Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls in the Skillet
I’m a big fan of a cinnamon roll and if I’m out in the wild and spot one, it’s nearly impossible for me to leave it untested.
Our cold store of pumpkins is starting to look a little tired, so while I was canning some to stretch their life a bit longer, I dug into a few old recipes for inspiration. That’s when the idea struck: combine sweet pumpkin purée, warming spices, and rich cinnamon butter into one comforting, sticky, spiced treat.
These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are best baked in my trusty 30cm Lodge Cast Iron skillet: my go-to for all things baking. It gives the rolls a perfectly crisped edge, nothing sticks, and it goes straight from stove to oven with ease.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) salted butter
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) butter, extra softened
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
Icing
-
2/3 cup (80g) icing sugar
- Leftover filling
- Pecans
- Orange zest
Method
- Make the dough: Whisk the flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the milk and butter in a pot. Heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch. Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and stir with a wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.
- Fill the rolls: After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 36×20-cm rectangle. Mix together the pumpkin, nutmeg, butter, cinnamon and brown sugar. Take out 1/3 cup of the mix and put aside for the filling. Spread the remaining mixture all over the dough. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in your cast iron skillet.
- Rise: Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size. I like to leave them by the fireplace in winter for this.
- Bake the rolls: After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 190°C. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Make the icing: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the remaining filling with the icing sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls and sprinkle with the chopped pecans and zest fresh orange over the top.
- Enjoy with a cup of tea.
This recipe was created in part of a partnership with Lodge Cast Iron.