Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft, buttery and full of warm fall flavors. It is an easy, overnight cinnamon roll recipe with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
We've taken our sourdough cinnamon rolls and transformed them into a delicious fall treat! Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls have pumpkin puree in the dough and the filling is made with light brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe highlights
- easy overnight dough: The dough is quickly mixed by hand and allowed to rise overnight, which will give you the benefits of fermented sourdough with minimal effort.
- canned pumpkin: As home bakers, don't we all have a few cans of pumpkin on the shelf? Just like our sourdough pumpkin bread, now you've got another delicious fall recipe to use it in!
- sourdough discard: We love to use our discard instead of wasting it. This recipe calls for baking soda and baking powder as leavening agents. The salt, baking soda and baking powder are mixed into the dough after it has risen and right before it is rolled out.
What you'll need
- 10-12" cast iron skillet: If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can use a spring-form pan or a baking dish. Make sure to grease them lightly before you add the cut out rolls.
- canned pumpkin/pumpkin pie spice: Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling as it is highly sweetened and has spices in it. Ground cinnamon can be used in place of pumpkin pie spice.
- butter/milk: Dairy or plant based options both work well.
- flour: All-purpose flour works best but feel free to sub out part of it with wheat flour. You will need to adjust the liquid amount as wheat flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour. Note that using wheat flour will produce a much denser cinnamon roll.
- powdered sugar/vanilla extract: These two ingredients are for the glaze which will also need milk and a tablespoon of melted butter.
How to shape cinnamon rolls
Once you are ready to bake, follow these simple steps to get the dough rolled out, cut and in the oven!
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and flour the surface of the dough and the rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape, about 22" x 12".
Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and sprinkle the sugar/pumpkin pie spice mixture evenly over the top. Make sure to leave a 1" border around the perimeter of the dough.
Starting on one end, roll the dough into a log shape. If the dough is sticking to the work surface, use a bench scraper to gently separate the dough from the surface, using more flour as needed.
Use the bench scraper or a knife to cut the log into 1-1 ½" pieces. Place the pieces into a buttered cast iron skillet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes.
After the rolls have baked, mix the cinnamon roll glaze and pour it over the top. Serve the rolls warm.
How to store and freeze
- To Store: Keep the baked and glazed sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls at room temperature in a closed container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap the baked, unglazed rolls in plastic wrap and insert them into a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Allow rolls to thaw, if frozen. Heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Easy sourdough discard recipes to make for breakfast
There are so many possibilities for using your sourdough discard. Try one of these easy and delicious recipes!
- sourdough pancakes or waffles
- sourdough coffee cake
- sourdough blueberry muffins
- sourdough banana nut muffins
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Dough
- ½ cup (113 g) butter (cold)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard
- ½ cup (122 g) pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (120 g) milk (dairy or plant based)
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Filling
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter (melted)
Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) milk (dairy or plant based)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
8 PM on Day 1
- Grate the cold butter using the large holes of a cheese grater into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour to the bowl and use a fork to toss and coat the butter with flour to separate the pieces. Cut the flour into the butter using a pastry cutter or bench scraper until it has a coarse consistency.
- Add the sourdough starter, honey, pumpkin and milk to the bowl. Use a spatula to get the mixture started and then switch to your hands to incorporate the ingredients until there are no dry bits left in the bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit at room temperature for 8-10 hours. (Do not add the baking soda, baking powder or salt until the next day.)
6 AM on Day 2
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly butter the cast iron skillet or baking dish.
- Mix the light brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add the salt, baking powder and baking soda to the dough and use your hands to incorporate it evenly. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangular shape. Flour the work surface and rolling pin as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top, leaving a one inch border around the perimeter. Starting at one end, roll the dough into a log shape. Use a bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut the log into 1-1 ½ inch pieces. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 35-40 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and milk. Add milk as necessary to thin the glaze to the desired consistency. Pour the glaze over the warm rolls and use a spatula to spread evenly.
NOTES
- To Store: Keep the baked and glazed sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls at room temperature in a closed container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap individual rolls in plastic wrap and insert them into a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Allow rolls to thaw, if frozen. Heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Dru Hall says
Delicious! I've made these twice, first following the recipe exactly, second time I added walnuts. Both times there were rave reviews. Definitely going into my "repeat" file!
Taylee says
What size of cast iron do you use?
Amy says
It's a 12" skillet
Sarah W says
Could these be done with active starter instead?
Amy says
Yes they can. I would use 100g of active starter and follow the directions for the sourdough berry sweet rolls. 🙂
Katey Blakeley says
I have been making these for about a month now. They seem to get better each time!! I love the step by step instructions and videos- so easy to follow for a sourdough beginner! Thank you so much for this recipe and your others!
Melissa Pence says
So easy… so amazing. Thank you
Lexi Carlson says
I have made these before and they were amazing. They did not dry out at all and were so tasty and perfect for Fall/Winter.
Leslie says
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! Just made these and they are sooooo delicious! My 4 & 7 year old devoured them.
My favorite part of your recipe was the time frame you gave with the 8pm and 6am...I'm new to sourdough and thqt helped me so much. Definitely eating these for Thanksgiving breakfast and possibly Christmas ♥️
Crystal says
Thank you so much for the recipe, Amy! They turned out delicious. To lower the sugar content, I substituted the sugar with the erythritol sweetener. I also made a cream cheese glaze.
Deeeeeelicious!!!!!!
Cameo Bodey says
I followed the instructions by weight but my dough is wetter/stickier than in the video 🙁 maybe I'll add more flour to get it to a similar consistency.
Tina says
Cameo Bodey - I have made these a fair amount of times as well and my dough also comes out a lot stickier than shown in the video! Not sure why??? I am about to make them again for some give aways, so I may just try to add a little more flour!
Chelsea Snow says
My instinct is to allow time for a second rise in the morning before baking of at least 1-2 hours. Is this okay, thinking it would help them to be puffier 🙂 trying this recipe this weekend.
Amy says
Yes, you can let them have a second rise 🙂
Jess says
Great idea! How did they turn out with the extra proof? Planning on making these this weekend!