Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Fall is upon us and you know what that means. Pumpkin everything! I created these sourdough discard pumpkin cinnamon rolls to be your go-to easy pumpkin roll recipe for the season. You will love how fast and easy these rolls are to make. They can be made start to finish in about 3 hours. These cinnamon pumpkin rolls are made with sourdough discard which results in that tangy sourdough flavor you know and love.
The secret to these rolls is they are leavened with dry active yeast. These rolls are great if you are just starting out with sourdough baking and are intimidated by the process of naturally leavened cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Dough
- Butter: I recommend unsalted butter but you can also substitute salted butter if desired. If using salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon. You can also use your favorite vegan butter if dairy free.
- Milk: You can use cow’s milk or substitute for your favorite non-dairy milk if you are dairy free or vegan.
- Brown Sugar: If you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute white sugar here and in the filling. The flavor will be slightly less rich but will tasted very similar.
- Dry Active Yeast
- Pumpkin Puree: Make sure you are using pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices and the result will be too sweet and may affect the texture.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Sourdough Starter: You can use sourdough starter in any form in this recipe. This is meant to be a sourdough discard recipe but if your starter is active you can still use it. The main leavening will come from the active yeast and the flavor will be less tangy.
- All Purpose Flour: You can also substitute bread flour in this recipe if desired.
Filling
- Butter
- Pumpkin Puree
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: I have made these with vegan cream cheese as well with excellent results. Feel free to substitute if you dairy free.
- Butter
- Maple Syrup: For the best flavor, I highly recommend using pure maple syrup rather than maple-flavored syrup. You can also substitute honey.
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
How To Make Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Make the Dough
Step 1: Melt the butter. Stir in the milk for about 15 seconds to slightly warm it. The mixture should be about 110F.
Step 2: Stir in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, salt, yeast, vanilla and brown sugar.
Step 3: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, sourdough starter, and butter mixture on low speed. Continue to knead for 8-10 minutes.
Step 4: Cover the bowl and allow to rise for one hour.
Roll and Fill the Dough
Step 1: Roll the dough into a large rectangle.
Step 2: Use a spoon to mix together the softened butter and pumpkin puree until well combined.
Step 3: Spread the pumpkin butter mixture over the dough. Leave about 1/2 inch on the edges without filling.
Step 4: Use a fork to mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pumpkin butter.
Step 5: Gently roll the dough into a loose cylinder by rolling the long edge toward you.
Step 6: Cut the dough into 12 equal sized pieces with either a sharp knife or a piece of unflavored dental floss.
Step 7: Place the cut cinnamon pumpkin rolls into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap.
Step 8: Allow the rolls to proof for another 1 hour. They should be puffy and touching each other when done.
Bake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F.
Step 2: Brush the tops of the rolls with 2 tablespoons of milk
Step 3: Bake for 30-35 minutes. The center of the rolls should reach an internal temperature of 195F when done.
Step 3: While rolls are baking, make the maple cream cheese frosting by beating the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla, maple syrup and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Allow the sweet rolls to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before spreading the frosting over the surfaces. These rolls are best served warm.
How to Store
Store these sourdough pumpkin rolls directly in the baking pan covered with plastic wrap. Because these are topped with a cream cheese frosting, these should be stored in the refrigerator. They are best when served fresh the same day, but can be stored for 4-5 days.
To reheat, microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds. To heat multiple rolls, warm in the oven set to 350F for 5-10 minutes.
Can You Make these Vegan Cinnamon Pumpkin Rolls?
Yes! You can substitute the butter, milk, and cream cheese for your favorite vegan substitutes. I bake vegan baked frequently for my family’s dietary needs and these cinnamon rolls work great when made dairy free.
Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup milk + 2 tbsp reserved to brush the tops of rolls before baking
- ¼ oz dry active yeast
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅔ cup sourdough starter active starter or discard
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
For the Filling
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoon s ground cinnamon
For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium low heat.
- Stir in the milk and sugar and heat until it is slightly warm (about 110F).
- Add the pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, pumpkin pie spice, yeast, vanilla and salt. stir until smooth.
- To the bowl of stand mixer, add the flour. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour.
- Use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough on low speed for 7-8 minutes.
- Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Fill the Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle measuring approximately 13×21 inches.
- To make the filling, mix the softened butter, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon together. Note: if your pumpkin puree is very wet, slightly spread it over a paper towel and gently press another paper towel on top to remove some of the moisture.
- Spread mixture over the dough, leaving ½ inch on each side without the mixture. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pumpkin mixture.
- Roll the dough into a log by pulling the long edge of the dough towards you.
- Cut the log into 12 equally sized pieces using a super knife or a piece of unscented dental floss. The easiest way to do this is to cut the dough in half, then cut it in half again. Then, cut the remaining quarters into three equal pieces.
- Transfer the rolls to a 9×13 inch baking dish and space evenly throughout the pan. Cover and let rise for one additional hour. The rolls should double in size. They will appear light and fluffy and will be slightly touching each other.
When Ready to Bake
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with remaining 2 tbsp milk.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The center of the rolls should be 195℉ when done.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the rolls are baking, make the maple cream cheese frosting. Use a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat together the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Spread over the cinnamon rolls. If serving immediately, spread the cream cheese frosting over the rolls while they are still warm. If making ahead, allow the rolls to cool completely before spreading the icing on the rolls. You can heat up the rolls for 5-10 minutes in the oven set to 350℉ when ready to serve.
Can you make these ahead and put them in the fridge to proof overnight?
Hi Jen,
With the active yeast, these will likely overproof in the fridge if left overnight. If you would like to make these ahead, I would use active starter and omit the active yeast. You will just need to ferment the dough for both the bulk fermentation and the second fermentation for longer (doubling in size for the bulk fermentation and again becoming light and fluffy for the second rise after rolling them) but otherwise the recipe is the same. I hope this helps.