Soft and pillowy Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls pair perfectly with a silky Espresso Cream Cheese Icing for a cozy fall breakfast reminiscent of your favorite seasonal coffee.
Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls are probably my favorite recipe that I shared on my Instagram last year. The pumpkin makes these rolls extra soft and the Espresso Cream Cheese Icing takes them over the top!
If you only make one fall recipe this year let it be this one! These soft cinnamon rolls practically melt in your mouth and have a generous amount of brown sugar cinnamon filling and sweet cream cheese icing.
How to get the softest cinnamon rolls every time
In all of my cinnamon roll blog posts I like to share a few key things to get super soft cinnamon rolls. I’ve made a few bad batches so you don’t have to 😉
Make sure the yeast is not expired and that it activates properly. See photo below of bubbly, activated yeast.
If the yeast does not foam and bubble up after 10 minutes, it’s either expired or the liquid used to activate it was too hot or cold.
It is crucial that the liquid is warm. If it’s too hot or cold it will kill the yeast. I recommend using a thermometer to get the perfect temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the yeast is expired or killed it will not activate which will result in rolls that don’t rise and don’t have that perfectly soft, pillowy texture.
Use bread flour if you can.
Using bread flour in cinnamon rolls has been a game changer for me! If you don’t have it on hand, don’t stress – your cinnamon rolls will still be soft and delicious.
These pumpkin brioche cinnamon rolls especially don’t require bread flour since they’re made with pumpkin purée.
Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before the first rise.
Kneading distributes yeast equally throughout the dough and creates a consistent crumb which will ensure the softest cinnamon rolls.
Pour room temperature heavy cream over the rolls just before baking for extra soft and gooey cinnamon rolls.
You probably all know this one already, but I always share this tip just in case! Did you know that Cinnabon does this?
With this Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls recipe and the tips above you will be well on your way to enjoying the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had!
Enjoy them for breakfast or dessert with a cup of coffee and good company 🙂
Have you made Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Espresso Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 1/2 cup Whole milk warm, not more than 105 ℉
- 1 packet instant yeast 2 ¼ tsp
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 Large egg and 1 yolk room temperature
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée room temperature
- 2 ½ cups Bread flour or all-purpose may need more
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature for topping the rolls before baking
Cinnamon filling
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Espresso Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp espresso powder or more depending on desired taste
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- To make the dough, stir together the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the milk in a large mixing bowl. Let the yeast activate for about 10 minutes.
- When the yeast is bubbly and foamy add the remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, pumpkin purée , flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes. If the dough is sticking to your hands, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. It can be slightly tacky, but should not be hard to work with.
- Transfer the dough back to the bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 1 hour (or until doubled in size) in a warm place. Transfer to a floured work surface and roll into a rectangle big enough to get eight rolls.
- Spread the softened butter onto the rectangle leaving about 1/4” around the edges. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter. Roll the rectangle up tightly into a log (The longer side of the rectangle).
- Cut the log in half then cut each half into 4 rolls. Place into a greased 7x11 pan or 9x13 (I use a 7x11 pan since it’s a slightly smaller batch). Cover the rolls with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for another hour.
- Near the end of the hour, preheat your oven to 350 ℉. Pour the heavy cream over the rolls and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are lightly golden brown. Do not over bake!
- To make the icing, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and espresso powder until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix again until smooth. Spread over the hot cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
