Potato flake sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls, aren’t just for fall, y’all! These bad boys are worthy of making all year around. They have just the right amount of pumpkin flavor without being over powering. Topped with a sweet cream cheese icing, these ooey-gooey delicious rolls are at the top of my favorites list.
Just about anything pumpkin flavored is loved around here, but let me just tell you, even if you aren’t a huge pumpkin fan, I still think you will love these potato flake sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls!
I have another cinnamon roll recipe though, if you just can’t stand any pumpkin flavors.
If you don’t have your own potato flake starter, check out how you can make your own starter, and how you can use it in so many different recipes!
What makes these cinnamon rolls the best:
- A potato flake starter is perfect for sweeter breads, making this recipe one of the best things to make with a potato flake starter.
- They are soft, fluffy, gooey and delicious with the perfect swirl of cinnamon, sugar, and butter.
- You don’t need any yeast, baking powder, or baking soda, they will naturally rise using the yeast in your starter.
- The best make ahead breakfast. You can prepare the pumpkin cinnamon rolls the night before and let them rise over night making it a breeze to pop in the oven when you wake up.
- The fermentation that occurs to make the bread rise, also makes the bread much more digestible and easier for those who don’t tolerate gluten well.
Ingredients
Dough ingredients:
- active potato flake starter
- bread flour
- sugar
- milk – lukewarm
- melted coconut oil
- salt
- pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
Filling ingredients:
- sugar
- butter
- cinnamon
Icing ingredients:
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- cream cheese
- butter
- Milk or heavy cream to pour over the pumpkin cinnamon rolls right before you bake
Tools you may need:
- Stand mixer (optional, but so much easier)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling pin
- Basting brush
- Baking dish (large circle baking dish, 9×13 baking dish, or large cast iron skillet)
How To Make Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch:
1: Make the dough
In a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, sugar, warm milk, salt, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and melted coconut oil. Mix together until it forms into a ball and the dough is pulling away from the sides. If it’s a little too dry a 1 teaspoon of milk at a time. If it’s too wet, add a little bit of flour at a time. You want a dough that’s almost sticky, but still able to be handled without getting all over your hands.
2: Cover and ferment
Remove the dough and form into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out and let it set in a warm place throughout the day (or about 8-12 hours).
3: Roll out the dough
That night, or 8-12 hours later, after the dough has about doubled, remove the dough. If your dough has the right hydration, you should be able to roll it out on the counter without it sticking too bad. Oil your rolling pin with coconut oil. Leave the oil on your hand to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Press the dough flat into a rectangle. Then, using your rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangular shape about 1/4 of an inch thick.
4: Add the Filling
Melt the butter. Leave about 1 tablespoon or so in the container you melted it in. Pour the rest on the dough and baste the surface to spread it evenly. Cover the entire surface, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. (One of these sugar shakers makes this so easy and helps prevent sugar clumps)
Afterwards, let it set and allow the butter to solidify a bit before rolling it up. This will help prevent a much of a mess and will also help the mixture to better stay inside the roll during the baking process.
While you wait, use your basting brush and apply the rest of the butter to the baking dish that you plan to bake your pumpkin cinnamon rolls in.
This is also a great time to prepare your icing, then cover and stick in the fridge for later!
5: Slice and Second Rise
After you let the butter somewhat solidify, it’s time to roll it up!
Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. Starting at the top and working your way down. When you get to the end, pull it up tightly and pinch the ends into the main roll.
The best to way keep the circular shape of your cinnamon rolls is to cut them using thread or unflavored floss. A knife or bench scraper will do the job, but will squish the rolls, leaving a less aesthetic looking cinnamon roll.
The best way to get evenly sized rolls, is to cut down the middle and divided the two halves in half, and continue this process until you have an even amount of cinnamon rolls about 1 inch or so thick.
I don’t always have the same number of rolls. I will just squish some extra in a pan if I end up with too many.
Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again until doubled in size.
6. Bake the potato flake sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls
Once the cinnamon rolls have doubled preheat your oven to 350F.
This is optional but makes a much more gooey and moist pumpkin cinnamon roll. Right before placing the cinnamon rolls into the oven, pour about 1/2 cup of milk or heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls allowing it run over the tops and surround the cinnamon rolls at the bottom of the dish.
Bake the pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. If you haven’t already prepared the icing, do this while they are baking. When the cinnamon rolls are done, allow them to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and top them with icing.
How to make the perfect cream cheese icing for pumpkin cinnamon rolls:
Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together. This is easiest with a hand mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over your freshly baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Tips: If you have more icing then you want to use, freeze it for the next time you want to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
This also is a great way to save any pumpkin puree left over. If you use pumpkin puree from a can, a 15 ounce can will give you about 1 1/2 cups. This is perfect for making this recipe 3 times. Freeze the extra in 1/2 portions to use for next time.
The perfect schedule to make morning cinnamon rolls:
- Day 1 Night: Feed your starter two nights before you want to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast
- Day 2 Morning: The next morning mix your dough and allow for it to bulk rise.
- Day 2 Night: That night divide your dough and form cinnamon rolls, allow for second rise.
- Day 3 Morning: The next morning your rolls will have double and will be ready to bake and eat!
Alternative substitutions:
- You could sub all purpose in place of the bread flour, although it may not be as fluffy. A half and half mixture would be the best option.
- Honey can be used in place of sugar, but you might want to add just a touch more flour since honey is a liquid and will make the dough more sticky.
- Canola oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of coconut oil. But coconut oil is healthier for you and has the best flavor.(Trying to make cinnamon rolls as healthy as possible over here!)
Some important tips for making cinnamon rolls:
If you want your cinnamon rolls to expand outwards, be sure to leave them room in the pan and don’t place them right next to each other.
If you place the cinnamon rolls right next to each other, the only way for the to rise, will be up! This is not bad and will result in a nice tall roll, but sometimes the middle can tend to pooch out. This doesn’t affect the flavor, but it doesn’t look as nice. To fix this, check on your cinnamon rolls about half way through, gently press the centers back down with a spatula. Do this again immediately when you pull them out of the oven at the end of the baking time.
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Potato Flake Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional, but so much easier)
- measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Basting brush
- Baking dish (large circle baking dish, 9×13 baking dish, or large cast iron skillet)
Ingredients
Dough ingredients:
- 3/4 cup active potato flake starter
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk – lukewarm
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
Filling ingredients:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 Tablespoons cinnamon
Icing ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup Milk or heavy cream to pour over the pumpkin cinnamon rolls right before you bake
Instructions
1: Make the dough
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, sugar, warm milk, salt, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and melted coconut oil. Mix together until it forms into a ball and the dough is pulling away from the sides. If it’s a little too dry a 1 teaspoon of milk at a time. If it’s too wet, add a little bit of flour at a time. You want a dough that’s almost sticky, but still able to be handled without getting all over your hands.
2: Cover and ferment
- Remove the dough and form into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out and let it set in a warm place throughout the day (or about 8-12 hours).
3: Roll out the dough
- That night, or 8-12 hours later, after the dough has about doubled, remove the dough. If your dough has the right hydration, you should be able to roll it out on the counter without it sticking too bad. Oil your rolling pin with coconut oil. Leave the oil on your hand to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Press the dough flat into a rectangle. Then, using your rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangular shape about 1/4 of an inch thick.
4: Add the Filling
- Melt the butter. Leave about 1 tablespoon or so in the container you melted it in. Pour the rest on the dough and baste the surface to spread it evenly. Cover the entire surface, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. (One of these sugar shakers makes this so easy and helps prevent sugar clumps)
- Afterwards, let it set and allow the butter to solidify a bit before rolling it up. This will help prevent a much of a mess and will also help the mixture to better stay inside the roll during the baking process.
- While you wait, use your basting brush and apply the rest of the butter to the baking dish that you plan to bake your pumpkin cinnamon rolls in.
5: Slice and Second Rise
- Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. Starting at the top and working your way down. When you get to the end, pull it up tightly and pinch the ends into the main roll.
- The best to way keep the circular shape of your cinnamon rolls is to cut them using thread or unflavored floss. A knife or bench scraper will do the job, but will squish the rolls.
- Cover the cinnamon rolls and allow them to rise until doubled in size. (see the post for the perfect schedule to have cinnamon rolls ready for morning breakfast)
6. Bake the potato flake sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- After the cinnamon rolls have doubled, preheat your oven to 350℉
- This next step is optional but makes a much more gooey and moist pumpkin cinnamon roll. Right before placing the cinnamon rolls into the oven, pour about 1/2 cup of milk or heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls allowing it run over the tops and surround the cinnamon rolls at the bottom of the dish.
- Bake the pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. If you haven't already prepared the icing, do this while they are baking.
How to make the perfect cream cheese icing for pumpkin cinnamon rolls:
- Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together. This is easiest with a hand mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over your freshly baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
- When the cinnamon rolls are done, allow them to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and top them with prepared icing.
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