentation
This dough is quite slack, so I would definitely use a bit of oil on your hand and your bowl scraper to prevent sticking while scraping the dough out and forming a ball. Don’t add more flour or you will risk drying out your rolls.
6. Stretches and folds
During bulk fermentation, you will perform 3 sets of stretch-and-fold to add strength to your dough at 45-minute intervals. Once you are finish with your last set, cover and let the dough finish bulk fermentation at room temp.
NOTE: You will notice the dough rising quite a bit during this step. That’s okay, don’t worry about deflating it. You want to build strength in this step and this dough can use it because it is so slack. It will continue to rise and you will notice it gets harder to pull and stretch during set 2 and 3.
7. Brown the butter
Brown 1 stick of butter and pour some out (taking care to leave the browned milk solids behind), you will save this clear brown butter for the icing.
8. Make brown butter cinnamon sugar filling
I use some of the brown butter in the pan to grease my baking pan, then use the rest to make the cinnamon roll filling.
9. Shape the cinnamon rolls
I like using my silicone baking mat here for double duty: keep the dough from sticking and for measurement. It’s the perfect size to roll the dough out to.
10. Proof the dough
This dough took about 2 hours to proof. It is ready when it is very puffy and soft, you can give it a gentle press on the side to check readiness.
NOTE: Proofing time is highly dependent on temperature so make sure to pay attention to visual cues. This dough is less enriched so it will proof faster.
11. Make the icing
I make the icing while the rolls are in the oven so I can frost them when I pull them out.
12. Bake and top with icing
These cinnamon rolls will bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes. The internal temp should be about 200°F, any hotter they will be dry, but close to 190°F they will be a bit doughy.
Storage notes
This is not a big batch of sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls and I don’t expect them to last much longer than a few minutes after you frost them and put them out. But you can keep them for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. I usually warm a cold one up in the microwave for about 45 seconds and it tastes almost like freshly baked. Make sure to cover the roll while heating it up so it doesn’t dry out.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Thermometer
- Stand Mixer
- Saucepan
- Spatulas
- Bowl scraper
- Square baking pan (10”)
- Silicone mat
- Vinyl gloves
Ingredients
Pumpkin sourdough starter
- 10 grams active sourdough starter
- 50 grams pumpkin puree
- 5 grams brown sugar
- 50 grams all-purpose flour 11.7% protein
Bread dough
- 50 grams half & half
- 55 grams brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 57 grams unsalted butter sliced into thin pats
- 175 grams pumpkin puree
- 280 grams all-purpose flour 11.7% protein
- 6 grams kosher salt
- All of the pumpkin starter
- Neutral oil for dough handling
Filling
- 40 grams brown butter
- 125 grams brown sugar
- A large pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Brown butter cream cheese icing
- 45 grams brown butter
- 113 grams cream cheese room temp
- 40 grams powdered sugar
- A splash of pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make pumpkin starter (night before) – Mix all the ingredients for your pumpkin starter together before bedtime and it should be ready for you in the morning. This starter is stiffer than a typical 100% hydration starter but should still more than double in size, with bubbles distributed evenly throughout.10 grams active sourdough starter, 50 grams pumpkin puree, 5 grams brown sugar, 50 grams all-purpose flour
- Prepare the liquid (8 am) – Heat the half & half with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the milk is simmering and the sugar has fully dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the sliced butter to the hot milk mixture, and stir until completely melted. Add to a stand mixer bowl and stir in the pumpkin puree. It should be cool enough to start the autolyse; otherwise, let it cool further.50 grams half & half, 55 grams brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 57 grams unsalted butter, 175 grams pumpkin puree
- “Autolyse” (8:15 am) – Make sure your liquid mixture is between 80 – 90°F (27 – 32°C), whisk together flour and salt in a separate bowl and add to the cooled liquid mixture. Use a spatula to mix until all the liquid is absorbed. Cover and let rest for 15 – 20 minutes.280 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams kosher salt
- Knead the dough (8:35 am) – Add all of the pumpkin starter to the “autolysed” dough. Knead with the dough hook on speed 2 for 20 minutes. This dough will be tacky and slack but should mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl. DO NOT add more flour.All of the pumpkin starter
- Continue bulk fermentation (9 am) – Oil your hands, a bowl scraper, and your clean countertop. Scrape the dough out and shape it into a ball on the oiled surface. Lightly oil the mixing bowl, then return the dough to the bowl. Cover and place in a warm spot. You will perform 2 – 3 sets of stretch and fold at 45-minute intervals. Set a timer for 45 minutes.Neutral oil for dough handling
- Stretch and fold #1 (9:45 am) – With oiled hands, lift the dough from the center. It will stretch as you lift it up and out of the bowl. If it’s too sticky, use your bowl scraper to help release it. Stretch the dough into a long strip and fold in thirds like you’re folding a letter. Turn it 90 degrees, stretch it out into a long strip again and fold in thirds. Place it seam-side down back into the mixing bowl, cover, and set the timer for another 45 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #2 (10:30 am) – Repeat the same process. At minimum, complete 2 sets if short on time.
- Stretch and fold #3 (11:15 am) – Repeat one final set. The dough should feel stronger and more elastic. It should also have risen and felt puffy. Cover and let it finish bulk fermentation at room temp for another 45 minutes.
- Brown the butter – While the dough is finishing bulk fermentation, heat 113 grams of unsalted butter (1 stick) in a light colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking once the butter has melted, the butter will become foamy, you don’t have to whisk yet. When the foam subsides, you will see clear bubbles, start whisking at this point to keep the milk solids from burning. When the butter starts to brown, watch the color carefully, when the butter is caramel in color and smells nutty, turn off the heat. Set it aside to settle.
- Divide the brown butter – Pour 45 grams of brown butter into a small mixing bowl, leaving the browned milk solids in the pan. Set the mixing bowl aside to let the butter cool. You will use this to make the brown butter cream cheese icing later.45 grams brown butter
- Grease the baking pan – Use some of the brown butter left in the saucepan to grease your baking pan.
- Make the filling – To the pan with the remaining brown butter and browned milk solids, add 125 grams of brown sugar, a large pinch of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix to combine.40 grams brown butter, 125 grams brown sugar, A large pinch of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Form the cinnamon rolls (12 pm) – Using your bowl scraper, scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and roll it out into an 11” × 16” rectangle. I like using my silicone baking mat here on top of my work surface to prevent sticking; it’s also about the size of the rectangle I need for the dough. Spread the brown butter cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the dough, leaving about 1” of clean dough along one long edge. Roll the dough up tightly and cut into 9 rolls.
- Proof (12:15 pm) – Place the rolls in the buttered baking pan, cover and proof in a warm spot for about 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is very puffy and soft; a gentle press leaves an indentation that slowly springs back (but not immediately).
- Preheat the oven (1:45 pm) – Toward the end of proofing, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake (2:15 pm) – Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the internal temperature should reach about 200°F.
- Make the icing – While the rolls are baking, whisk together the brown butter set aside earlier with 113 grams of room-temp cream cheese, 40 grams of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract, until smooth.113 grams cream cheese, 40 grams powdered sugar, A splash of pure vanilla extract, 45 grams brown butter
- Frost and serve – When the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and separate them with a paring knife. Spread the brown butter cream cheese icing over the still-warm rolls with a spatula, letting the icing melt into the layers. Let the rolls cool slightly, but they’re best served warm!
Notes
- This dough is less enriched so it rises faster, take care not to overproof it.
- Rising time and proofing time are highly dependent on temperature. So make sure you watch your dough and not the clock, use my timeline as a general gauge but pay attention to visual cues to ensure you don’t under or over proof your bread.
- I prefer using oil to prevent dough from sticking to my hand instead of extra flour to avoid adding too much flour to the dough risking drier rolls.
- If you have to use extra flour during rolling, use very sparingly.
- The timeline is a suggestion, feel free to modify it to fit your schedule. You can also cold ferment this dough overnight, shape and bake the next day to split the process into 2 days and have fresh pumpkin cinnamon rolls for brunch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
