Description

Light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls are THE dessert to cozy up with this holiday season. We promise you are going to fall in love with these (pun intended).

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsweetened almond milk, warmed
• 1/4 cup (55 g) organic sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (4 g) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 48 g) vegan butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (180 g) pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour  + more for kneading
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Filling

• 1/4 cup (48g) organic brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons (29g) organic sugar
• 1 tablespoon (5g) pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup (62.5 g) finely chopped pecans
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick or 48 g) vegan butter, softened but not melted

Icing

• 3/4 cup (75 g) organic powdered sugar
• 4 oz. vegan cream cheese, softened (we used Kite Hill)
• 3 tablespoons (36 g) vegan butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (4.8 g) lemon juice (optional)
• Almond milk, as needed to thin

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk and sugar. The mixture should be just warm to the touch but not too hot as that may kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over that mixture, stir, and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.
2. Once the yeast has activated, stir in the melted vegan butter, pumpkin puree, pure vanilla extract, salt, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice and mix until uniform. Lastly, add in the 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix everything together until a dough forms.
3. Flour a clean work surface and then turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until it is no longer sticky and is soft. The dough should spring back when poked.
4. Place the dough into a large oiled bowl, tossing it to ensure that the outside is moist, cover it with a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
5. Generously grease a large (9 x 13-inch) baking dish and set aside.
6. Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling, mix well, and set aside.
7. Once the dough has risen, flour your work surface once more, and turn the dough out onto it. Using a rolling pin (or even a flat cup), roll the dough out into a large rectangle that is about 12-inches in length and 1/2-inch thick (it does not have to be perfect). Using a spatula, evenly spread the filling over the dough, being sure to leave 1/4-inch empty around the borders. Evenly sprinkle over the pecans.
8. Tightly roll up the dough from the long side into a log and then place it seam-side down. Using a sharp knife or cooking twine or even unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 6 even pieces. We used measuring tape to premeasure each roll to ensure each one was even and we recommend it for even baking.
9. Arrange the rolls evenly on the greased baking dish. Cover the rolls with a clean towel and place it into a warm area to rise for 1 hour.
10. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Once the rolls have risen, place them into the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the icing: In a medium bowl, add in the powdered sugar, vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, vanilla extract, and optional lemon juice. Mix until everything is uniform. Then, whisk in almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the icing reaches your desired consistency.
12. When the cinnamon rolls are finished, allow them to cool for about 10 minutes and then generously drizzle them with the frosting. If necessary, you can use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the frosting over the rolls. Enjoy!

Keywords: Desserts, Fall, Bread, Cinnamon Rolls, Vegan, Pecans