Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
I’ve been so immersed in cooking, baking (and also frying) dishes inspired by my trip to Sicily that I’ve completely neglected my duty as an American food blogger in the autumn, or rather: I’ve yet to give you a pumpkin spice recipe. If the past seven years are any indicator, by late October I’ve usually posted at least two pumpkin based recipes, but its not a given when one has heavenly arancine and decadent cassata on the brain. Unless of course we’re talking Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. I think those are enough to make anyone set aside what they’re doing and take notice, don’t you?!
So! If you’re not familiar, Pumpkin Season — arguably a sub-season of Fall — commences in mid-September in the U.S. Having said this, Dunkin Donuts has been known to start offering their signature Pumpkin Spice Coffee as early as late August (a move that heavily divides Fall People (the sweater, boots, and chill-in-the-air crowd) and Summer People (but its still August!). In any case, it’s that time of year where America embraces its love for canned pumpkin and warming autumnal spices, using them in everything from doughnuts to muffins to pie to cake. Pumpkin-mania even extends to more particular treats, too, like the aforementioned coffee, pumpkin Oreos, and even cereal (you’ll find limited edition Pumpkin Spice Cheerios on supermarket shelves this time of year). This passion for Pumpkin Spice is a concept I find myself explaining often to Italian friends, who can’t quite conceive of using a vegetable in sweets and generally aren’t fans of spices like cinnamon. While pumpkin (zucca) is used in Italian cuisine, you’ll find it strictly in savory dishes — think ravioli di zucca, or pumpkin ravioli. In any case: consider these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls a 100% American sort of treat, one that transports me directly back to a chilly Fall day in New England.
These rolls are soft and buttery and a lovely shade of sunset orange to boot, lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The filling is gooey and rich and equally cozy — allspice and cloves join the spice party — and abundant swirls of maple cream cheese frosting make these especially decadent. When eaten warm from the oven, one of these gems would make the perfect Halloween breakfast — a precursor to the pillow cases full of candy to follow — and bonus: they’'ll make your apartment smell divine as they bake.
Take note: While yeast based recipes like these cinnamon rolls may seem complicated, I promise you it’s just a matter of kneading (3 minutes worth!) and having enough patience to let the dough rise. The filling is a matter of stirring and the frosting a matter of a minute or two of beating, and bottom line — you don’t need to be any sort of a master baker to make these.
A couple of notes: You can find canned pumpkin at Castroni here in Rome; however, if you cannot get your hands on canned pumpkin, you can certainly use fresh (see how to make your own fresh pumpkin here). You can also use squash here in place of the pumpkin, and I suspect these would also be delicious with roast, mashed sweet potato used in place of the pumpkin, something that is doable now even in Italy, where sweet potatoes are now found in supermarkets. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out into a rectangle (step #3) cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier. Useful for anyone wanting to make these for breakfast without waking up super early! If you want to make these the night before, skip the second rise in step #5 — instead, cover the pan of rolls and put them in the fridge for up to 14 hours. In the morning or whenever you’re ready, let the refrigerated rolls come to room temperature for about an hour and then bake as described below. Leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls can be stored at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for slightly longer, but these are really best eaten while fresh out of the oven. I’ve also found that leftover rolls do well with 15 seconds or so in the microwave (they become much softer).
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Look here.
Looking for other brunch/breakfast recipes? Click here.
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS
Makes 10 cinnamon rolls. Recipe adapted from www.sallysbakingaddiction.com.
Ingredients for the dough:
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
3 Tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (115g) canned pumpkin
1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast
2 and 2/3 cups (335g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for hands and work surface
Ingredients for the filling:
6 tablespoons (86g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
A tiny pinch of salt
Ingredients for the icing:
4 ounces (112g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons (45ml) pure maple syrup
1 tablespoons (15ml) milk or cream
2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of salt
Directions:
1.) Make the dough: Warm the milk and butter together over the stove or in the microwave until the butter is just melted. The mixture should be lukewarm (105°F (41°C)-115°F (46°C)). Set aside. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, spices, and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk in the warmed milk and butter mixture, plus the egg and yeast, and mix until combined. Next, mix in 1 cup (130 grams) of flour either using the dough hook or paddle attachment of your standing mixer, or by hand using a wooden spoon, Mix for 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1 and 2/3 cups more flour and beat for 1 more minute, or stir until combined.
If using a standing mixer, keep the dough in the mixer and beat on low speed for an additional 3 minutes. If you’re like me and don’t have a standing mixer, you’ll knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 minutes.
2.) Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl (I used vegetable oil) and turn the dough to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
3.) Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square or round baking dish, 9×13 inch baking dish, or 11×7 inch baking dish. Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 10×14 inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is even in thickness.
4.) Now for the filling! Spread the softened butter evenly over the rectangle of dough. Combine the brown sugar and all the spices, plus that teeny pinch of salt (it makes the flavors pop) into a small bowl. Sprinkle it over the butter.
5.) Roll the dough up tightly, and using a sharp knife, cut into 10-12 even rolls. Arrange your soon-to-be pumpkin cinnamon rolls in the prepared pan. Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6.) Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake rolls for about 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. After the first 15 minutes, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly and baking unevenly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
7.) Last step: the icing. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium speed until smooth. Add the maple syrup and milk and beat on high until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon, if using and beat on medium speed until creamy. Spread the icing generously over the warm cinnamon rolls. Enjoy.
