Warning: these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are dangerously good!
(There, you’ve been warned.)
They are the kind of treat you want to make once every blue moon…and only when company’s coming over (to have people help you eat them.)
At my home, we made the horrific mistake of making these when we had no company over. My husband ended up having THREE of these bad boys. Sheesh! Talk about sugar-rush. I only ate one, but I had to exert some serious self-control (insert triumphant stance here!) – after that, we gifted the rest to our neighbors. 🙂 They were happy!
I never envisioned myself as the cinnamon roll baking type. Simply put, I could not picture myself rolling and rolling a large chunk of dough. It just looked like such a drag. But hey…for one reason or another, I decided to give it a shot (obvi). And even though my suspicion was true (cinnamon rolls ARE a lot of work), the end-product satisfaction was beyond belief. Making the whole process one hundred percent worth it.
It feels great to be able to point at a mouthwatering cinnamon roll and say: “I made those!” (Also…savoring warm, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls at home is not too shabby either.)
If you consider yourself a “beginner-level” baker, don’t fret! These truly don’t require much skill. You only need determination. If you want these bad enough, you will make them happen. Just follow this recipe to a “T” and you’ll be golden (like those yummy buns you’ll be removing out of the oven soon!)
- [b]For the Rolls:[/b]
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup all vegetable shortening (melted)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 ½ cups white flour (+ a bit more, to knead and roll out the dough)
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 packet yeast
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- [b]For the Pecan Cinnamon Filling:[/b]
- 1 cup lightly roasted pecans (chopped)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsalted vegan butter (melted)
- [b]For the Cream Cheese Glaze:[/b]
- 1 cup plain vegan cream cheese
- 1/3 cup unsalted vegan butter (melted)
- ½ cup plain soy creamer
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar (to thicken glaze – add this at the end and by hand)
- Grease pan and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Prepare the dough (this must be done three hours ahead of time):
- Dissolve yeast with warm water; once dissolved add melted shortening and combine. Add in flour (only 1 cup of it), sugar, pumpkin and sea salt, and mix on low until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the rest of the flour (until slightly sticky.) Using your hands, knead the mixture for about a minute and roll into a ball. Place dough in floured mixing bowl, cover with a clean towel and allow it to rise for two hours.
- In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and the butter. Add in pecans and spices. Mixture should be thick, but spreadable. Set aside.
- Once dough has risen, roll it out on a clean and floured kitchen counter with your rolling pin. Dough must end flat, of an area of about 20” x 10”, and be about 1/3” thick.
- Spread the filling over the entire area of the dough, and using your hands, carefully roll the dough tightly. Once rolled, slice into 1 ½” thick rolls.
- Place rolls about 1/8″ apart on your cake pan.
- Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes (be sure to keep an eye on these…you don’t want them to overcook/burn.)
- Allow your rolls to cool and set for about 20 minutes.
- Wash stand mixer’s bowl and add all of the glaze ingredients listed above. Mix on low until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, slowly fold in powdered sugar (add it slowly so you can gage your desired consistency.)
- Once rolls have cooled, top them with the glaze. Enjoy every single bite!
Slightly modified from HealthyHappyLife.com
