Overnight Pumpkin Spice Rolls with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Soft, pillowy overnight rolls infused with pumpkin puree and warm autumn spices, topped with a luxurious browned butter cream cheese icing. The dough rises slowly in the refrigerator overnight, developing deeper flavor while making morning baking convenient. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg create a sophisticated pumpkin spice profile that avoids commercial pie mix heaviness. The browned butter icing adds nutty complexity and richness. Perfect for holiday brunches, special breakfasts, or when you want impressive homemade rolls without morning stress. This version prioritizes overnight convenience and brown butter sophistication over standard sweet roll recipes.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup whole milk, warm, 105 to 115 degrees F
- 1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast, regular
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup canned pumpkin, not pie mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, extract
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour, Gold Medal brandgluten-free 1-to-1 flour1:1gluten-freegluten-free
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- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened, cubed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, for filling
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for filling
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger, dried
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, dried
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, for icing
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, for icing
Instructions
- 1
Mix warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside until foamy.
- 2
Combine pumpkin, vanilla, and egg in small bowl.
- 3
Mix flour, salt, cinnamon, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Cut in softened butter until mixture becomes sandy.
- 4
Combine yeast mixture and pumpkin mixture into flour mixture. Using stand mixer with dough hook, beat on medium speed 10 minutes until dough pulls from bowl and becomes elastic. If dough is very wet, add remaining flour gradually. For hand mixing, knead about 5 minutes until elastic and smooth.
- 5
Shape dough into ball, place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place 1 to 2 hours until doubled.
- 6
Whisk together sugar and spices for filling in small bowl. Oil 13 by 9 inch pan.
- 7
Roll dough on floured surface into 15 by 12 inch rectangle. Spread melted butter over dough, leaving 1 inch unbuttered on longer sides. Sprinkle with sugar-spice mixture.
- 8
Starting from one longer side, roll dough into log and pinch seam closed. Cut into 4 equal pieces, then cut each piece into 3 for 12 total rolls.
- 9
Arrange rolls cut-side down in prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- 10
Remove pan from refrigerator and let sit on counter 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees F and place pan on top of oven with towel covering. Let warm 30 minutes until rolls are puffed and nearly touching.
- 11
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.
- 12
Heat butter in 6 inch skillet over medium heat until it separates. Continue cooking until milk solids turn deep toffee brown and smell nutty. Pour into dish.
- 13
Beat cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar, browned butter, and salt. Beat to combine and spread over warm rolls.
- 14
Serve warm.
Tips
For evenly sized rolls, use dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the log instead of a knife, which prevents squishing the dough.
Ensure pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added spices and sugar that will throw off flavor balance.
Brown butter should smell fragrant and nutty but never black; watch carefully during last minute of cooking as it can burn quickly.
Good to Know
Cool completely, then store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day. Do not refrigerate after baking as rolls will dry out faster.
Dough can be prepared through overnight refrigeration step up to 24 hours in advance. Do not freeze unbaked rolls as overnight cold proof is essential to recipe success.
Serve warm, ideally within a few hours of baking. Best the same day made. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes if needed.
Common Mistakes
Use milk warmer than 115 degrees F to avoid killing yeast and preventing dough from rising
Skip the 30 minute counter rest after removing from refrigerator to avoid dense, underbaked rolls
Overbake browned butter by letting milk solids turn completely black to avoid burnt, bitter icing
Cut dough with serrated knife instead of clean knife to avoid compressing the dough and creating dense rolls
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
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Full guide →Gluten-Free Swaps
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FAQ
Can I prepare these rolls without the overnight refrigeration step?
Yes, let dough rise at room temperature 1 to 2 hours after shaping instead. However, overnight cold fermentation develops better flavor and makes morning baking more convenient. Cold proofing also gives you flexibility in baking time the next morning.
What if my dough is too wet after mixing?
Add the reserved 1/4 cup flour gradually while mixing, a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be slightly sticky but hold together and form a ball. Too much flour creates dense, tough rolls; too little keeps them from rising properly.
How long do baked rolls keep and can I freeze them?
Rolls are best the same day but stay fresh in an airtight container 1 day at room temperature. Freeze cooled rolls up to 3 months wrapped individually in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw at room temperature 2 hours, then reheat wrapped in foil at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Do not freeze with icing applied.