These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are made with flaky puff pastry, a cozy pumpkin filling, and a warm cinnamon sugar coating. No yeast, no rising, and no waiting. They taste like your favorite fall apple orchard donut and a slice of pumpkin pie rolled into one easy treat.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls That Taste Like a Fall Orchard Trip
Fall in Michigan is something special. The leaves turn the most incredible shades of red, orange, and gold, and sometimes the best plan for the day is just a drive with nowhere to be. More often than not, that drive ends at an apple orchard.
And if you know, you know. The best part of any orchard trip is the warm cinnamon sugar donuts. Some orchards even make a pumpkin spice donut, and that’s the one I always reach for.
These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls bring those two together. Warm cinnamon sugar on the outside, pumpkin spice in the middle, and buttery, flaky puff pastry holding it all together. You get that orchard feeling right in your own kitchen.
More Easy Puff Pastry and Phyllo Recipes to Try Next
- Easy Pistachio Baklava Nests: All the flavor of baklava in two bites.
- Hummus Quesadilla with Lavash and Armenian String Cheese: A crispy 10-minute lunch or after-school snack.
- Muhammara: A smoky roasted red pepper and walnut dip for your holiday table.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- No yeast needed. Puff pastry does all the work, so there’s no kneading or rising.
- Ready in about an hour. Most of that is hands off while the log chills and the rolls bake.
- Only a few simple ingredients. One sheet of puff pastry makes 10 to 12 rolls.
- Perfect for fall gatherings. Make them for a cozy weekend breakfast, a brunch, or your Thanksgiving dessert table.
Jump to:
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls That Taste Like a Fall Orchard Trip
- More Easy Puff Pastry and Phyllo Recipes to Try Next
- Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- What Makes These Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls Different
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
- How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Puff Pastry
- What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Substitutions
- Easy Puff Pastry Pumpkin Recipe Variations
- Equipment for Puff Pastry Pumpkin Rolls
- Why bake Puff Pastry Rolls in a muffin tin?
- How to Store and Reheat Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
- Top Tip for Clean Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Slices
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls FAQ
- Other Dessert Ideas
- Other Recipes to Try
What Makes These Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls Different
Traditional cinnamon rolls use a yeasted dough that needs time to rise. These puff pastry cinnamon rolls skip all of that. Puff pastry bakes up into hundreds of flaky, buttery layers, so every bite is crisp on the outside and tender in the middle. Baking them in a muffin tin keeps the swirl tight so they hold their shape like a classic cinnamon roll.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need and why each ingredient matters.
Pumpkin filling
- Puff pastry: One sheet, thawed. It’s the shortcut that makes these so easy.
- Pumpkin purée: Plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Blot it with a paper towel first to remove extra moisture.
- Brown sugar: Adds a caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice: The warm, cozy flavors of fall.
- Melted butter: Mixed into the filling for richness.
Egg wash
- Egg and a splash of water: Gives the tops a golden, glossy finish.
Cinnamon sugar coating
- Sugar and cinnamon: The orchard donut finish.
- Melted butter: Brushed on so the cinnamon sugar sticks.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Puff Pastry
These come together in four easy steps. The full recipe is in the card below.
- Step 1: Make the pumpkin filling. Mix the blotted pumpkin purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and melted butter until smooth
- Step 2: Spread and roll. Spread the filling over the puff pastry, leaving a border on all four sides, then roll it up tightly from the long side.
- Step 3: Chill, slice, and bake. Freeze the log for 10 to 15 minutes, slice it into 10 to 12 rolls, and bake in a muffin tin at 400°F for 25 minutes.
- Step 4: Butter and coat. Let the rolls cool for a few minutes, brush with melted butter, and dip in cinnamon sugar.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- A hot cup of coffee or chai
- Warm apple cider on a chilly morning
- A fall brunch spread with eggs and fruit
- Your Thanksgiving dessert table
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Substitutions
Here are a few easy swaps if you’re working with what’s in your pantry.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Make your own with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves.
- Brown sugar: Coconut sugar works too.
- Avocado oil spray: Grease the muffin tin with butter instead.
- Pumpkin purée: Mashed sweet potato or butternut squash purée works in a pinch.
Easy Puff Pastry Pumpkin Recipe Variations
Make these pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls your own.
- Maple glaze: Drizzle with ½ cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup after coating.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the filling before rolling.
- Classic cinnamon rolls: Skip the pumpkin and use butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a classic puff pastry cinnamon roll.
- Extra pumpkin spice: Add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar coating.
Equipment for Puff Pastry Pumpkin Rolls
- Muffin tin
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula for spreading the filling
- Pastry brush
- Unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife
- Paper towels for blotting the pumpkin
Why bake Puff Pastry Rolls in a muffin tin?
Puff pastry puffs and spreads as it bakes. A muffin tin keeps each swirl tight so the rolls bake up tall like classic cinnamon rolls.
How to Store and Reheat Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls
These puff pastry cinnamon rolls are best the day they’re made, while the outside is crisp. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Air fryer: Reheat at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes. This is my favorite way to bring back the crunch.
- Oven: Reheat at 350°F for about 5 minutes.
Top Tip for Clean Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Slices
Use unflavored dental floss to slice the log. Slide the floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull. It cuts cleanly through the layers without squishing the swirl. Chilling the log in the freezer first makes it even easier.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls FAQ
No. Puff pastry rises on its own in the oven, so these are no-yeast cinnamon rolls.
I don’t recommend it. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it’s wetter, which can make the rolls soggy. Stick with plain pumpkin purée.
Pumpkin purée holds a lot of water. Blotting it keeps the filling thick so it doesn’t leak out or make the puff pastry soggy.
Yes. Assemble and roll the log, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Slice and bake when you’re ready.
Yes. Freeze the baked rolls before coating them, for up to 1 month. Reheat, then brush with butter and dip in cinnamon sugar.
Other Dessert Ideas
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Other Recipes to Try
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Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Puff Pastry
Equipment
- muffin tin
- mixing bowl
- Spatula for spreading the filling
- Pastry brush
- Unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife
- Paper towels for blotting the pumpkin
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- ⅔ cup 6 ounces pumpkin purée, blotted dry
- ½ cup brown sugar not packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- Avocado oil spray or butter for the muffin tin
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- Splash of water
Cinnamon sugar coating
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Blot the pumpkin purée with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
- In a bowl, mix the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and 4 tablespoons melted butter until smooth.
- Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry, leaving a small border on all four sides.
- Starting from one long side, roll the puff pastry up tightly into a log. Place it seam side down.
- Freeze the log for 10 to 15 minutes so it slices cleanly.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a muffin tin with avocado oil spray or butter.
- Slice the log into 10 to 12 rolls using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife. Place each roll swirl side up in the muffin tin.
- Beat the egg with a splash of water and brush it over the tops.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until puffed and golden.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Let the rolls cool for a few minutes. Brush the tops with 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter, then dip them in the cinnamon sugar.
- Serve warm.
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