Chef John's Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Description
Chef John's pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe spices up ordinary cinnamon rolls with pumpkin purée, ground ginger, and allspice — they're the perfect treat.
Ingredients
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3/4 cup packed brown sugar
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1/4 cup white sugar
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2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
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1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
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1/2 teaspoon white sugar
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1/4 cup warm water (100 to 105 degrees F/38 to 41 degrees C)
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1/2 cup pumpkin puree
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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1/4 cup butter, melted
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
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2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
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1 egg
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1 teaspoon vegetable oil
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5 tablespoons butter, melted
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1 cup confectioners' sugar
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1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
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1/4 cup milk, or as needed
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1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, to garnish
Directions
1
Combine brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl; set aside.
2
Dissolve yeast and ½ teaspoon white sugar in warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together; let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
3
Stir pumpkin purée, heavy cream, remaining ¼ cup white sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ginger, and allspice into yeast mixer in the bowl of the stand mixer. Add 2 cups flour and egg; fit mixer with dough hook attachment and mix until combined, about 2 minutes.
4
Add remaining 2 ¼ cups flour; mix on low until dough is slightly sticky, smooth, and elastic, 6 to 7 minutes, adding more flour if mixture is too sticky.
5
Remove dough from hook; shape into a ball. Lightly coat the stand mixer bowl with vegetable oil, return dough to the bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with aluminum foil; set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 ½ hours.
6
Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.
7
Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flatten into a rectangular shape about 1-inch thick using your hands. Generously sprinkle both sides of dough with flour; roll out to about a 20x12-inch rectangle. Pour 5 tablespoons melted butter over top; evenly brush over surface, leaving 2 inches along one wide edge unbuttered. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough; moisten unbuttered edge with water. Roll dough tightly into a log, starting at the buttered wide edge; press firmly along moistened wide edge to seal.
8
Trim and discard uneven ends from the roll. Slice rolled dough into 16 equally-sized pinwheels; place pinwheels, cut-sides up, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.
9
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
10
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes; set aside to cool slightly while mixing glaze.
11
Whisk confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, milk, and remaining ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth; drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over rolls to serve.