PBG Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls

If you haven't already heard I am buried under 3 feet of snow and have started to go a little stir-crazy. 

So, with some time on my hands I decided to try something not yet attempted by yours truly.  Cinnamon Rolls....in other words, real baking.  This was going to involve yeast, and kneading, and waiting and rolling and baking.  But, I figured I would give it a try. 

I adapted my recipe from Angela over at Oh She Glows and boy am I glad I did.  These are the best recipe I have ever made.  Ever.  In the history of all my many meals and recipe attempts this was my biggest success.  Hers were vegan, mine are not.  I had butter and eggs on hand so I figured I might as well use them.   

I will warn you in advance that although this recipe is not difficult it is time consuming.   Be sure to give yourself enough time to make them so you are not baking then at 10pm...not that that happened to me or anything.

Here is what you will need:

The Dough

4 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

2/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup milk

1 egg

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

6 cups all purpose flour

  

Pecan Cinnamon Streusel Filling

1/2 cup butter, softened but not melted

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Pan Sauce

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 cup pumpkin, canned

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp of Pumpkin Pie spice (add more or less according to your taste)

Frosting

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

Let's get the dough started:

• Combine the wet dough ingredients (milk, sugar, butter, salt) in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium until all ingredients are combined.
• Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.  Add a small amount of the warm liquid to temper the egg and prevent it from scrambling.  Add the egg mixture into the warm liquid ingredients and stir.  Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
• Mix instant yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl.
• Measure 4 cups of the flour and place in a very large bowl.
• Add in the yeast mixture to warm liquid and add this mixture to the flour and stir with a large wooden spoon until combined.
• Add in the remaining 2 cups of flour. Mix until combined then use your hands to roughly knead the dough for just a few seconds to help it come together.
• Place the dough (and flour) onto a floured counter.
• Knead the dough for 8 minutes until it is no longer sticky to the touch.
• Shape into a ball and place into an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the oven with the light on and let it rise for 90 minutes.

Prepare the pumpkin pie filling:

• Combine pumpkin and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
• Mix corn starch and milk together and ensure there are no lumps.  Add this mixture to the pumpkin mixture.
• Add Pumpkin Pie Spice.
• Stir until thickened.  Approximately 5 minutes.

Prepare the Walnut cinnamon streusel filling:

• In a bowl, mix 1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts, 1 cup sugar, and 3 tbsp cinnamon together and set aside.

Back to the dough:

• After 90 minutes of rising, poke the dough to make sure that it is ready. If you poke the dough and it does NOT spring back up, it is ready.
• Spread out the dough into a large 15 inch by 20 inch rectangle using a rolling pin or your hands.
• Spread on the butter (1/2 cup slightly softened).
• Take the pumpkin pie filling and spread it on top of the butter.  
• Sprinkle on the entire amount of the walnut cinnamon streusel sugar topping.

Now it's time to roll:

• Grab the short end of the dough and roll all of the dough into a log.
• Cut the log into approximately 16 rolls.  

Every pan needs a sauce:

• Mix butter and sugar mixture together until melted and combined and pour into large casserole dish.
• Place the cut rolls into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap, place into the oven with the light on, and allow it to rise for another 45 more minutes.

Now for the icing on the cake rolls:

• Combine maple syrup and confectioner's sugar in a small bowl.

And back to the dough:

• After the second rise, remove the buns from the oven and preheat to 350F.
• After preheating the oven, remove plastic wrap and place casserole dish into the oven.
• Bake rolls for 25-27 minutes at 350F until golden in colour. Remove from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes

And for that final touch: 

Frost your buns any way you like! You may have to thin out the frosting a bit with more

milk depending on how you want to use the frosting. If you want to pipe it on, it is the

perfect consistency as is, but if you want to drizzle, more milk (start with 1 tsp at a time)

may be needed.