Simple Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
These pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls will make your home smell like a cozy fall day. Pumpkin puree is added to the sourdough, and additional pumpkin puree is combined with butter, cinnamon, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and slathered onto the dough. The dough is formed into rolls, baked in the oven, and covered in maple cream cheese frosting.
It’s the beginning of the fall season, and I’m so excited for all the cozy days ahead! October is full of beautiful weather, and it’s finally starting to cool off here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s perfect baking weather!
What better way to welcome fall than with homemade cinnamon rolls? And if you’re looking for pumpkin recipes, well, this checks that box as well. These sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls will make a wonderful breakfast or dessert. And because they include pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, these would be completely acceptable as a Halloween treat or on the Thanksgiving dessert table.
I started with my family’s favorite cinnamon roll recipe and modified it to create a sourdough version using fed sourdough starter. Then, I added pumpkin puree to the dough and additional pumpkin puree and homemade pumpkin pie spice in the filling. When you pull these pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls out of the oven, you’ll notice their beautiful light orange tint. They’re simply gorgeous!
If you’re new to sourdough, make sure to check out my tips on How to make Sourdough Starter More Active.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
When I create a recipe, my goal is to make it as delicious and healthy as possible. Here’s what you’ll love about this recipe:
Sourdough: This recipe uses fed sourdough starter, and the dough is allowed to ferment overnight. This helps make the grains more digestible and is gentler on your gut.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin not only tastes great, but it’s super healthy too. It’s rich in fiber, beta carotene, and Vitamin C. Source
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice: You won’t have to buy a special pumpkin pie spice in order to make this recipe. I’ve given you the measurements for four common baking spices that are typically used to make pumpkin pie spice.
Natural sweeteners: I wanted to avoid the refined sugar of traditional cinnamon rolls as much as possible, because I’m always left in a sugar fog after eating them. You will find all-natural sugars in this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe, including honey, pure maple syrup, and sucanat.
Tips for Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls:
- In this recipe, I use ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice in the filling. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of these four baking spices if you wish.
- Instead of buying canned pumpkin puree, you can always make your own pumpkin puree or even use homemade butternut squash puree in place of the pumpkin puree. You may like it even better than with pumpkin!
- This recipe calls for fed sourdough starter, which means you should feed your starter at least 4-12 hours before you begin making the rolls. This will give your starter time to become active and bubbly and help your rolls to rise.
- Make sure to soften your cream cheese ahead of time for the creamiest, smoothest cream cheese frosting.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can always use your hands to knead and mix the dough.
Ingredients:
Dough ingredients:
Active starter
Warm water
Pumpkin puree
Butter, melted
Honey
Filling:
Butter
Pumpkin puree
Sucanat or brown sugar
Ginger
Nutmeg
Cloves
Allspice
Cinnamon
Frosting:
Cream cheese
Butter
Milk
Vanilla extract
Tools You May Need:
How to Make Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
The Day Before
Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before you begin to make the dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a dough hook attachment, combine the fed sourdough starter, water, pumpkin puree, melted butter, honey, sea salt, and all purpose flour. Mix together until the dough forms into a ball.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place to to let the dough rise and ferment overnight.
The Next Day
Use a dough scraper to scoop the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Dust the rolling pin with flour if needed.
Make the Filling
Melt butter in a small saucepan, then add pumpkin puree, sucanat or brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. Stir until combined.
Spread filling evenly onto the dough, except for a 1/2 inch border around the edges.
Roll the dough up lengthwise, rolling it as tight as you can. Pinch the ends of the dough into the roll.
Using dental floss, cut the large roll equally into 12 smaller rolls.
Bake the Rolls
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the rolls into a cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking dish. Bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes until rolls are lightly golden brown.
Frost the Cinnamon Rolls
In a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then, add pure maple syrup, milk and vanilla and mix again until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as you go. Using a knife or spatula, spread the cream cheese icing evenly over the rolls.
Serve warm and enjoy the end result!
Storage:
Baked: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Unbaked: You can freeze pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls to bake later. After cutting into rolls, place the rolls on a baking sheet to freeze individually. Then, place frozen rolls into a ziploc bag. To bake, place in a 9×13 pan lined with greased parchment paper and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes
- Sourdough Pop Tarts
- Blueberry Sourdough Bread with Streusel Topping
- Pumpkin Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars!
Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
These pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls will make your home smell like a cozy fall day. Pumpkin puree is added to the sourdough, and additional pumpkin puree is combined with butter, cinnamon, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and slathered onto the dough. The dough is formed into rolls, baked in the oven, then covered in maple cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- Dough:
- ½ cup sourdough starter
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2 Tbsp honey
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- Filling:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp each of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 Tbsp butter, softened
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
The day before:
1. Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before you begin to make the dough.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a dough hook attachment, combine the fed sourdough starter, water, pumpkin puree, melted butter, honey, sea salt, and all purpose flour. Mix together until the dough forms into a ball.
3. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place to to let the dough rise and ferment overnight.
The next day:
1. Use a dough scraper to scoop the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Dust the rolling pin with flour if needed.
Make the filling for the pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls:
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then add pumpkin puree, sucanat or brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. Stir until combined.
2. Spread filling evenly onto the dough, except for a 1/2 inch border around the edges.
3. Roll the dough up lengthwise, rolling it as tight as you can. Pinch the ends of the dough into the roll.
4. Using dental floss, cut the large roll equally into 12 smaller rolls.
Bake the rolls:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the rolls into a cast iron skillet or 9x13 baking dish.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until rolls are lightly golden brown.
Frost the cinnamon rolls:
1. In a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then, add pure maple syrup, milk and vanilla and mix again until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as you go.
2. Using a knife or spatula, spread the cream cheese icing evenly over the rolls.
3. Serve warm and enjoy the end result! To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This recipe calls for fed sourdough starter, which means you should feed your starter at least 4-12 hours before you begin making the rolls. This will give your starter time to become active and bubbly and help your rolls to rise.
- In this recipe, I use ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice in the filling. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of these four baking spices if you wish.