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Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

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These brown butter pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft, tender, and swirled with a brown sugar-cinnamon filling that gets all caramelized and gooey. The brown butter adds a nutty, almost toffee-like depth that pairs perfectly with the earthy pumpkin, and the cream cheese icing is tangy, creamy, and just sweet enough to tie everything together.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, warm (about 110°F)
  • ½ cup (120g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter (for browning)
  • ¾ cup (165g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (60g) pumpkin puree (optional, for spreading)
  • 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, browned (for icing)
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place ¾ cup (170g) total unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl occasionally as the butter melts. It will foam, then the foam will subside, and golden brown specks will form at the bottom (about 5-7 minutes). When it smells nutty, remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Let cool slightly. You’ll use ¼ cup for the filling and ¼ cup for the icing, with a little extra for brushing the pan.
  2. Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk (110°F) and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
  3. Make the dough: Add remaining sugar, pumpkin puree, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Mix on low with paddle attachment until combined. Switch to dough hook, add 3 cups flour and salt. Mix on medium-low, adding remaining ½ cup flour gradually, until dough comes together and pulls away from sides of bowl. It should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. Knead for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic (passes windowpane test).
  4. First rise: Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
  5. Prepare the filling: While dough rises, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. If using extra pumpkin puree for spreading, set that aside too.
  6. Roll and fill: Punch down risen dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12×18-inch rectangle, about ¼-inch thick. Brush with reserved browned butter (or spread extra pumpkin puree first, then brush butter). Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over butter, leaving a ½-inch border on one long edge. Press filling gently into dough.
  7. Roll and cut: Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll dough tightly into a log. Pinch seam to seal. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut into 12 equal rolls, about 1.5 inches thick. Place in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, cut side up.
  8. Second rise: Cover dish with plastic wrap and let rolls rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy and touching each other. For overnight, refrigerate for up to 12 hours; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
  9. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 22-28 minutes until golden brown on top and centers are cooked through (internal temperature 190°F). Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before icing.
  10. Make the icing and finish: Beat softened cream cheese and browned butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until creamy. Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Spread icing over warm rolls. Serve warm.

Notes

Don’t skip the windowpane test for the dough. Temperature matters: cold ingredients slow the rise. Brown butter can burn quickly—remove from heat as soon as it smells nutty. Cut rolls with dental floss for clean edges. Let rolls cool 10-15 minutes before icing for best results. For overnight preparation, refrigerate after second rise and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin cinnamon rolls, brown butter, cream cheese icing, fall baking, breakfast, brunch, pumpkin recipe, cinnamon rolls

Find it online: https://grubella.com/easy-brown-butter-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-with-cream-cheese-icing/