Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Brown-Butter Icing
The best way to start a fall morning! With real pumpkin in a brioche-style dough, a swirl of warm cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, topped with decadent browned-butter cream cheese icing, this is cinnamon roll perfection- pumpkin spice style!
Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir with fork and then let sit until bubbling (30 seconds to a couple minutes). Add warm cream, melted butter, pumpkin puree, vanilla, eggs, cinnamon, and salt to the bowl and mix on medium speed until combined. Add two cups of flour and mix until incorporated. Then add the second two cups of flour and again mix until dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If dough seems sticky, add a little more flour.
Lightly flour your counter and transfer your dough onto the surface. Knead dough for about a minute, forming a smooth ball. Place dough in a greased, medium sized bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit in a warm spot until doubled in size (1-2 hours). Don't let it rise longer than after it's reached this size, as the final texture will be affected.
Make the Filling
In a small bowl combine brown sugar, spices, vanilla bean seeds and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Assemble
Dust your counter with flour again and turn dough out onto this surface. Punch it down and roll it into a rectangle 18 inches wide and 14 inches deep. (It will seem thin, but this gives you more swirl in the final roll.) Spread the stick of soft butter onto the dough. Sprinkle filling over the butter and gently press it into the butter.
Starting on either long edge, gently begin rolling the dough towards the opposite long edge. Keep the dough snug as you roll. Once you have a dough log, pinch the long edge to seal it.
To slice roll, cut a 10-inch length of unflavored dental floss, slide the floss under dough log, cross the ends of the floss, and pull it tight to slice through dough. Make cuts about an inch apart. Place rolls in a greased baking dish and let sit 30 minutes or until doubled in size. You can also put the unbaked rolls in the refrigerator overnight and then bake them the next morning. (This also develops more flavor.)
Make the Icing
Place butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5-8 minutes, until butter is light brown in color and smells fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Once butter has cooled, transfer to medium mixing bowl and add cream cheese and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. add powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
Bake and Serve
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls 30-35 minutes if they're room temperature, or 40 minutes if chilled. Remove from oven when golden brown and a tap on the center of rolls sounds a little hollow. Immediately smear with browned butter icing. Serve warm with a cup of coffee for a cozy breakfast or brunch!
Store in an airtight container for up to four days... but I promise they won't be around that long!