Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1 30

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 1 50

Servings: servings

Calories: 205kcal

Author: Lauren

These Healthy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are truly one of my favorite fall recipes I've every made! They have everything you love about the original version but they're lightened up and have the most delicious pumpkin twist!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

Pumpkin Dough:

1/3 cup almond milk (80g) or any milk
1/4 cup light butter (56g) or regular butter
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (180g), room temperature
1 packet fast rising yeast (7g)
1 large egg room temperature
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener* (48g) or sugar
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
3.5 cups all purpose or cake flour (420g) + extra for rolling

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

1/4 cup light butter (56g) or regular butter
1/2 cup golden monk fruit sweetener* (92g) or brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

For the Frosting:

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese softened
1/2 cup powdered monk fruit sweetener* (72g) or regular powdered sugar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (30g)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Dough:

In a large bowl, microwave the milk and butter for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until temperature has reached 110 degrees F (use a thermometer for this). It should feel like bath water. Temperature is important here. If the milk is too cool or too hot, the yeast won’t rise.
Whisk in the pumpkin, egg, sweetener and pumpkin pie spice until combined. Double check that the temperature is still 110-115F then whisk in the yeast.
Transfer the liquid mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and attach your dough hook. Gradually add in the flour a little at a top and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until flour is well incorporated. Alternatively, you can just keep the liquid in the same bowl then add the flour a little at a time, folding with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Keep kneading in your stand mixer for another 3 minutes (or transfer to a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes). Then let the dough rest for 10 minutes while you gather your Cinnamon Swirl ingredients.

Cinnamon Swirl + Assembly:

Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. After the dough rests 10 minutes, briefly knead the dough again then roll out into a 14x8 inch large rectangle using a rolling pin.
Spread the butter on top all across the pumpkin dough. Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. I know it seems like a lot, but a lot is absorbed in the dough when baked.
Roll the dough up hot-dog style and gently press the end of the dough into the log to seal. Use a sharp serrated knife or piece of floss to carefully cut into 12 even rolls. Spray a 9x13-inch dish with cooking spray and place the rolls in the dish with room to expand. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes in a warm place. I just went ahead and cut my oven on (350F) and let the rolls sit on top of the warm oven.
After the rolls have doubled in size, bake for 20-25 minutes (I took mine out right at 20 min) or until golden brown. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely cover the rolls with aluminum foil and continue baking.

For the Frosting:

Beat the frosting ingredients together until smooth. Spread on the warm pumpkin rolls.

Notes

To store: Cover leftover rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The floss cutting trick: Slide a long piece of dental floss under the log of dough. Wrap it around the top. Then, pull tightly in opposite directions to pull the floss through the roll. Repeat going down the log, slicing about 2" each time until you've cut the whole log into rolls.

Important Tips:

Appropriate liquid temperature: A VERY IMPORTANT key to this recipe is making sure the liquid ingredients are the right temperature to optimally allow the yeast to let dough rise. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If it is not warm enough, the yeast will not be activated to rise. The goal is between 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit. An instant thermometer is best for this. But if you don't have one, just aim for warm milk (not scalding) that feels like bath water temperature.
Room temperature ingredients: This goes along with the appropriate temperature stated above. We don't want to add a cold egg and cold pumpkin because then it's going to bring the temperature of the liquid down, therefore not allowing the yeast to rise. If adding cold ingredients, just make sure you reheat the liquid to get to 100-115F again before adding the yeast.
Kneading the dough: You want to make sure you knead the dough for at least 3 minutes before flattening it out.
Let the dough rest: I know you're eager to get to rolling, but don't skip letting the dough rest for 10 minutes. This rest time allows the gluten in the rolls to relax, making the dough infinitely easier to knead and shape.

*Nutrition calculated using monk fruit sweetener, golden monk fruit sweetener and powdered monk fruit sweetener.

Nutrition