pumpkin rolls with cream cheese glaze

I had bookmarked this recipe and knew it was time to try it when The Sister forwarded it to me. Pumpkin lovers, rejoice! This is a fantastic recipe which I adapted slightly by changing out the glaze. It has everything you want from a cinnamon roll— fluffy and yeasty— plus the addition of pumpkin.

One kid punched, the other rolled and cut.

An added bonus is that you can prepare the rolls the night before and bake them in the morning. 

It'll be a sure hit Day After Thanksgiving or Christmas Morning... or how about this Sunday?

The favorite part? The gooey, buttery, caramelized filling on the bottom of the roll

Pumpkin Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
adapted from The Kitchn.com
makes 16-18 rolls
(I halved the recipe and got 10 rolls.)

Printable Recipe

For the dough:
1/4 cup water
1 scant tablespoon yeast (1 package)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups pecans - toasted, chopped, and divided in half (optional)

For the glaze:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit a few minutes until the yeast is dissolved.
Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan on the stove top until the butter is melted. Combine this with the sugar in a large heat-proof mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Let the milk mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch - NOT HOT. Then stir in the yeast and the pumpkin. Add the salt and five cups of the flour all at once, stirring until all the flour has been absorbed. Squish it between your hands if you're having trouble incorporating the last of the flour. The dough will be sticky, but should come together in a shaggy ball. If it's still more the consistency of cookie batter, work in an additional 1/2 cup of flour.

Cover the dough and let it rise for 1-3 hours. During this time, it should double in bulk. At this point, you can punch the dough down and refrigerate it overnight or continue shaping the rolls.
To shape the rolls (either immediately or with the refrigerated dough), sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and dump the dough on top. Pat it down into a rough rectangle and then use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape about a half an inch thick, longer than it is wide. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on the dough's surface and on your hands.

Melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the brown sugar and the spices. Spread this over the rectangle of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough at the top. Sprinkle one cup of the toasted pecans over the dough, if using. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch it closed at the top.

Rub a tablespoon of soft butter into the bottom of two 9x13 baking dishes, two 9-inch cake pans, or a combination. Using a bench cutter or a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into individual rolls 1 - 1 1/2 inches thick. Place them into your baking dishes so they have a little wiggle room on all sides to rise. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise until they fill the pan and look puffy, 30 minutes for already-warm dough and 1 hour for dough that's been refrigerated.

About 20 minutes before baking, begin heating the oven to 375°. When the rolls are ready, bake them for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and starting to look toasted around the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through cooking.

While they are baking, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. (I had a few tiny lumps of cream cheese which melted down when poured on top of the hot rolls.)

Let the baked rolls cool for about five minutes and then pour the glaze on top. Sprinkle the remaining cup of pecans over the top, if more nuttiness is desired. Eat them immediately. Leftovers will keep for several days and are best reheated in the microwave. (In my 1000-watt microwave, I reheated for 25 seconds.)

This post is linked up to I'm Lovin It,  I ♥ Naptime, Cast Party Wednesday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday,Tatertots and Jello, Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Saturday Seven Party ,Chic and Crafty,