Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

These pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are soft, sweet, and packed with warm fall flavour. Made with MALK Pumpkin Spice Almond Milk and topped with a creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting, they're a cozy treat for fall mornings.

Prep time: 45 minutes 

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8 cinnamon rolls 

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 cup almond MALK pumpkin spice, warm (110ºF)

• 2 1/4 tsp yeast

• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

• 4 tbsp butter, melted 

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon-and level method) + more for kneading, about 1/4 cup

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup butter, very softened

• 1 cup Brown sugar, packed

• 5-6 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

• 1-2 tbsp butter, melted (To brush over cinnamon rolls before baking) 

For the cream cheese frosting: 

• 1 block cream cheese

• 1/4 cup softened butter

• 1 cup powdered sugar 

• 2 tbsp almond MALK pumpkin spice 

• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, and flour. Set aside. 

2. In a small bowl, add your almond MALK pumpkin spice and warm to about 110F. Add in the yeast and maple syrup, and cover with a flat plate and set aside for 10 minutes to let the yeast rise.

3. Once yeast has bubbled up and has a foamy-looking texture, add a dash of cinnamon and melted butter, and mix. 

4. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir with a Danish dough whisk, spatula, or stand mixer until fully combined. 

5. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm place for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. (Note: The dough will be slightly sticky. If you see it is too sticky to form a ball, add a little bit more flour.)

6. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

7. Once the dough has risen, sprinkle the countertop with 1/4 cup of flour and transfer the dough to the counter. Start spreading out the dough with your hands, then switch to a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, about ½ inch thick.

8. Combine all the filling ingredients together with a fork or spatula until well combined and a paste forms.

9. Use a spatula to spread out the filling over your dough. 

10. Using a dough cutter, cut the dough into strips, about 2 inches thick. Roll each piece of dough, then place it standing upright into a large baking dish that is greased with butter or olive oil. Repeat for the remaining strips. (You should get about 8 strips of dough.)

11. Once all cinnamon rolls are transferred to a greased baking dish, cover and let them sit in a warm place for about 30 minutes for them to rise. (I like to keep my pan on top of my stove so it grows with the warmth of the preheated oven).

12. Brush the tops of your cinnamon rolls with melted butter, and bake for 30 minutes.

13. While cinnamon rolls are baking, make your cream cheese frosting by combining all your ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mixing everything together with a hand mixer until no clumps remain.

14. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven after they have baked and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. Use a spatula to spread out the frosting over each cinnamon roll, then use a knife to separate each cinnamon roll, place onto a serving dish or plate and enjoy!