Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Butternut squash cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze come out soft, golden, and loaded with warm spice. The squash keeps the dough pillowy and rich, and that glaze pulls everything together.

Fall Baking: Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls

I look forward to butternut squash season every year and this time I skipped the usual savory route and tossed it into cinnamon rolls. Best decision.

The purée melts into the dough and turns these butternut squash cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze into something soft, golden, and way too easy to keep pulling apart. It’s the kind of panful that makes a chilly morning feel like it’s working in your favor, the kind of fall cinnamon rolls you want on repeat with the spice, the dough, and that cream cheese glaze dripping everywhere.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Squash in the dough = golden, pillowy rolls.
• Easy to make ahead for a holiday breakfast.
• Maple drizzle and toasted nuts dress them up.

Ingredients

Just the usual pantry basics, plus butternut squash purée to make these fall cinnamon rolls soft and golden.

• Flour, yeast, sugar, salt – the foundation of a fluffy dough.
• Butternut squash purée – brings color, moisture, and that pillowy texture.
• Egg and egg yolk – a little extra richness.
• Butter – softens the dough, melts into the filling, and finishes the glaze.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg – the warm spice swirl.
• Brown sugar – sticky, caramel-sweet filling.
• Cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla – the silky glaze.
• Maple syrup, toasted nuts – optional toppings that make them feel extra special.

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)
  Whisk the warm milk, sugar, and yeast and let it foam. Mix in the squash, eggs, and butter, then add the flour and salt. Knead until smooth and elastic, then let it rise until doubled.
• Step Two (make the filling)
  Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Keep the butter ready for spreading.
• Step Three (roll and shape the fall cinnamon rolls)
  Roll the dough into a big rectangle, spread the butter, and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar. Roll it into a log, slice into 12, and tuck them into a greased pan. Let them rise again until puffy.
• Step Four (bake)
  Bake at 350°F (175°C) until golden, about 22–28 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if they’re browning fast, and trap steam at the end if you want soft tops.
• Step Five (glaze and serve for a holiday breakfast)
  Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over the warm rolls. Maple drizzle and nuts make them even better.

Recipe Tips

A few small things make these rolls turn out their best:

• The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not sticky.
• Let them rise in a warm oven with the light on if your kitchen runs cool.
• Cover the pan after baking to keep the tops soft.
• Add the cream cheese glaze while the rolls are still warm so it seeps into the swirls.
• Maple drizzle or toasted nuts make them holiday-ready, kind of like the finish on my Amish apple fritter bread.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat

These butternut squash cinnamon rolls keep their softness better than most, but here’s how I deal with the extras:

• Covered on the counter, they’re fine for a couple of days.
• In the fridge, they’ll stretch closer to five.
• Freeze the baked rolls without glaze, then warm and add fresh cream cheese glaze when you’re ready to eat. I use the same make-ahead morning move with my blueberry French toast casserole.

FAQs

• Can I use canned butternut squash purée instead of fresh?
  Yes. Canned works just as well as roasted and mashed, and it still gives these butternut squash cinnamon rolls that soft, golden texture.
• What makes butternut squash cinnamon rolls different from regular cinnamon rolls?
  The squash in the dough adds moisture, subtle sweetness, and a pillowy crumb you won’t get in a standard roll.
• Do cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze need to be refrigerated?
  If you glaze the whole pan at once, leftovers should go in the fridge. If you’re keeping rolls at room temp, wait and add the glaze right before serving.
• Can I make these butternut squash cinnamon rolls overnight?
  Yes. Shape the rolls, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bring them back to room temp for about an hour in the morning, then bake. That trick works great if you want fresh-baked rolls for a holiday morning, the same way my overnight apple pie French toast bake fits right into the table.
• How do you keep cinnamon rolls soft after baking?
  Tent the pan loosely with foil while they cool. It traps steam and keeps the tops tender.

More Sweet Rolls and Fall Bakes

If you loved these rolls, here are a few more bakes that fit the same sweet, spiced lane.

• Strawberry Sweet Rolls – homemade sweet rolls with strawberry filling.
• Lemon Buns with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing – soft buns topped with cream cheese icing.
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes – quick air fryer bites in cinnamon sugar.
• Sweet Potato Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Coating – spiced muffins rolled in cinnamon sugar.

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Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Soft and golden butternut squash cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze. These pillowy, spiced rolls rise beautifully and make the perfect fall breakfast or holiday bake.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Rise Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash cinnamon rolls, butternut squash sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze, fall cinnamon rolls, holiday breakfast bake

Servings: 12 rolls

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with dough hook. Kneads the dough quickly and evenly.
• mixing bowls One for the dough, one for the filling
• rolling pin To shape the dough into a rectangle.
• baking pan 9x13 (33x23) To bake the butternut rolls.

Ingredients

Dough:

• ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk 100–110°F
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2¼ tsps (1 packet / 7 grams) instant rapid rise yeast
• 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
• 3¾ cup (450 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt

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

Optional Garnish:

• walnuts or pecans, toasted
• maple syrup

Instructions

• Start with the dough by whisking the warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl or stand mixer. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
  ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2¼ tsps (1 packet / 7 grams) instant rapid rise yeast
• Add the butternut squash purée, egg, egg yolk, and softened butter. Mix well, then stir in the flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms.
  ½ cup (120 g) butternut squash purée, 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 5 tbsps (70 g) unsalted butter, 3¾ cup (450 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
• Set the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled.
• To make the filling, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl.
  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
• Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 16x12-inch (40x30 cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.
  4 tbsps (55 g) unsalted butter
• Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log and slice it into 12 pieces.
• Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch (33x23 cm) pan or two 8-inch (20 cm) pans. Cover and let rise another 30–45 minutes, until puffy.
• To bake, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Bake the rolls for 22–28 minutes, until golden on top and cooked through. Tent with foil if they start browning too quickly.
• For softer tops, cover the pan loosely with foil or a baking sheet as they cool for 10–15 minutes.
• To make the glaze, whisk the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar, 1-2 tbsps (15-30 ml) milk, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
• Spread the glaze over the warm rolls. Add toasted nuts and a maple drizzle if you want to finish them off.
  walnuts, maple syrup

Notes

• Butternut squash purée adds moisture and natural sweetness that keeps these rolls soft for days.
• Roast, steam, or microwave fresh squash ahead of time — just make sure it’s fully cooled before adding to the dough.
• The dough can be mixed and kneaded by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer.
• If your kitchen is cold, proof the dough in an oven with the light on.
• Slice with unflavored dental floss instead of a knife for cleaner swirls.

 

If you’re making these butternut squash cinnamon rolls, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

Amount Per Serving (115 g)

Calories 305 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 230mg10%

Potassium 160mg5%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 2000IU40%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 45mg5%

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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