[title subtitle=”words & Images: Lauren Allen, tastesbetterfromscratch.com”]Pumpkin cinnamon rolls with caramel and cream cheese frosting[/title]
One of the many mottos I live by is “weekends are for baking.” There’s nothing I love more than baking sweets for friends, neighbors, or just for my family to enjoy over the weekend. And what better time of year than fall to fill my kitchen with the smell of pumpkin and apple? If my local grocery store is out of canned pumpkin, you can bet that I’m the likely culprit.
These delicious, gooey cinnamon rolls have to be one of my favorites during this time of year. I love peeling apart the soft pumpkin roll and tasting the autumn flavors baked inside. And then there’s the caramel and cream cheese frosting they’re topped with. Just the right amount of sweetness to bring out that wonderful pumpkin flavor. Even if you’re not already in love with the pumpkin and caramel combination, these cinnamon rolls are sure to convert you!
[separator type=”thin”]
Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 package dry yeast (or about 1 Tablespoon)
- 2 cups bread flour (you can use regular all purpose flour, but bread flour makes them lighter)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter Method
In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 Tablespoons butter, just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
Add half the flour (1 cup) to the pumpkin mixture. Beat on low speed for 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining (1 cup) flour and mix thoroughly. Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.
Cover and allow to rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and knead once or twice to form a smooth ball (sprinkle with a little more flour, if needed, to make dough easy to handle). Roll dough into 12×10 inch rectangle.
In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch end seams to seal. With sharp serrated knife, cut roll into twelve 1-inch slices. (To keep from squishing the dough, use absolutely no pressure when cutting the dough— simply saw with a back and forth motion.)
Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and allow to rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake rolls at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with cream cheese and caramel frosting.
Carmel Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 drop vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 dash salt
- 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium-low heat 1 minute. Transfer to small mixing bowl. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioner’s sugar for desired consistency.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- One drop vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix in milk.
[separator type=”thin”]
Lauren Allen is the creator of TastesBetterFromScratch.com, an exciting and beautiful food blog dedicated to sharing her love of cooking and creating new recipes from her family home in St. Louis. Lauren truly believes that everything tastes better homemade!
