Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 5 votes

Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

These sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls fill a soft enriched dough with pumpkin spice cream and bake up golden and pillowy with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Cold proof overnight for an effortless fall baking morning.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Optional Overnight Ferment8

Total Time8 55

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts

Cuisine: American, Cottage Style

Servings:

Calories: 606kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 Stand mixer with dough hook or paddle attachment
1 Mixing bowls
1 12" Cast iron skillet or a 9 by 13 inch baking pan
1 Plastic wrap or aluminum foil
1 Bench scraper or unflavored dental floss

Ingredients

Dough

5 ⅓ cups Bread Flour 640 grams
1 cup Sourdough Starter 250 grams
¾ cup Warm Milk 190 grams
2 large Eggs
⅓ cup Salted Butter *or use unsalted butter 76 grams, melted at 110°F
½ cup Granulated Sugar 100 grams
1 tsp Salt 6 grams
1 tsp Vanilla Extract 4 grams
½ cup Pumpkin Puree 120 grams
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey 40 grams

Filling

½ cup Granulated Sugar 100 grams, for filling
½ cup Brown Sugar 100 grams, for filling
½ cup Salted Butter 115 grams, softened
2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice Seasoning 30–45 grams

THE SECRECT SAUCE to Pour over before Cooking

½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream 120 grams, for secret sauce
2 tsp Pumpkin Spice Seasoning 8–9 grams, for secret sauce

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz Cream Cheese 226 grams, softened
2 Tbsp Salted Butter 28 grams, cold
½ cup + 2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar 100 grams
1 tsp Vanilla Extract 4 grams
Pinch of Salt

Instructions

Mix the dough – In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, active sourdough starter, pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Add the bread flour and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about two minutes. Increase to medium and knead for eight to ten minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time and continue kneading until fully incorporated and the dough is soft and slightly tacky.
Bulk ferment – Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for eight to ten hours or until the dough has nearly doubled. A warm kitchen shortens this window, a cool kitchen lengthens it. Watch the dough, not the clock.
Make the pumpkin spice cream filling – In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Set aside at room temperature so it spreads easily without tearing the dough.
Roll the dough – Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press gently to deflate. Roll into a rectangle approximately 12 by 18 inches, squaring the corners as best you can for even rolls.
Spread the filling – Spread the pumpkin spice cream evenly across the surface of the dough, leaving a half inch border along the far long edge. The filling should go right to the edges on the other three sides for full swirl coverage in every roll.
Roll and cut – Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly and evenly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Using unflavored dental floss or a bench scraper, cut the log into twelve equal rolls approximately one and a half inches each.
Second rise – Place the rolls cut side up in a buttered 12" cast iron skillet or a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, spacing them evenly. Cover and let the rolls rise again until puffy, about 1–2 hours (*or overnight in the fridge for a slower ferment).
*If you refrigerated – Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit covered at room temperature for one to two hours until they look puffy and feel light when you gently press the surface. They will not double but should have noticeably increased in size.
Bake – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are deep golden brown and the centers feel set when pressed lightly. The internal temperature should read 190 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the frosting – While the rolls bake, beat the room temperature cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting is light and spreadable.
Frost and serve – Allow the rolls to cool in the pan for ten minutes. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Starter activity – Use a starter that has doubled and is visibly bubbly across the surface. A starter that has not peaked will produce rolls that rise slowly or not at all. Feed your starter the morning before you plan to mix the dough and use it at its peak.

Cutting the rolls – Unflavored dental floss produces the cleanest cuts without compressing the rolls. Slide it under the log, cross it over the top, and pull the ends in opposite directions. A bench scraper is the next best option.

Same day option – After cutting and arranging the rolls in the pan, cover and leave at room temperature for two to three hours instead of refrigerating overnight. The flavor will be milder but the texture will be equally soft.

Freezing – Freeze baked unfrosted rolls individually wrapped in plastic wrap, then stored in a freezer bag, for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in a 300 degree oven for ten minutes before frosting and serving.

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