Cinnamon rolls and I kinda have a thing. You see, we’ve practically been lovers since the 3rd grade when I discovered they were the one thing the lunch ladies at my school made from scratch that actually tasted like food.
Chili and cinnamon roll days were a special occasion and only came around once every few weeks in the winter months. This meant every fourth Friday people went into an all-out flurry rushing to the cafeteria to claim their sticky prize. Little did they know I’d sidled them and was always first in line, wide-eyed gripping my tray with a silly grin on my face, waving my finger at the biggest cinnamon roll in the bunch chirping “Ooh ooh, mine mine,” at the lunch ladies. They surely hated my 10-year-old self, tragically crooked teeth and all.
What ensued next was practically material for “50 Shades of Grey.” As I sat perched on the brown plastic benches in our cafeteria I stole delicate bites of my cinnamon roll between sinfully large spoonfuls of chili and anticipated that last ooey-gooey center bite – a climax and tragic ending all in one. Once the experience drew to a close it was cold lunch city provided by mom until the next chili and cinnamon roll day came around.
I’ve tried to make cinnamon rolls from scratch before, but without my mom by my side gently instructing me at every tur they always turn out like hockey pucks – nowhere near worthy of being enveloped in creamy frosting and consumed while cuddled up in a cozy chair with a hot cup of tea. Not even close.
So my solution in the meantime? Cinnamon roll cookies. PUMPKIN cinnamon roll cookies. You know, because it’s fall and whatnot.
This caramel glaze is my mom’s super secret recipe that she would share with anyone who asks. I called her the night before I baked my cookies to copy down the instructions and once more when I was in the process of making it. I wanted to make sure it was just right; can’t bring cinnamon roll disgrace to the family name, after all.
Hmm, based on the texture, caramel flavor and how it practically slid off my whisk onto my cookies, I’d say I nailed it.
Wondering what they taste like? Imagine a delicate sugar cookie with a gooey pumpkin butter-brown sugar center and a melt-in-your mouth caramel glaze. One cookie in and you’ll already be dreaming about your next two.
These aren’t your delicate tea time, laugh with your mouth closed and legs crossed type of cookie. They’re more of a full fat chocolate milk from the can “eat like a trucker while grunting ‘yeeeee haw'” type of cookie. Get the picture? Yeah…good.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1 stick butter (slightly softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
FILLING
- 4 Tbsp pumpkin butter
- 1 tsp each cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
- 4 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter (slightly softened)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- Cream sugars and butter with mixer; add egg and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to a sifter. Alternate adding milk and dry ingredients to the butter mixture while mixing. Then add vanilla and stir.
- Chill for 30 minutes before rolling out. Roll out into a rectangle on floured surface, spread with butter, pumpkin butter and top with brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
- Carefully and tightly roll into a log, then use floss or a serrated knife to cut into equally thin slices.
- Transfer to a baking sheet (they won't spread much) and bake for 14-15 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. They will be a little tender looking, but take them out, let them rest for 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Glazing the cookies is optional, but highly recommended! Scroll down for the glaze recipe.
Notes
Nutrition (1 of 24 servings)
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookie Glaze
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add brown sugar and stir. Simmer the mixture while stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and milk and stir. If you desire a thicker or thinner frosting, compensate with more milk or powdered sugar.
- Spread or pour the glaze over the cookies (I used a spoon), sprinkle with more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (optional) and enjoy!
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature to keep fresh for at least 3 days.
Becky Rau says
I am at a loss. My dough was so messy and impossible to roll into a roll, even though I put it in the fridge for 30 min. Are you supposed to add 4 tbsp of pumpkin butter to the dough? I feel like it would have been way better without it. Plus the directions do not tell you how much pumpkin pie spice. And there is nothing about how much pumpkin butter to spread on the roll before you roll it up. I feel like I was in a Pinterest nightmare and I call myself a pretty good baker. So I finally managed to get some assembly of a roll onto a pan I put back in the fridge for 2 hours. Needless to say I had no pretty rings like the photo. It was more like a blend of mush before putting on the pan to cook. I will say that they tasted really good, but I will never put myself through that again until someone can tell me how to make it way easier to make the roll. Maybe keep in the fridge for overnight before rolling?
Hi Becky, so sorry to hear that was your experience! The pumpkin pie spice goes in the filling – 1 tsp. The pumpkin butter goes on top of the rolled out dough, not in it – so perhaps that’s why it was difficult to roll? We can see how that might be confusing! We’ll revisit the recipe and see if we can make improvements.
Becky Tau says
That was probably the reason. In your original recipe the pumpkin butter was under Dough ingredients so that is why I added it there. Thanks for the correction and better explanation. It should help folks down the road.
Hannah says
These were so good! Definitely make the glaze as they are dry on their own but I gave them to people who normally dislike pumpkin and even they liked these! Definitely worth making!
Tala says
Can you put 3 cups of all purpose if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour
Marta says
Hi, I’m foreigner and I’m wondering what 1 stick butter means. :)
victoria torres says
1 stick is equivalent to a 1/2 cup in US measurement!
Ana Houghton says
this recipe didn’t work for me – can you be more explicit with the steps – I feel like it would be tasty but … my first attempt was a catastrophy
Hi Ana! Sorry you had trouble. I haven’t made this recipe in such a long time, but will review the steps to see if I can make it more clear!
Natalie says
I have an egg allergy, do you know what would work the best for an egg substitute? Thanks!
Nosizwe says
They are absolutely deiicious! Confession: I know why the dough is extra soft – my half cup measure wasn’t. It was a third cup measure – hahaha! That’s what comes of rushing! I used baked mashed pumpkin and preserved ginger with lots of cinammon and mixed spice. SOOOOO good! Thank you.
Nosizwe says
Just made these coz they look yum. Substituted various things as can’t get pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin butter – not serious as I’ve made cinammon rolls before. Thought this would be an easier dough to work with. However, that’s not the case – the individual rolls have melded into one in the oven – the dough was too soft to start with I think. I’m sure they’ll taste good though.
Yes, the dough is soft but if you just throw it in the fridge for a few minutes before cutting them into individual cookies they should be fine. Hope they still turned out OK!
Iris says
I just made these and they taste AMAZING! The caramel icing really adds a whole new element (because duh, I tried a cookie straight out of the oven AND one with icing for a taste test). My only question is: how did you get yours shaped so well? For some reason I found my dough melted quickly enough so that despite a super floured surface it still stuck to my board and was really difficult to roll? Any suggestions?
Rebekah says
Can you put 3 cups of all purpose if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour?
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
You’re my new favorite blog- LOVE these cookies!!
Thanks Lori! Hope you enjoy them as much as we did : )
Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner says
You are an absolute GENIUS, Dana!!! :D Those are so cute — what a great treat for the holidays (or any other time of year period!)! :D
Thanks, Kathleen! You’re so sweet : )
Lauren says
these look GREAT! I’ve been looking for a yummy fall cookie to make. Just wondering, how did the texture turn out on these? are they crunchy? Chewy? Thanks!
Thanks Lauren! The texture was still soft, not really crunchy or chewy. More like a traditional soft sugar cookie with a gooey center and decadent glaze!
what katie's baking says
your pictures are gorgeous! i love all things pumpkin… these could not get any better!
Jocelyn says
Ok I seriously must make and have these. They look incredible! Wow!!!!
lw says
I have the same thing for cinnamon rolls too, actually anything with cinnamon just feels so comforting somehow, especially in a chilly weather. its nearly getting warmer here where I live, but I’ll definitely give this recipe a go sometime. It just looks amazing!
Veronica says
I love this! I’ve made plain ones (cinnamon roll sugar cookies) but I love your healthier pumpkin take here…and the caramel icing is just the icing on the … cookie. :)
Maria Eduarda de Souza Sodini says
Hi!
Great recipe. Could it be totally vegan by substituting the egg?
I think so, but we haven’t tried it? Let us know if you do!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
you are quite the pumpkin-recipe making machine :)
love the roll-up nature of these cookies and that they’re cinn rolls!! and the icing – everything about it is just awesome!
Thanks, friend!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
These look and sound incredible!
jennifer ott says
pumpkin butter?
Jennifer, pumpkin butter is basically the same thing as apple butter, if you’ve ever heard of that. It’s a cooked down, concentrated version of pumpkin that is much thicker and has a more developed flavor. I talked about how I made mine in this post ( https://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-pumpkin-frappuccino/ ). But you can also find it at some grocery stores.