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    Home » Bread » Yeast Bread and Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: Apr 8, 2021 · Modified: Jan 16, 2022 by Anthea

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (with pecans)

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    5 from 2 votes

    The most pillowy and buttery vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls you'll ever eat! Loaded with pumpkin spice, pecans and topped with a cream cheese frosting.

    Close up of golden vegan pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls in baking tray half covered with cream cheese frosting.

    These soft vegan pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are the perfect comfort food for Autumn/Fall. They will melt in your mouth, warm you up from head to toe and perfect with a cup of coffee/tea! They are as easy to make as regular cinnamon rolls!

    For a quicker vegan pumpkin dessert, see my pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips. Or make my vegan french toast casserole in the colder seasons!

    Side angle of pumpkin cinnamon rolls in baking tray.

    Ingredients to make these vegan pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls

    The ingredient list for these rolls is MUCH shorter than any store-bought pumpkin cinnamon rolls. If you're in the USA, the ingredients are much better than the cinnamon rolls at Trader Joes! You will need:

    • Plain / All-purpose flour
    • Any plant-based milk such as almond milk or soy milk
    • Softened vegan butter / margarine spread or softened coconut oil with a generous pinch of salt
    • Pumpkin spice - or a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
    • Pumpkin puree - store-bought or home-made. NOT pumpkin pie filling.
    • Sugar - either cane, light brown, dark brown or coconut sugar. I personally prefer brown or coconut sugar
    • Instant active dried yeast

    If you don't have canned pumpkin puree

    If you're in Australia or country which doesn't have readily accessible pumpkin puree, you can make your own by:

    1. Chop some pumpkin
    2. Steam the pumpkin til it is very soft
    3. Puree the pumpkin.
    4. Optional: reduce out the pumpkin by patting it with paper towels or cooking it on a stovetop. This intensfies its flavour!

    I used high quality butternut pumpkin from my local Harris Farm Markets.

    Flatlay of simple ingredients to make vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

    Making the dough

    Since I used instant active dried yeast, I don't need to proof anything beforehand and makes this process super easy. Just throw everything into a bowl or stand mixer then mix and knead until it forms a soft cohesive ball. If you use another type of yeast, you may need to activate / proof it beforehand.

    The dough is PACKED with pumpkin puree so it's a little softer than regular vegan cinnamon rolls. If your dough is still sticking to the side of your bowl, simply add a little more flour and knead again.

    Let the dough rise in a WARM spot in your home until it doubles in size. Alternatively, if you want to make the recipe a day in advance, you can let your pumpkin dough rise in the fridge overnight. This dough is quite soft, so chilling it will make it easier to roll in the next step :).

    Two image collage of first rise of dough for cinnamon rolls.

    Assembling the cinnamon rolls

    On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. It doesn't have to be a perfect rectangle :). I'd recommend rolling the dough to about 1 cm or ½ inch thick. The thinner your dough, the more your cinnamon rolls will have.

    Spread your pumpkin spice filling on the surface then scatter the chopped pecans on top. Pecans are of course optional so feel free to omit if you're allergic or just don't have any at home!

    Four image collage assembling the pumpkin pecan cinnamon rolls.

    Starting from the long side, roll your dough into a log, as tight as possible. Use a sharp knife or unflavoured dental flavours to cut scrolls out of your log.

    Two image collage of rolling and cutting the log of cinnamon rolls.

    Second rise for the vegan pumpkin rolls

    After you arrange your rolls in a baking tray, allow it to rest for 1-2 hours or until they are puffy again. This may take longer or shorter depending on how WARM your home is! If you didn't let your dough rest in the fridge overnight, you can rest the shaped pumpkin rolls in the fridge overnight.

    Then bake your cinnamon rolls.... and your home will smell wonderful :).

    Two image collage of second rise of cinnamon rolls.

    Serving the vegan cinnamon rolls

    These pumpkin spice rolls are so fluffy and pillowy that you can enjoy them by themselves, for breakfast or dessert.

    However, they are delicious with a vegan cream cheese frosting or maple cream cheese frosting used in my sourdough cinnamon roll recipe. The only downside is you have to wait until they are completely cool til you can frost them!

    Or you can drizzle them with a sticky maple syrup to make pumpkin sticky buns!

    Like all bread, cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh. However, according to Prepared Cooks, when cinnamon rolls are frozen the right way, they can be preserved for up to 4 months! They recommend wrapping the rolls in plastic or aluminium foil and sealing them in airtight container to put in the freezer.

    Close up of fluffy texture of golden pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls.
    Individual pumpkin cinnamon roll with a smear of cream cheese frosting

    See my other vegan pumpkin recipes

    • Chewy Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies
    • Vegan Pumpkin Tea/Coffee Cake
    • Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake
    • Vegan Pumpkin Trifle

    See my other vegan breakfast and cinnamon roll recipes

    • Jam Donut Cinnamon Rolls
    • Apple Custard Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vegan French Toast Casserole (2 ways)
    • Vegan Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    The most pillowy and buttery vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls you'll ever eat! Loaded with pumpkin spice, pecans and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Resting Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 12 rolls
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    Scrolls

    • 3 ¼ cups (406g) all-purpose plain flour, plus more for dusting
    • ¾ cup (150g) pumpkin puree
    • ⅓ cup (85g) dairy-free milk, warm
    • ½ cup (115g) vegan butter
    • 3 tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
    • 1 tablespoon (9g) instant dry yeast, (note 1)
    • 1 tablespoon (8g) pumpkin spice, or ½ tbsp cinnamon, ¼ tbsp nutmeg and ¼ tbsp ginger powder
    • Pinch of any good-quality salt, skip if using salted vegan butter

    Scroll filling

    • ½ cup (95-100g) dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar
    • ¼ cup (55g) vegan butter, melted
    • 2 tablespoons (16g) pumpkin spice, or 1 tbsp cinnamon, ½ tbsp nutmeg and ½ tbsp ginger powder
    • ½ cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)

    Frosting (optional) (note 2)

    • ½ cup (120g) vegan cream cheese
    • ½ cup (115g) vegan butter
    • 1 cup (100g) powdered sugar / icing sugar, or to taste

    Instructions

    Dough:

    • Add all the ingredients in a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix then knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
    • Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. The dough can be rested in the fridge overnight!

    Filling:

    • Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until a paste forms and there are no lumps. Set aside.

    To assemble:

    • Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a large rectangle so the dough is about 5mm-1cm thick.
    • Spread the filling on the surface 2 cm (1 inch) away from the edge. Sprinkle the pecans on top.
    • Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss to cut rolls out of the log. Arrange on a baking tray. Place a damp tea towel over the rolls and set aside to rest for at least an hour until the rolls have increased by at least 50%.

    Frosting:

    • Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Add more sugar for a firmer frosting. Chill in the fridge until needed.

    Baking the rolls:

    • When your rolls are puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
    • Bake the rolls in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. If you insert a skewer in one of the middle rolls, there should be no raw dough on it.
    • When the rolls have cooled completely, spread the glaze on top.
    • The rolls are best eaten the day they are baked. Alternatively, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 1-2 days.

    Notes

    1. Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. However, if you use another type of yeast, combine it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.
    2. Alternatively, I'd recommend vegan maple cream cheese frosting for these rolls!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 roll with pecans, without frosting | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2522IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (with pecans)
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    About Anthea

    Hi, I'm Anthea and welcome to Rainbow Nourishments! Here I share wholesome vegan recipes with a twist. Enjoy!

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