Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese frosting are perfect for fall breakfasts! Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and maple syrup combine with sourdough starter to make these sweet rolls. Start this recipe the night before to allow the dough to ferment and give yourself a head start.
There are so many things to love about fall. Cooler weather, falling leaves, clear autumn days, and delicious food. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors this time of year, and I love spending the fall months making things with pumpkin.
I start the season by making a big batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice. I use it in so many recipes! Having a batch made up at the beginning of the season is super helpful. After making my pumpkin pie spice, then I love to use it in all the pumpkin recipes.
Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes are sourdough pumpkin scones, sourdough pumpkin bread, and slow cooker pumpkin butter. (Pumpkin butter is so good on a slice of homemade sourdough bread!)
When I want a special fall breakfast, I love making these sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They combine every traditional fall flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are delicious with a cup of coffee or a homemade pumpkin spice latte. They’re also perfect as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee.
One great thing about this recipe is that you can start it the night before to allow it to ferment overnight. That way, the next day you’ll feel like you already have a head-start on the recipe because it’s already started.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Notes
- You’ll need a mature sourdough starter to make this sourdough pumpkin bread.
- This recipe calls for active starter rather than discard. Feed your sourdough starter to get it bubbly and active before beginning.
- Instead of canned pumpkin purée you can make your own pumpkin puree with a fresh pumpkin.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Instead of the pumpkin pie spice called for in the recipe, you can use a combination of equal amounts of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground allspsice.
- I always use dental floss for cutting cinnamon rolls. I buy a container of it and keep it with my baking supplies just for cinnamon rolls.
- Add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar to the frosting if it’s not sweet enough.
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Equipment
- Large bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Glass measuring cup
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Dough whisk or regular whisk
- Rolling pin
- Stand mixer
- 9″x13″ baking dish
Ingredients
The full ingredient list and instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Dough Ingredients
- water
- pumpkin puree (canned, or make your own puree)
- sourdough starter, active
- coconut oil, melted
- honey
- all-purpose flour
- egg
- vanilla (you can make your own homemade vanilla extract)
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
Filling ingredients
- butter, softened
- pumpkin puree
- brown sugar
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
Topping ingredients
- heavy cream
Maple cream cheese frosting
- cream cheese, softened
- butter, softened
- powdered sugar
- maple syrup
- cinnamon
- vanilla extract
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
1. Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water, pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, coconut oil, and honey.
2. Add the flour and mix/knead together with the other ingredients until the dough forms into a ball and starts to feel elastic. I do this by hand right in the mixing bowl, but you could also use a stand mixer.
3. Grease a mixing bowl with coconut oil, add the ball of dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours or until doubled in size.
4. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Add the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together filling ingredients. Add softened butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
6. On a floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle, about 12″ x 18″.
7. Spoon the filling over the dough, spreading it out evenly, avoiding the very edge.
8. Roll the dough up tightly in a log shape and pinch to seal seam. Cut into 12 rolls with unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.
9. Place rolls in prepared baking dish. It’s okay if the sides are touching.
Warm heavy cream slightly, and pour cream around and in between rolls. Cover baking dish and allow rolls to rise for 30-60 minutes. When rise time is almost up, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
10. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until rolls are golden brown and centers are cooked.
Make the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
While the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting.
1. In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), blend softened cream cheese and butter together. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
2. Spread frosting over warm rolls and serve.
More Pumpkin and Sourdough Bread Recipes
- How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
- Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe (Perfect for Beginners)
- Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Bread Loaf
- Sourdough Pumpkin Scones
- Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter active
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Filling Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Pour Around Rolls
- 1/4 cup heavy cream warmed
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 6 Tbsp butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Dough Instructions
- Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water, pumpkin puree, sourdough starter, coconut oil, and honey.
- Add the flour and mix/knead together with the other ingredients until the dough forms into a ball. Knead until all ingredients are well combined and dough is starting to feel a bit elastic.
- Grease a mixing bowl with coconut oil, add the ball of dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 8-12 hours or until doubled in size.
After the Fermentation Time
- Add the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add egg, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together filling ingredients. Add softened butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large rectangle, about 12" x 18".
- Spoon the filling over the dough, spreading it out evenly, avoiding the very edge.
- Roll the dough up tightly into a log shape and pinch to seal seam. Cut into 12 rolls with unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife. Place rolls in prepared baking dish. It’s okay if the sides are touching.
- Warm heavy cream slightly, and pour cream around and in between rolls. Cover baking dish and allow rolls to rise for 30-60 minutes. When rise time is almost up, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until rolls are golden brown and centers are cooked.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- While the pumpkin cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting.
- In a mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), blend softened cream cheese and butter together. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Spread frosting over warm rolls and serve.
- Store leftover frosted rolls in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You’ll need a mature starter to make this sourdough pumpkin bread. If you don’t have a starter yet, go here to learn how to make one.
- Instead of canned pumpkin purée you can make your own pumpkin puree with a fresh pumpkin following these instructions.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Instead of the pumpkin pie spice called for in the recipe, you can use a combination of equal amounts of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground allspsice.
- Add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar to the frosting if it’s not sweet enough.
My family loves these delicious sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls for a special fall breakfast!
Beautiful! These were an instant hit. In a burst of energy, I made the dough at about 7.30 pm the night before election day and popped them in the fridge the next morning. When I was nearly ready to put them together for our family election night celebration, I set them out to warm and finished them up when the dough was cool but close to room temperature, and it worked perfectly. If you are trying to avoid all sugar, the filling works up quite well with honey at a 1/2 honey-to-sugar ratio, though 2/3 might do as well. If your family enjoys simpler sweets, you may enjoy skipping the icing like we did. They are lovely and simple with some butter and a nice drizzle of honey. Thank you, Joy, for a spectacular recipe!
In the Lord Jesus Christ,
– Laura
Romans 8:5, Acts 2:38,
Thank you, Laura! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! And thank you so much for sharing the changes you made to the recipe—using honey for sweetener and the honey/butter drizzle sounds like a great idea!