Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls give a fall inspired twist to this classic recipe. Pumpkin purée is not only added to the dough, but also combined with butter, sugar, and pumpkin spice and smothered on the dough. You then roll it up, bake until your house smells delicious, and finally, top with cream cheese frosting to arrive at the most decadent, spiced breakfast treat.
Is there any food more classic fall than pumpkin? These delicious, large vegetables grow all summer as we wait for the leaves to start changing, and the weather to start cooling, to enjoy them.
Not only are they beautiful when styled on the front porch, they are also a healthy and delicious veggie to be enjoyed in a variety of ways. And sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls may be the most delicious way of all. It’s actually a tie between this recipe and these pumpkin rolls, but sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are generally more acceptable for breakfast or brunch.
I took my sourdough cinnamon rolls and wanted to create an autumn dish incorporating my favorite vegetable, the pumpkin. Not only was it used in the filling by combining pumpkin spice, butter, and brown sugar, but I wanted to also add it to the dough.
It added some serious flavor to the dish, and I promise, the pumpkin spice flavor is not lacking. Would it be too much to serve it with a pumpkin spice latte or a Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Latte?
This makes the best fancy breakfast for a special occasion, or even a fun weekday meal. As a weekday meal, you can start them and get a headstart on chores, like milking the cow, feeding the animals, and rotating pastures.
Whenever you do bake these, I hope your family and friends love this fall influenced treat as much as ours did.
Tips:
- Substitute puréed butternut squash for the pumpkin in this recipe.
- Add toasted chopped walnuts to the pumpkin, and the pumpkin spice filling, for a yummy flavor and texture. Toast walnuts over medium heat in a cast iron skillet, stirring constantly. Turn off heat, add honey, and stir.
- I love to use a pumpkin spice blend in this recipe instead of the typical cinnamon for more delicious fall flavor, but if you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can easily just swap it out with cinnamon.
- For the most health benefits, ferment the dough at least overnight (8 hours) or up to 24 hours. If you don’t have time to ferment the dough, you can just whip it up the morning of and bake.
- Make your own puréed pumpkin using this recipe.
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Why you’ll love this recipe:
Sourdough: Fermented grains are a super healthy way to eat grains. As they ferment, they become easier to digest and their nutrients become more bioavailable.
Pumpkin spice: The epitome of fall flavors, this dish has it infused throughout, from the dough to the filling. This spice makes it super warm with a delightful heat.
Easy and fancy breakfast: This would make the best Thanksgiving breakfast! One of the best parts is it starts the night before, so in the morning you only have a few minutes of hands-on work. Better than having to wake up super early to start the dough like the typical recipe.
Tools you may need:
Stand mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Unflavored dental floss
Bench scraper
Cast iron skillet – 14 inch
How To Make Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- In a bowl, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, honey, puréed pumpkin (or butternut squash), water, pumpkin spice, and melted coconut oil.
- Mix together and form into a ball.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the dough with beeswax wrap or plastic wrap, allowing it to rest in a warm place overnight for 8-24 hours. The longer it ferments, the more that delicious sourdough tang develops and the grain ferments.
The Next Day:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the fermented dough into a stand mixer and add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. You can also use your hands to combine. It is much easier with the stand mixer, but usually I just use my hands.
Create The Filling And Spread It Over The Dough
- In a bowl, combine softened butter, organic brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and pumpkin spice. Stir until smooth.
- Lightly dust the counter with flour, and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Spread pumpkin sugar mixture all over the rolled out dough, and top with toasted walnuts (optional). Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. When you get to the end, pull it up as tightly as you can and pinch the ends into the main roll.
Bake
- Slice to make 12-14 total sourdough cinnamon rolls. I like to use unflavored dental floss. You can also just use a knife. Place the rolls into a seasoned 14″ cast iron skillet or a baking dish.
- Pour heavy cream over top of the rolls, then place in the oven to bake.
- Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned and the dough is cooked through. Allow them to cool a bit.
Cream Cheese Topping
- In a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese, heavy cream, maple syrup or honey, and 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Use immersion blender to get a smooth result, if desired.
- Pour over pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and enjoy!
How to Store:
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. If you will have extra rolls, I would suggest not adding the cream cheese topping to all of them. This way you can easily reheat them in the oven later and top with the cream cheese topping.
Find More Delicious Sourdough Recipes:
- Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
- Sourdough Pancakes Recipe
- Breakfast Strata
- Breakfast Pizza Recipe With Sourdough Crust
- Sourdough Cherry Cobbler
- Sourdough Cheddar Waffles
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls give a fall inspired twist to this classic recipe. Pumpkin purée is not only added to the dough, but also combined with butter, sugar, and pumpkin spice and smothered on the dough.
Ingredients
Night before:
- 1/2 cup fed sourdough starter
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 cup honey
Next day:
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cinnamon filling:
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 cup organic brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
Top with before baking:
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Cream Cheese Topping:
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, honey, puréed pumpkin, water, pumpkin spice, and melted coconut oil.
- Mix together and form into a ball.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the dough with beeswax wrap or plastic wrap, allowing it to rest in a warm place overnight for 8-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the fermented dough into a stand mixer and add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- In a bowl, combine softened butter, organic brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and pumpkin spice. Stir until smooth.
- Lightly dust the counter with flour, and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Spread pumpkin sugar mixture all over the rolled out dough, and top with toasted walnuts (optional).
- Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. When you get to the end, pull it up as tightly as you can and pinch the ends into the main roll.
- Slice to make 12-14 total sourdough cinnamon rolls.
- Place the rolls into a seasoned 14″ cast iron skillet or a baking dish.
- Pour heavy cream over top of the rolls, then place in the oven to bake. Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned and the dough is cooked through. Allow them to cool a bit.
- In a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese, heavy cream, maple syrup or honey, and 2 tsp of vanilla extract.
- Stir until combined.
- Pour over cinnamon rolls and enjoy.
The Next Day:
Make Cream Cheese Topping
Notes
Substitute puréed butternut squash for the pumpkin in this recipe.
Add toasted chopped walnuts to the pumpkin and pumpkin spice filling for a yummy flavor and texture. Toast walnuts over medium heat in a cast iron skillet, stirring constantly. Turn off heat, add honey, and stir.
I love to use pumpkin spice in this recipe instead of the typical cinnamon for more delicious fall flavor, but if you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can easily just swap it out with cinnamon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 610Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 375mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 3gSugar: 38gProtein: 8g
Sylvia says
These turned out so good! I reduced the amount of butter and sugar, but they turned out deliciously moist and so moreish! Will definitely make again.
Sharon says
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this recipe. I hAve been anxiously waiting for it since you shared it in a recent video but did not expect it so soon. God Bless!
Torrie says
These were scrumptious! Such a tasty way to kick off the fall weather. I reduced the honey and brown sugar and added a bit of stevia and they still turned out great. Thanks for another great recipe!
Lisa says
So glad to hear it!
Kari Anne says
My dough became extremely wet after adding the eggs and didn’t stiffen up. Should I have kneaded/combined longer?
Brittney says
were you able to figure out what went wrong? I had the same issue and it ruined the entire recipe
Juliana says
This happened to me as well. I tried to add more flour but these cinnamon rolls are still like soupy…
Samantha Rybarczyk says
Mine too, so disappointing. Did anyone figure out why?
Shiloh says
When I made my last batch and kneaded by hand it took quite a while but eventually all incorporated. And when I mean quite I while it was at least 15-20 minutes before it started coming together.
Anonymous says
Did your dough stiffen up after hand mixing for so long? I feel like I have to let it sit again or something…its just too dang wet
Joanna says
I used a stand mixer when making this recipe. Yes, the dough is soupy for a while after adding the eggs, but it eventually all comes together! I have made Lisa’s original sourdough cinnamon roll recipe and the same thing happens. Just trust that it will all come together! It took about 15 minutes with my mixer.
Talitha says
I made these yesterday for Christmas Eve breakfast this morning. They turned out wonderfully, but I too had difficulty at first.
I read through the reviews, so when my dough was still like batter after 20+ minutes in the Kitchen Aid mixer, I decided I needed more flour. I added 1 1/2 cups extra, kneaded five minutes more and the dough was perfect.
Also, I changed the process in hopes it would make it easier. I put the entire recipe together yesterday morning… eggs, baking powder, salt, everything. Once everything came together after my flour addition, I covered it and left it to rest all day.
Last evening, the dough was risen and perfect. I rolled out, filled, and cut the cinnamon rolls. I put them in my greased pan, covered with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge overnight. I pulled them out this morning 30 minutes before baking, and poured the cream over right before they went in the oven. They turned out sooo good!!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe, as always!
Lisa says
Glad you got it figured out to work for you! Love how you prepped ahead!
Sam says
I’m making this for a family member who has a honey allergy. What would be a good substitute? Maple syrup?
Lisa says
Yes maple syrup will work great! I often use them interchangeably.
Sam says
Awesome, thx!
Danielle says
You have definitely got me to try more pumpkin foods since finding your youtube channel! It’s not normally a flavor I enjoy, but your recipes are always so good!
Carolyn You g says
These are incredible. Worth the effort. My family loved them. Thank you for the recipe!
Alison says
I’ve made your regular cinnamon roll recipe countless times but decided to try this one for my son (his favorite food group is cinnamon roll) and they came out phenomenal. Even better than the plain recipe ever has for me. I added the egg with the rest of the dough ingredients to ferment overnight and I think it made a massive difference. The dough was as light as marshmallow and behaved beautifully. I made a basic icing with 10x and cream and a splash of vanilla and drizzled lightly, I also cut the butter and sugar in the filling by a 1/4 I’d say. Delicious
Mandy says
Hi, Alison! I’m trying your route of adding the eggs in with the dough overnight. Did you still add the baking powder and baking soda in the morning or forgo it? Thanks! <3
Jennifer says
Thanks for mentioning this, Alison! I am planning to try the regular sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe but noticed many comments that it is difficult to incorporate the eggs on the second day. Since I don’t have a stand mixer, I want to avoid that particular problem if I can. Going to give your method a try!
Amy says
How do I get a “1/2 cup” sourdough starter? Mine is just the small amt to keep it alive and get discard.
Dea says
Do these freeze well? It’s just me and hubby and that’s a lot of rolls to eat! Lol! Thank you!
Lisa says
Yes!
Corrie Zubia says
Can I sun butter for the coconut oil?
Lisa says
I don’t think so since they are different textures and different flavors.
Emily says
Did you mean *sub* butter for coconut oil?
If so- yes!
Stacey S. says
Making dough in morning to ferment all day til Tuesday morning.
Anna says
Great recipe! I prefer to alter the recipe slightly. I add the salt and eggs to the first step of ingredients, allow to prof on the counter, then, roll out following the directions to spread the pumpkin spice butter etc. adding to the pan as per instructions
allow to proof in the fridge in the pan overnight then continue with adding the cream chz mix and bake.
Lovely recipe!!!
Lisa says
Thank you for sharing your modification! Sounds like a lovely way to do it. Ready right away in the morning to back.
Rhoda says
Anna, after you do the proofing in the frig overnight do you let them set for a bit at room temperature or do you go from frig immediately to oven?
Mandy says
Hi there! Is the brown sugar supposed to be light or dark?
Lisa says
Either will work. I usually use dark.
Taylor says
Lisa, these turned out amazing! My boys loved them and hubby did too! Thank you so much for sharing!
A couple of things I may try next time: Prepare the filling and cream cheese topping the night before and while I’m hand mixing the dough, leave the filling and topping out to soften. Not sure if it’ll work but I may give it a try to cut back a tiny bit of time. This mama needs all to spare time she can get with 2 boys under 4 lol
Question about freezing them. What’s the best method to do so? I’ve already topped with cream cheese not thinking (oops) and really don’t want them to go to waste!
Rita says
Thank you for posting this recipe. yum 😉
Lisa says
Enjoy!
Kathy says
For anyone struggling with wet, sticky dough (on day two when adding the eggs, etc), just be aware that your stand mixer will need to run for at least 15 minutes and the dough will eventually firm up and leave the sides of the bowl. I’m not sure if it’s the type of flour, or my ancient Kitchenaid mixer, but it takes a long time! Don’t give up!!
Jess says
These Cinnamon Rolls are so soft, moist and absolutely delicious!! A bit sticky to work with…but the results are moist and soft dough! Thank you!!
Lisa says
Thank you for sharing. So glad to hear your enjoyed them.
Havilah says
Can you substitute coconut oil for butter?
Lisa says
For the cinnamon filling? That should work.
Kayla says
These are my absolute favorite!! I probably ate an entire pan of these myself haha. Do yourself a favor and make these😍😍 I used melted butter to substitute the coconut oil and the dough felt super sticky/wet and was difficult to roll – but they came out amazing!!
Lisa says
Yay! So glad you loved them!
Lisa V says
My cinnamon rolls are currently in the oven, though I’m doubtful they’ll turn out. The dough was so wet I could hardly roll them, it was more of a mush than a roll. I followed the recipe, the only substitution was olive oil for coconut oil in the ferment. Fingers crossed they still taste ok, but they don’t look great 🙁
Lisa says
Sorry you are having issues with them. It could be the substitution. Next time, I would maybe use a little more flour until the come together.
Rachel says
I made these over this weekend to share at our church potluck and everyone who ate them LOVED them! I didn’t have enough heavy whipping cream to put on them before baking but they still turned out great!
Lisa says
So glad it turned out great! Have a great day!
Jamie says
Fall Family Favorite! Probably the easiest cinnamon roll recipe I’ve ever made. Love the time table and taste of these rolls. Makes it easy for me to fit baking with mom life. Kids beg me to make again and again.
Lisa says
For us too! So glad you enjoy the recipe!
Crystal says
I’m hoping to try to make the pumpkin rolls replacing some cocoa for some flour and then making the chocolate roll filling adding the pumpkin puree in it for a pumpkin double chocolate roll. I cannot wait to see how they turn out!
Lisa says
Yum! Let us know how it goes!