Pumpkin Spice Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Baking dish of nine cinnamon rolls glazed

These soft, gooey rolls are packed with rich brown butter and everyone’s favourite fall flavour, pumpkin spice. Get into the festive spirit with this mouthwatering recipe from @eatwithjess.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1 can or 12 oz Granulated sugar
2 Packets of quick rise yeast (about 4 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp Salt
1 1/4 cups Cooked & pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp Water, room temperature
1 tsp. Unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Large egg

Ingredients for Filling

1/4 cup Butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp Axe to Grind Pumpkin Spice Rimmer OR 1 tbsp pumpkin spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp clove, 1/2 tsp ginger, all powdered)

Ingredients for Icing

4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp Butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
2 tbsp Milk or cream
1 tbsp Lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set the extra flour aside.
  2. To make the brown butter, warm the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan, while whisking frequently. The butter will foam and sizzle, as the fat solids toast. You want the butter brown, not burnt, and this will take 5-7 minutes with whisking. The butter is done once the solids have turned golden brown and the butter has a nutty rich aroma. Remove from heat.
  3. Whisk the pumpkin puree and the water into the butter until completely emulsified. Feeling adventurous? Try roasting your own pumpkin. Look for pie pumpkins at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.
  4. Pour the butter mixture, and the egg, into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until uniform.
  5. Add in 2 more cups of flour and mix. The dough should be getting very thick.
  6. Add in another 1/2 cup of flour and knead it with your hands, folding it over itself and pressing down, 2-3 minutes, until it is no longer sticky (would leave residue), but only tacky (moist but no pieces stay stuck on hands or surface.) Shape the dough into a tight ball and let it rest uncovered for 10-15 minutes to let it rise.
  7. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle. Using a pin, roll it into a 10 x 16 inch rectangle.
  8. Spread the soft butter into a thin layer, leaving about half an inch border all around the outside of the dough.
  9. Sprinkle the dough evenly with the brown sugar and pumpkin spice.
  10. Working from the long end of the dough, roll it up tightly to create a long log. Give it a light pinch all the way down to secure it and tap the ends to make them more square.
  11. To cut the rolls you’ll want to use either your sharpest knife and move it back and forth, like slowly sawing a tree, as you want to avoid pressing down with the knife and ruining the roll shape. (Unflavoured floss, or fine string can also be used.)
  12. Place the rolls in a greased 9 x 9 oven safe dish.
  13. Place the dish in a warm spot (this could be the proofing setting on your stove, or near a heat source) and cover it with a towel to let the rolls rise for 1 hour. The rolls should rise and spread a bit.
  14. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  15. Bake for 32 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
  16. While they cool, make the icing.
  17. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with a spatula, creaming them together. (These ingredients must be room temperature otherwise they’ll be lumpy.) Add the powdered sugar and lemon and whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until silky.
  18. Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a tip at least 1/2 inch wide or use a resealable plastic bag and cut the tip off, and drizzle the icing onto the slightly cooled rolls. You can sprinkle them with a few more pinches of sugar and spice, or even crushed nuts.
  19. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe and Photography by: @eatwithjess 

Local Source Guide:

Produce: Noggins Corner Farm MarketStirling Fruit Farms Ltd., Masstown Market,

Dairy: Masstown Creamery, Fox Hill Cheese House, Knoydart Cheese House & Farm, Sky Glen Creamery

Grocery: Valley Flaxflour ltd., Axe to Grind Foods, Masstown Market

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