Tis the season for all things apple and pumpkin, so I know you will enjoy these Apple Pie Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!! I suggest you make a batch the day before, keep in the fridge and bake the next morning. Your house will smell amazing and your stomach will thank you for the gooey deliciousness of these rolls.
Now, you could eat a cinnamon roll by covering with frosting and politely eating with a fork. Or you could pull out the center, dip it in frosting and then move onto the outer layers. I suggest the later, because the soft center is always the best place to begin.
Besides the obvious eating part, pumpkin cinnamon roll dough is so fun to play with. It’s one of the softest doughs to roll out. Plus you get to make a filling and basically eat dessert for breakfast!
Hope you make these apple pie sweet rolls over the holiday season and share with friends!
Tips for Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Make sure milk is not too hot or it will kill the yeast. It should be no warmer than 110 F (43 C). Or just simply dip your finger in, if its too hot for your finger, its too hot for the yeast!
- Spoon your flour mixture in slowly and watch your dough form in the mixer.
- If its getting too dry add a Tbsp of milk, or if the dough is too wet and sticky, slowly add in a Tbsp of flour while mixing. Just remember you will roll dough out on floured surface after the rise. The dough will be slightly tacky but will smooth when rolling out.
- Dust your rolling pin with flour.
- The size of the rectangle isn’t as important as the thickness. Fluffy rolls are ½ inch to ¾ inch thick dough before adding filling and rolling up.
- When measuring your dough to cut individual rolls. Use a sharp knife to mark the 1.5-2 inch sections. Then cut with the knife or slide unflavored floss or fishing line under the dough and pull up on both sides crossing the lines and cutting without smooshing the dough.
- To prepare the rolls the day before. Complete all the steps up to the last rise. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge over night (12 hrs). Then, when ready to bake, place pan on counter and allow the rolls to warm to room temperature. They should have at least 1 hour to puff and double in size. Then bake as directed.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp Active Dry Yeast
- ¾ Cup Warm Whole Milk 110 F (43 C)
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 4 ½ Cups (562.5 grams) All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- ½ Cup (110 grams) Light Brown Sugar lightly packed
- 1 Cup (225 grams) Pumpkin Puree
- 1 (50 grams) Large Egg
Apple Pie Filling
- 4 Apples peeled, cored, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup (50 grams) Granulated Sugar
Cinnamon Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter melted, for brushing on dough
- ¼ Cup (50 grams) Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Egg Wash
- 1 (50 grams) Large Egg beaten with a fork
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Vanilla Frosting
- 2 Cups (220 grams) Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup (62.5 ml) Whole Milk more if needed
Instructions
Apple Pie Filling
- Make apple pie filling ahead of time and set aside to cool.
- Place all ingredients in a large skillet on medium heat.
- Heat on medium high until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.
- Turn down to medium low heat and stir until apples have softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Stir warm milk and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Then combine yeast and maple syrup milk together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently stir with a hand whisk and leave to sit 8-10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, hand whisk together sifted flour, spices, and salt. Set aside.
- Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
- Stir together the melted butter and the brown sugar is a small bowl until sugar is smooth. Then add to yeast mixture and start mixing on medium speed.
- Add in egg. and pumpkin puree. Gently scrape bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
- Next while continuing to mix on medium speed, spoon in flour mixture.
- Once all flour has been added, turn mixer up to medium high and work dough for 5-6 minutes. Dough should be smooth and pull away from edges of the bowl.
- Pull a small piece of the dough off and spread it thinly with your fingertips. If you can see light through the dough without it breaking, then there is enough gluten formed and the dough is ready. (This is called the Windowpane test).
- Transfer dough into a plastic bowl that has been thinly coated with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free location until doubled in size. Usually 1-2 hrs.
- Once dough has doubled, remove plastic wrap and with your fist punch down excess air.
- Place dough on a well floured surface and roll into roughly a 12 X 18-inch rectangle or to ½ -¾ inch thick rectangle.
- Paint surface of dough with melted butter, leaving a 1 inch border. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Then cover with apple pie filling, making a nice even layer. **(This step is optional. You can just add the apple pie filling on its own.)
- Next roll your dough inwardly and lengthwise. Transfer roll onto a large tray seem side down and place in freezer for about 10 minutes to firm before cutting (**optional).
- Cut the dough log seem side down into 1.5-2 inch slices. The 2 inch rolls will be big and need to be spaced further apart.
- Arrange rolls swirl side up exposing the filling onto a baking pan or iron skillet lined with parchment paper. Place them 1-2 inches apart to allow for second rise.
- Cover with a thin towel and allow to rest and puff for an additional 30-45 minutes. You can also place in a cold oven with the light on.
- Prepare your egg wash. Stir together one egg and 1 Tbsp maple syrup with a fork. Gently coat the dough on top and sides without painting the exposed filling.
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).Bake for 25-28 minutes or until just starting to brown. You can pull them out just a bit under done for a gooey center.
- While rolls are baking make your frosting!!!
Vanilla Frosting
- Mix ingredients in bowl with hand mixer until thick creamy. Add more milk a Tbsp at a time for thinner frosting and add ½ Cup Powdered Sugar to make thicker.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Jan
They look amazing!! Can’t wait to make these yummy holiday rolls and eat the one in the middle first!! I know they will be one of our favorites.
Jenn
Yay! I know you will love them!
Sajni
They look so great! Can they be made without apple pie filling?Or Any alternatives you suggest?
D
Can I freeze these before cooking?