Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Butternut squash cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze have squash purée worked into the dough, making them golden and helping them stay soft. I use cinnamon and nutmeg to fill the spirals, and spread cream cheese glaze over the rolls while they’re still warm.

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls Made with Squash Purée

I’ve put butternut squash into lots of things, but cinnamon roll dough was never an obvious destination. Once I tried it, the part that surprised me was how little the finished rolls tasted like squash. It became much more about what the purée did to the dough than making a cinnamon roll that was screaming butternut squash.

There’s a half cup of squash purée in the dough, and it’s enough to get the golden color and softness I wanted without adding so much moisture that the dough became difficult to manage. That was the real test. Using purée meant I had to pay attention to the dough as I kneaded it, since homemade squash carries more water than canned and flour, no matter how much I want it to, doesn’t absorb the same amount every time.

The filling is where natural cinnamon roll can run the program, with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and cream cheese glaze added while the rolls are still warm. Once the dough was right, I didn’t see any reason to make the rest of the cinnamon roll prove there was squash in it.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• A half cup of butternut squash purée was enough to change the color and softness of the dough without adding so much moisture that I had to compensate with lots of extra flour. I wanted what the squash did for the dough without making the dough harder to knead, roll and shape.
• Canned and homemade squash purée can both be used, but homemade purée can have more water. That was something I had to account for instead of assuming the flour measurement would work the same every time. If the dough is too sticky, I add flour a tablespoon at a time until it’s soft and slightly tacky.
• I use one whole egg plus an extra yolk in the dough, something I do in lots of recipes when I want the extra fat from the yolk without adding another egg white. I get more tenderness from the extra yolk without adding more egg white to a dough that already has squash purée in it.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg stayed in the filling instead of me adding a whole fall spice lineup to the dough. I didn’t want every part of these rolls to taste like something different was going on. The squash stays in the dough, and the brown sugar and spices stay in the filling. It’s a very tidy spiral system.
• For the first 10 to 15 minutes out of the oven, I loosely cover the rolls. It traps some of the steam while they cool, which keeps the tops softer instead of letting them dry out right away. It’s worth doing.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – The amount you need can vary slightly depending on the moisture in your squash purée. Keep extra nearby in case the dough is still sticky during kneading.
• Butternut squash purée – Canned or homemade both work. If you make your own, roast the squash before puréeing it instead of boiling it so you aren’t adding unnecessary water to the dough.
• Instant yeast – I use rapid-rise or instant yeast, which can go directly into the flour. There’s no need to dissolve it in the warm milk first.
• Granulated sugar – There’s only ¼ cup in the dough. Most of the sweetness comes later from the brown sugar filling and cream cheese glaze.
• Whole milk – Warm it to about 100–110°F (38–43°C). It should be warm, not hot.
• Egg and egg yolk – I use one whole egg plus an extra yolk for the additional fat without adding another egg white.
• Unsalted butter – Softened butter goes into the dough, filling and cream cheese glaze, so you’ll want it at room temperature before you begin.
• Salt – I use it in both the dough and the brown sugar filling.
• Brown sugar – This is the sugar for the filling and gets spread over the softened butter before the dough is rolled. If you’re out, make a batch of my homemade brown sugar.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg – I kept both in the filling instead of adding spices to the squash dough.
• Cream cheese – Use full-fat block cream cheese for the glaze and let it soften first.
• Confectioners’ sugar – Sweetens and gives the cream cheese glaze its consistency.
• Milk or cream – Start with one tablespoon and add the second only if you want a thinner cream cheese glaze.
• Vanilla extract or vanilla paste – Either is fine in the cream cheese glaze.
• Toasted walnuts or pecans and maple syrup – Both are optional for serving over the glazed cinnamon rolls.

How to Make Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the dough)
  Stir the flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt together, then add the warm milk, butternut squash purée, egg, egg yolk and softened butter. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until it’s smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. This is where I get a feel for the dough instead of automatically adding more flour. If it’s still truly sticky as I knead, I add flour one tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Step Two (make the filling)
  Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make sure the butter is soft enough to spread easily because trying to smear cold butter over soft dough is how you become irritated with a cinnamon roll.
• Step Three (roll and shape the cinnamon rolls)
  Roll the dough into a 16 x 12-inch (41 x 30 cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the top. Roll it up from one long side and cut into 12 rolls. Arrange them in a greased 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish, cover and let them rise for 30 to 45 minutes, until they look puffy.
• Step Four (bake the cinnamon rolls)
  Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 28 minutes, until the rolls are golden and baked through. If the tops are getting too brown before the centers are done, loosely cover the pan with foil. Once they’re out of the oven, loosely cover the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. I know covering something I spent 25 minutes browning sounds backward, but trapping some of the steam keeps the tops softer as they cool.
• Step Five (make the cream cheese glaze)
  Beat the softened cream cheese and butter with the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and one tablespoon of milk or cream until smooth. Add the second tablespoon only if you want the glaze thinner. Spread it over the cinnamon rolls while they’re still warm, then add toasted walnuts or pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup if you’re using them.

Recipe Tips

• When you roll the dough into the rectangle, try to keep the thickness fairly even from one end to the other. It doesn’t need to be a perfect 16 x 12-inch rectangle with ruler-straight sides, but an even thickness gives you rolls that are closer in size once everything is rolled and cut.
• Before cutting the log, I mark it into halves, then quarters, then divide each quarter into three. This is much easier than eyeballing 12 slices and discovering near the end that my cinnamon roll math has failed me.
• Give the rolls enough room to rise after shaping. I’m looking for them to get visibly fuller and puffy, with some of the space between the rolls beginning to close. A cool kitchen may put you toward the longer end of the 30 to 45 minute range.
• I never judge the bake by the tops alone. Cinnamon rolls can look golden before the dough in the center of the pan is finished, so check one of the center rolls before taking the pan out of the oven.
• Wait until the rolls have had their 10 to 15 minutes under the loose cover before adding the cream cheese glaze. They’ll still be warm enough to soften the glaze, but you won’t lose as much of it down into a very hot pan.

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

• Once the cream cheese glaze is on the cinnamon rolls, I store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If I know ahead of time that some rolls won’t be eaten right away, I leave those unglazed and keep them covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• For longer storage, freeze the baked cinnamon rolls without the cream cheese glaze. Once they’re cool, wrap them well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them before reheating and make the glaze when you’re ready to serve them.
• For one cinnamon roll, I usually reheat it in the microwave for about 15 seconds, adding a few more seconds if needed. For several unglazed rolls, cover them loosely with foil and warm them in a low oven until heated through.

FAQs

• Can I use canned butternut squash purée?
  Yes. Canned butternut squash purée saves you from roasting and puréeing a squash first. Make sure you’re buying plain butternut squash purée without added sugar or spices.
• Can I make my own butternut squash purée?
  Yes. I like roasting the squash instead of boiling it because boiling introduces more water. Mash or purée the roasted flesh until smooth, let it cool completely and measure the ½ cup you need for the dough.
• Can I make butternut squash cinnamon rolls overnight?
  Yes. Assemble and cut the cinnamon rolls, arrange them in the baking dish and cover the pan before the second rise. Refrigerate overnight, then take the pan out in the morning and give the rolls about 45 to 60 minutes at room temperature to get puffy before baking. A cold kitchen may require more time.
• Can I use pumpkin purée instead of butternut squash purée?
  Yes, as long as you use plain pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin purée can have a different moisture level than butternut squash, so pay attention to the dough as you knead and add extra flour only if you need it.
• Can I make these without a stand mixer?
  Yes. Mix the dough with a sturdy wooden spoon until it becomes difficult to stir, then turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand. The same dough cue applies whether you use your hands or a mixer: you’re looking for smooth, elastic dough that remains slightly tacky.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• A measurement can get me close, but I still have to be aware of what’s in front of me.
• More has not always been the answer when something feels difficult to take care of.
• I’ve figured out there’s a difference between waiting and waiting for a change I can really see.
• Dividing something evenly is easier when I stop guessing and make a few marks first.
• Softness is something I now protect after the warmth is gone.
• I don’t need something to be obvious for me to know it changed things.
• I’ve gotten better at noticing when something needs more from me and when it needs to be left alone.

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Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls have squash purée mixed into the dough, a brown sugar filling with cinnamon and nutmeg, and cream cheese glaze spread over the warm rolls.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Rise Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash cinnamon rolls, butternut squash sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze, squash cinnamon rolls

Servings: 12 rolls

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with dough hook. For mixing and kneading the dough. You can also knead by hand.
• mixing bowls For the dough, filling and cream cheese glaze.
• rolling pin For rolling the dough into a 16 x 12-inch (41 x 30 cm) rectangle.
• baking pan 9x13 (33x23) For baking 12 cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 3¾ cup (450 g) all-purpose flour plus more as needed
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2¼ tsps (1 packet / 7 grams) instant rapid rise yeast
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) warm whole milk warmed to 100–110°F (38–43°C)
• ½ cup (120 g) butternut squash purée roasted and mashed or canned
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 egg yolk room temperature
• 5 tbsps (70 g) unsalted butter softened

Filling:

• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
• 2 tsps (5 g) ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) table salt
• 4 tbsps (55 g) unsalted butter softened

Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 4 oz (113 g) full-fat cream cheese softened
• 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter softened
• ¾ cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1-2 tbsps (15-30 ml) whole milk or cream

Optional Garnish:

• chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• maple syrup

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast and salt. Add the warm whole milk, butternut squash purée, egg, egg yolk and softened butter. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
  3¾ cup (450 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2¼ tsps (1 packet / 7 grams) instant rapid rise yeast, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt, ¾ cup (180 ml) warm whole milk, ½ cup (120 g) butternut squash purée, 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 5 tbsps (70 g) unsalted butter
• Knead on medium-low speed for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. If the dough remains sticky as it kneads, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Set aside with the softened butter.
  ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 2 tsps (5 g) ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) table salt
• Grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 16 x 12-inch (41 x 30 cm) rectangle.
• Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the butter. Beginning with one long side, roll the dough into a log. Cut into 12 even rolls and arrange them in the prepared baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes, or until visibly puffy.
  4 tbsps (55 g) unsalted butter
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Bake for 22–28 minutes, until golden and baked through in the center. If the tops are browning before the center rolls are done, loosely cover the baking dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
• Remove from the oven and loosely cover the baking dish for 10–15 minutes to trap some of the steam while the rolls cool.
• Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole milk or cream and beat until smooth. Add the remaining milk or cream as needed for a thinner glaze.
  4 oz (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract, 1-2 tbsps (15-30 ml) whole milk
• Spread the cream cheese glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls. Garnish with toasted walnuts or pecans and maple syrup, if desired.
  chopped toasted walnuts, maple syrup

Notes

• Homemade butternut squash purée can contain more moisture than canned. Add additional flour only as needed during kneading.
• For overnight cinnamon rolls, cover and refrigerate the shaped rolls before the second rise. Let them stand at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, or until puffy, before baking.
• Freeze baked cinnamon rolls without the cream cheese glaze for up to 2 months.
• Optional walnuts, pecans and maple syrup are not included in the nutritional calculation.
• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Amount Per Serving (105 g)

Calories 367 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 291mg13%

Potassium 145mg4%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 1577IU32%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you made these Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls? I’d love to hear how they turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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