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Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

October 11, 2018
Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

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Ready in a little over an hour, this Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls recipe is the ultimate decadence. The dough is filled with savory pumpkin and warm spices, and the chai cream cheese glaze is sure to fill your days with comfort!

Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

If you're a lover of Fall spices and sweet flavor, then these Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls are the best thing you’ll ever taste–seriously! Thick,  fluffy, tender, brioche-like rolls that come completely smothered in a rich, but light chai spice cream cheese glaze. Hands down------these cinnamon rolls are sure to be the newest Fall craze! Overnight, Gluten-Free, + Vegan options.

Cinnamon rolls on white plates with a spoon and fork on side.

Now that we're in November and well into the Fall season, I hope that you've been enjoying all things apple, pumpkin, chai, chocolate, and even banana breads. There's just so much goodness to indulge in this season. If you've been an avid reader of Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you'll know that Cinnamon Rolls are one of my favorite sweet treats to make and these Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls are no exception!

While they do take a little time to perfect (practice does make perfect), you just have to love the finishing of these thick, tender rolls! Oh and I do have a secret ingredient to mine------bread flour mixed in! Yup. You'll love the brioche-like, fluffiness to using bread flour, so it's become my new cinnamon roll ingredient staple. Don't believe me? I definitely recommend you trying these Homemade Classic Cinnamon Rolls, Vegan Chai Latte Cinnamon Rolls, and Southern-Style Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls. Get your pumpkin spice + pie fix with this extremely delicious Easy Pumpkin Pie Iced Latte!

In case you wanted to make the vegan version of these cinnamon rolls, here's my Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe. Simply add the chai glaze on top and wallah!

Dough in a silver bowl being held.

Why You'll Love these Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

OK, so if you’re still not entirely sold on these cinnamon rolls, then let me tell you what’s so great about them. They are SOFT, FLUFFY, + BRIOCHE-LIKE in texture. Yup. I love making my cinnamon rolls more brioche-like. Who doesn’t love the extra ‘pillowy-ness’ of it all?

I totally made up that word. Haha.

Oh and these rolls do live up to the Fall Faves category for a reason—-PUMPKIN + CHAI is incredible! Lately, I've been so in love with the combination of pumpkin + chai. I'm obsessed!

Don't believe how good they both are together? Try these Easy Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes

Plus, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are:

  • Super easy to make-----I have Tips below to ensure that they're perfect.
  • Bold Fall flavors + spices----All about that Pumpkin + Chai!
  • Only requires ONE baking dish.
  • Can be MADE AHEAD! (See Notes!)
  • The epitome of COMFORT SWEETS!
  • Super thick and fluffy and brioche-like.
  • Super flavorful.
  • Did I mention that it’s just TOO GOOD TO PASS UP!?
Jump to:
Cinnamon roll dough being cut into swirls.

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ready to get baking? The first thing to do is assemble your ingredients! Like many rising dough recipes, you always start with adding your ingredients together in a stand mixer (or bowl if kneading by hand) and mixing until combined. Then you knead the dough vigorously for about 15-20 minutes to ensure that it becomes elastic-like in texture with a shine.

Then you add the dough to a greased bowl, cover and let it rise for the first hour. Once risen, remove it unto a lightly floured surface, roll it out to an inch thickness, spread on the filling, and then roll them up tightly before cutting them into rounds. Assemble dough pieces in prepped baking dish, cover and let it rise for a second time. Once risen again, brush the tops with softened butter, bake, glaze, slice, and serve!

Cinnamon rolls in a baking dish and a rolling pin.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls

Here's what you need for the fluffy pumpkin brioche-style dough:

  • All-purpose flour. I use organic flour from Bob's Red Mill.
  • Bread flour. You can find this from Bob's Red Mill.
  • Milk. You can totally use regular milk or plant-based milk. Choose unsweetened. Feel free to use a different plant-based milk if you like. I recommend making easy homemade almond milk (my recipe doesn’t require soaking!)
  • Pumpkin. I use 100% organic pumpkin puree in the can, NOT pie filling. There's a difference!
  • Pumpkin spice blend. For a nice rich pumpkin and spice flavor. Simply mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and ground cloves.
  • Brown sugar. I like to use organic to ensure that it's vegan-friendly. This adds nice color and caramelization to the flavor of the rolls. You could also use cane sugar or coconut sugar.
  • Eggs. You'll need them to be at room temp.
  • Instant yeast. Also called Rapid Rise Yeast.
  • Butter. Use warm, melted unsalted butter.
  • WARM water. This is important to help activate the yeast at the beginning.
  • Vanilla extract. The pure vanilla is the best flavor.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

Here's what you need to make the spiced filling for your cinnamon rolls:

  • Brown sugar. Ensure that it's organic so that it's vegan-friendly.
  • Butter. Again, unsalted butter. Soften the butter to room temperature for an easy spread.
  • Cinnamon + nutmeg. Adds additional warm flavor to rolls.
Baked golden brown cinnamon rolls in a baking dish.

Chai-infused Cream Cheese Glaze

Top your cinnamon rolls with a delicious chai-infused cream cheese glaze made with:

  • Powdered sugar. If you use granulated sugar, your frosting will have a gritty texture, so I highly recommend organic powdered sugar.
  • Cream cheese. Soften the butter to room temperature for an easy whip together for the glaze.
  • Chai tea mixture. You'll save a bit of this cooled latte mixture for the glaze.

Sweet Rolls or Cinnamon buns?

No matter what you call them—cinnamon buns, cinnamon rolls, sweet rolls, sticky buns, sticky rolls, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon danish—everyone has a favorite. I've never met someone who didn't like them.

A cinnamon bun or sweet roll is a sweeter, fluffier bread dough with a filling, usually cinnamon-based, in the middle. They are usually served around the holidays. When the filling is cooked, it makes an iconic swirl of deliciousness.

Frosted cinnamon rolls in a baking dish with a spatula.

How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

If you're thinking about making your own pumpkin puree instead of using a store-bought canned version, then you'll be happy to know that it is rather simple:

  • Step 1: Cut your pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. Be sure to save the seeds for another time because you can definitely use those!
  • Step 2: Feel free to cube the pumpkins into medium-large chunks and then place them unto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. NOTE: ensure that the skin of pumpkin are peeled off at this point.
  • Step 3: Always season your pumpkin pieces (pinch of salt and cinnamon in this case for the recipe) and lightly grease with olive oil until coated.
  • Step 4: Roast in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40-45 minutes or until the edges are golden and they become super tender once tested with a fork or knife.
  • Step 5: Using a food processor or blender, puree your pumpkin along with water or veggie stock, until smooth. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like, store it in the freezer for later use.
Frosted and uplifted rolls in a baking dish.

Tips for Making the Most Perfect Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch

Due to many delicious attempts at perfecting this recipe, I have come across some very helpful, tried + true tips that will ensure a perfectly baked cinnamon roll with the most amazing texture and flavor. Here are the tricks that get the job done:

NEVER OVERHEAT THE MILK OR BUTTER!

It is so important that your milk and butter are WARM, but NOT hot! It should be warm to the touch. If you find that your milk has overheated, allow it to cool before adding the yeast. The same is for the melted butter.

Be sure to let it cool to a warm temperature before adding it in. Milk and butter that are too hot will kill the yeast and you won't get the big, fluffy rise in the dough, which affects the texture once baked. We want these rolls super fluffy, and that's only possible when the yeast is bloomed properly, not dense rolls.

USE VERY SOFT BUTTER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Like in most baking, room temperature ingredients mix better than cold ingredients. You'll need your butter to be super soft so that you can easily spread it generously across the dough for the filling.

Up close shot of frosted cinnamon rolls.

DO NOT WORRY ABOUT OVER-MIXING

I know it sounds weird, but hear me out. With cakes and cookies, you never want to overwork a dough because working develops the gluten in the flour. Gluten development leads to a chewy, unpleasant texture in cakes and cookies, making them dense and heavy.

Because cinnamon rolls use a yeast dough, it is required to develop the gluten in the dough. The yeast brings elasticity that lightens and fluffs the dough, much like bread dough. When making these rolls, keep on mixing even after you think you've mixed enough! The kneading process is super important for the perfection of these rolls!

RISE THE DOUGH OVERNIGHT IF POSSIBLE

While I developed this recipe as a quick-bake cinnamon roll after two proofing sessions, more flavor develops in the dough if you allow it to rise overnight. The dough has more time to rise, leading to a more developed, yeast-bread flavor. This yeast flavor is a perfect pairing with the sweet filling and frosting--trust me!

Lifted cinnamon rolls in a baking dish.

USE A BREAD FLOUR MIX (MY SECRET)

After much trial and error, I have found that a mix of bread flour and all-purpose flour makes the perfect combination for cinnamon rolls. The bread flour gives a thicker, dense feel while the all-purpose flour creates a tender, soft feel which ultimately results in a brioche-like texture that I think is perfect for these rolls.

ROLL THEM UP TIGHT!

A loose roll will fall apart upon slicing and bake unevenly. Instead, begin with a very tight roll and keep that momentum throughout the roll. The dough is sturdy and can handle being rolled tightly due to its elasticity.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Blend

One of the essential elements of these pumpkin cinnamon rolls is the actual pumpkin spice blend. It is very simple to make, plus, you can make a larger batch and save some for baking!

To make homemade Pumpkin Spice, combine these spices:

  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • a teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

That's it! This delicious blend is perfect for lattes, cookies, cakes, pies, pudding, or all things pumpkin.

Cinnamon rolls on white plates with a glass of milk.

Why Add Organic Artisan Bread Flour?

As I've mentioned previously, I love adding Bob's Red Mill Organic Bread Flour to my cinnamon rolls as a secret ingredient because it creates such fluffy rolls.

This bread flour is made with premium high-protein flour milled from America's highest quality wheat. While using all-purpose flour can achieve soft cinnamon rolls, there's just something special about the rolls when this type of flour mixes in. I don't know how to explain it, but mixing in this bread type allows for the rolls to be thicker, airy, fluffy, soft, and just GOOD!

In general, this bread flour is perfect for baguettes, pizza crust, dinner rolls, no-knead breads, and more. However, I think that we can add cinnamon rolls to the list. Haha.

How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls without Yeast

OK, so you might think it's possible, but you can totally make cinnamon rolls, including these Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls without yeast, if you ever needed to! Just know that the texture wouldn't be as brioche-like or fluffy, and they'll be more dense, but still good.

Instead of yeast, you'll just need to substitute with 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder to allow some level of rise to occur.

Rapid (Instant) Rise Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast

If you’re not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn’t work as quickly.

Common Q + A's for Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

Why pour milk over cinnamon rolls?

While I don't personally pour milk over all of my cinnamon rolls, especially these pumpkin chai rolls, however, if you're wondering why this is done it's because: as the rolls bake, the cream or milk in the bottom of the pan heats up and Its liquid migrates up into the rolls, making them moister.

Can I use heavy cream instead of milk in cinnamon rolls?

Absolutely! It's possible to replace heavy cream with milk when making cinnamon rolls since heavy cream adds a richness to the dough and helps it to rise. Either way, milk or heavy cream works just fine!

How to make can cinnamon rolls taste like homemade?

I actually made a Reel video on this to help you create the most delicious experience with store-bought can cinnamon rolls. While I did it for my Gingerbread cinnamon rolls, the same concept applies to these pumpkin rolls:

1. Use a high-quality organic store bought version of cinnamon rolls to start!
2. Add about 1 cup of milk + ¼ cup pumpkin puree + spices (whisked together) and pour them over rolls once in baking dish. This helps to make them “pumpkin flavored” + gives them a nice soft, fluffy texture while baking.
3. Never use the icing! Once baked, top your cinnamon rolls with homemade icing like my Chai-infused cream cheese frosting.
4. Always add frosting to WARM rolls so that it semi-melts and adds further moisture to baked rolls and becomes perfectly “whipped”.

Can I Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls?

Yes! To make fluffy classic cinnamon rolls gluten-free, substitute both the all-purpose and bread flour with Bob's Red Mill's 1:1 baking flour. Reduce the amount by 1 cup and add more if necessary if the dough is too sticky. 

Can I Make These Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls Overnight?

Of course! If you don’t want to make your rolls on the same day, you can simply follow all steps (including the initial 1+ hour rise) and after cutting rolls and placing them into your baking pan, just cover them tightly (using foil paper of plastic wrap) and refrigerate them overnight or for 8-12 hours instead. The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 ½ hours. Then continue with the baking and glazing steps.

Should I chill cinnamon rolls before baking?

Not only does chilling the dough mean that you can reduce the amount of work needed to be done in just one day, but cold dough is also easier to roll out and shape into rolls which creates a tighter, neater roll. So feel free to chill the dough if desired.

Why are my homemade cinnamon rolls hard?

Unfortunately, when cinnamon rolls come out too hard and/or dense, it means that the yeast wasn't activated properly and the dough didn't rise like it should have. If the dough doesn't double in size before being rolled out, then this is an indication that the dough didn't rise adequately.

Is melted butter better than softened butter for cinnamon rolls?

I can admit that I used to make my cinnamon rolls with melted butter for the filling, however, after stumbling upon using softened butter---I'm a believer! Melted butter usually seeps out of the centers once the dough is rolled and lifted and it dries out pretty quickly when baking. Whereas, I've found that softened butter keeps the filling more in tact and truly softens the rolls as they bake.

Can I Make These Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Vegan?

Of course! Instead of cream cheese, you can substitute with vegan butter (softened at room temp.), substitute the butter with vegan butter in the dough/filling, omit the eggs, and substitute plant-based milk with heavy cream. See my Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe for guidance.

How To Store + Reheat Cinnamon Rolls?

Leftovers can be kept fresh at room temperature when tightly wrapped or sealed for up to 3 days. Fresh for up to 1 week in the Refrigerator. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months.

To reheat, I recommend adding them an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes or until just about warmed through, but the glaze hasn't melted. For a quicker warm, you can add it to a microwave for a few seconds. You can also let it sit at room temperature until warm enough to eat. 

Can I Knead By Hand Instead of Using a Mixer?

Absolutely! Usually, I make my cinnamon roll dough via my electric stand-mixer which has the appropriate attachments for the kneading process, however, with these cinnamon rolls, I have had the pleasure of doing this all by hand and it wasn't difficult. 

It just requires a bit more arm work, that's all! Plus, there’s nothing that a light drizzle of flour can’t help, right?! You'll basically follow all steps for making the dough in a large bowl and once it begins to come together and can form a ball, then you'll begin working the dough in a front-to-back and folding motion a few times until you begin to feel the dough "soften" and become elastic-like. It took me about 5-6 minutes or so total. Not bad!

Does Chai Tea Have Caffeine?

Yes, this recipe has some caffeine. Black tea contains about 47 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. Compared to coffee, which has 95 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. If you use chai tea bags for this recipe, you'll have about 26 milligrams of caffeine per cup. To cut the caffeine out of this recipe altogether, simply use decaffeinated black or chai tea. 

Up close shots of cinnamon rolls on white plates.

More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes to Try!

Now that you're on a pumpkin feel with this cinnamon roll recipe, give these recipes that your entire family will love a try next:

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you tried these Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.

Up close shot of frosted cinnamon rolls.

Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls

October 11, 2018
4.78 from 18 votes
Ready in a little over an hour, this Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls recipe is the ultimate decadence. The dough is filled with savory pumpkin and warm spices, and the chai cream cheese glaze is sure to fill your days with comfort!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

CHAI TEA MIXTURE:

  • ½ cup Almond milk, unsweetened (You can use whole milk, if desired)
  • 2 black tea bags, premium (You can also use a chai tea bag and omit the spice blend)
  • 2 Tbsps pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon chai spice blend (See Notes!)

PUMPKIN DOUGH:

  • 4 cups organic All-purpose flour (I love Bob's Red Mill)
  • 2 cups Artisan Bread flour (I love Bob's Red Mill; See Notes!)
  • 1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast (That's 2 ¼ tsps!)
  • 1-2 tsps pumpkin spice blend (See Post for ingredient details!)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup WARM water
  • ½ cup organic brown sugar + 1 Tbsp
  • 1 ¼ cup Almond milk, unsweetened + at room temp. (You can use whole milk or heavy cream, if desired)
  • 1 cup organic pumpkin puree (NOT Pie filling!)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp.
  • 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted + cooled until warm (Make sure that it's WARM, not hot!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLING:

  • ½ cup organic brown sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

CHAI-INFUSED GLAZE:

  • 3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
  • 4 oz. organic cream cheese, softened at room temp. (That's ½ a pack!)
  • 3-4 Tbsps cooled Chai tea mixture (See Notes!)

Instructions

TO MAKE THE DOUGH:

  • Combine yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and slowly pour in warm water while stirring frequently. Allow 10 minutes for the mixture to sit and for the yeast to activate.
  • Add in the room temperature milk and warm melted butter to the yeast mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the eggs (one at a time), pumpkin puree, and vanilla, whisking to incorporate.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice blend, and sea salt and add them to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until well combined and everything begins to form into a dough-like consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Change “Mixer head” to kneading accessory and knead dough for 5-10 minutes on high speed until dough ball becomes smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed together with 2 fingers. NOTE: If dough is still too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until texture is achieved!
  • Lightly grease a large bowl with a small amount of olive oil and place the dough ball in the bowl, tossing it around until coated. Cover with plastic wrap (or a towel) and let sit for 1 hour, allowing the dough to rise and double in size. 
  • In the meantime, you can work on the filling!

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

  • Add the softened the butter (best if done at room temp. so that it's more "paste-like" in texture once smeared) in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar, mixing them together. Set aside.
  • Once the dough has risen fully, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang from the sides.

ASSEMBLY + BAKE:

  • Add a bit of flour to a surface and place the dough onto it, lightly adding a bit of flour to the top. Using a rolling-pin, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape (approximately 9″x14 and ½-inch thick), trimming the edges if needed. NOTE: Try not to make the dough too thin or else rolling it up will be hard to do!
  • Then, generously add ¾ of the softened butter atop dough (spreading it out evenly with a spoon or knife), followed by the brown sugar-spice mixture, ensuring that the top is coated evenly. NOTE: I also use a 'pastry brush' to sweep sugar mixture evenly across the dough to ensure that every bite is sweet!
  • Tightly roll dough (long-ways) and using a pastry cutter, cut dough into 1.5" rolls, placing each roll (cut side down) into a large baking dish (lined with parchment paper!).
  • Then place plastic wrap over the baking dish with rolls, smear the tops with remaining softened butter and let them rise again (for another 20 minutes).
  • Once the rolls have doubled in size (once again!) or have gotten significantly larger, bake them for approximately 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven.
  • While all the baking magic is happening, make the Chai tea mixture and Glaze.

FOR THE CHAI TEA MIXTURE:

  • In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add the milk and bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes. Add the tea bags and let it boil for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let everything steep for 5-6 minutes.
  • Once fully steeped, remove tea bags and whisk in 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, and a pinch of black pepper until dissolved and combined. Let it cool completely.

TO MAKE THE CHAI-INFUSED GLAZE:

  • In a bowl, beat (using a hand-mixer) the softened cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar and chai tea mixture, beating everything together until the glaze becomes smooth and velvety. NOTE: Add additional chai tea mixture (1 tablespoon at a time) if the glaze is too thick or powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) if too thin.
  • Spread the glaze atop the rolls using a rubber spatula evenly until generously covered.
  • To serve, cut out each roll desired and enjoy.
  • Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

  • TO STORE: Cinnamon Rolls can be kept fresh at room temperature when tightly wrapped or sealed for up to 3 days. Fresh for up to 1 week in the Refrigerator. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months.
  • FLOUR: If you don’t have bread flour, you can always just use all-purpose flour entirely instead. Bob Red Mill's has a great option for both flours!
  • CHAI SPICE MIX: 2 Tbsps cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • TEA BAG: You can also use a chai tea bag blend instead if preferred.

Nutrition

Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3644IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg

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  1. Loved these!!! I made these today for a fall party, and they were a hit! Made the recipe as described with whole milk. I also added half a cup of heavy cream to the top before they went into the oven and that was a nice touch. I let the dough rise overnight after kneading as I didn't have time to roll them out, and that worked well for me. Such a fun and festive recipe!

    • Hi Ali! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls and that they turned out great for you! They're truly one of my faves! Thanks so much for giving them a try! 🙂

  2. I'm confused. There is a lot of emphasis on making sure things are vegan but, then eggs are used. Am I misunderstanding something?

    • Hi Ashley! Thanks so much for reaching out! I emphasize vegan-friendly products as it relates to the sugar, etc. because there's a vegan option for these cinnamon rolls. The recipe is for a non-vegan version using eggs, however, the vegan option allows my readers to easily make it vegan! Feel free to use any sugar you'd like! I hope that this makes sense! 🙂

  3. This looks amazing! Curious if this was updated with correct amounts of flour. Also, can it be made gluten free?

    • Hi Liz! Thanks so much! Yes---this recipe was updated recently with the correct flour amounts and ingredient measurements! They should come out perfectly! Also, you can definitely make these GF! Simply sub the flour with 1:1 baking GF flour. 🙂

  4. I am miffed after making the dough for this recipe. 5 cups was clearly not enough flour for this recipe . The liquid to dry ratio is incorrect. As a baker, I think it would be best for you (Shanika) to try this recipe again and adjust the ratios. or remove the recipe altogether because multiple people have stated to you that the flour listed was not enough.

    • Hi Carly! Thanks so much for your feedback! I do apologize for any trouble that the recipe has caused! I actually have this one on my list of recipes to revamp + reshoot for this month since it's an old one of mine, therefore, it'll be perfect once it's updated! Thanks so much! 🙂

  5. I was nervous because it was my first time baking anything like a cinnamon roll or bread or using yeast, but it turned out great! The next logical step is applying for GBBO. Halved the sugar in the glaze because I don’t have a sweet tooth. Thank you for the marvelous recipe and the confidence boost!

    • Hi Parisa! OMG---I'm so happy to hear that this recipe turned out great! Honestly, it made my day to hear that I helped boost your confidence and made your first experience with making cinnamon rolls seamless! Thanks so much for choosing my recipe! 🙂

  6. It would be helpful if the ingredients were listed the order they are used in the recipe. Also, for the pumpkin puree, there is no mention of WHEN to incorporate the puree into the recipe. In retrospect, I'm thinking that it should be added to the wet ingredients. Sadly, I did not realize that the puree was missing until after I added incorporated my dry ingredients. I added the pumpkin puree afterward and then needed to add and additional 8 TB more of flour to offset the puree.

    • Hi Coleen! Thanks so much for your feedback! I do apologize for any confusion! The puree goes in after the eggs and I've since updated this! I do hope that you enjoy these! 🙂

  7. Hi Shanika! That recipe looks gorgeous-I'm trying it out right now. But how much pumpkin puree for the dough? I added two cups like in your carrot cinnamon rolls as I couldn't find the info anywhere, but the dough ended up so sticky I had to add another 4 cups of flour! I'm sure it'll be delicious anyways though.
    It just yields 3 times the original recipe now. Cheers! 🙂

    • Hi Maike! Thanks so much! And I’m sorry that I missed the amount of pumpkin purée to add! It’s actually 1 cup of pumpkin purée! I’ll definitely fix this now! I’m sure it’ll still be delicious and how can you go wrong with more cinnamon rolls! Haha! Be sure to let me know how it turns out! ?

      • Thanks! They turned out tasty but a little dry (ironically)- I'll make sure to try the updated recipe though, you had a really great idea there ☺️?

      • Awww, I do hope that it turns out greater next time! Thanks so much for the update!

  8. I LOVE this recipe! Those cinnamon rolls are huge! Saving t his right now to make this weekend for my little crew!

    • Thanks so much, Lauren! They really are huge, but so fluffy that it's perfect! Haha! I hope that your little crew enjoy these as much as we did!

    • Thanks so much, Lucy! This definitely came after much trial and error! I hope that my tips to making them perfect helps you if you ever decide to give it a try!