Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe — Soft, Spiced, Homemade

Vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls – soft, fluffy pumpkin-flavoured bread with a sticky pumpkin spice brown sugar filling and a maple cream cheese glaze. Eggless and dairy-free, these rolls are irresistibly good.

These vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls are soft and pillowy, infused with warming pumpkin spice and a tender pumpkin-scented dough. A sticky brown sugar filling adds rich sweetness while a light maple cream cheese glaze balances the flavours without being cloying.

They make an indulgent breakfast or brunch, a cozy weekend treat, or a comforting afternoon snack with coffee or tea. While they shine in autumn and winter because of their spiced pumpkin character, they’re delicious any time you want a comforting baked good.

There’s also something soothing about making bread at home. On dreary days, the process feels calming and the reward—a tray of fresh, fragrant rolls—is always worth the effort.

What You Need to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Bread flour: White bread flour gives the best soft, chewy texture. All-purpose flour will work but yields a slightly different crumb. Avoid wholemeal flour as it will make the rolls dense.

Instant (fast-action) yeast: Instant yeast can be added directly to the dry ingredients. If you only have active dry yeast, proof it in lukewarm milk with a pinch of sugar for 10–20 minutes until bubbly before using.

Salt: Essential for flavour—don’t skip it.

Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice create the classic pumpkin-spice profile. Alternatively use a commercial pumpkin spice blend: use 1 1/4 tsp in the dough and 4 1/2 tsp in the filling.

Sugar: Golden caster sugar in the dough and light brown soft sugar for the filling are used here. Light or dark brown sugar works fine for either element.

Pumpkin puree: Adds moisture, flavour and colour. Use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) or make your own from roasted eating pumpkin or butternut squash.

Vegan block butter: Use a solid block margarine or vegan butter for best baking results. Spreadable tubs have higher water content and may affect texture.

Non-dairy milk: Unsweetened soy milk is preferred for baking because its higher protein content resembles dairy milk, but any unsweetened plant milk will do.

Vegan cream cheese: Optional for the maple glaze—choose a vegan cream cheese you like as brands vary in flavour.

Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup rather than products blended with corn syrup.

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below.

I often spread the work over two days: make the dough and refrigerate it for its first, slow rise overnight. Cold dough is easier to roll and develops better flavour. You can also complete everything in a single day if you prefer.

This dough is quite soft and slightly sticky, so a stand mixer with a dough hook is helpful. You can knead by hand if necessary—expect a bit more mess and elbow grease.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, spices and yeast in the mixer bowl. Add pumpkin puree, melted vegan butter and most of the milk, mixing to form a rough dough. Add remaining milk as needed until the dough is soft and slightly tacky.

Knead on medium-high with the dough hook for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1–2 hours) or refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the filling by mixing light brown sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice.

Punch down the risen dough and knead briefly to remove air. Roll it out on a floured surface to roughly 30 x 45 cm (12 x 18 inches). Spread softened butter over the surface, leaving a 1 cm border, then evenly scatter the spiced sugar and press it gently into the dough.

Roll the dough tightly from a long edge into a log, trim the ends, and slice into nine even pieces. Arrange cut-side down in a 23 cm (9 inch) square tin lined with parchment.

Cover loosely and let rise for 30–50 minutes until puffy. Preheat the oven while they rise. Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F for 30–40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches about 90°C (194°F). If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil during baking.

Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then lift out with the parchment and transfer to a wire rack. For the glaze, whisk vegan cream cheese with maple syrup until smooth and drizzle over the warm rolls.

Make-Ahead and Storage

These rolls are best the day they’re baked but stay enjoyable for a couple of days—refresh them with 10–15 seconds in the microwave before serving.

To prepare them ahead for morning serving: shape the rolls, place them in the tin, cover loosely and refrigerate overnight. The next morning let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.

You can freeze baked rolls. Thaw at room temperature and revive briefly in the microwave before serving.

Yeast Notes

Instant/fast-action yeast can be mixed directly with the dry ingredients. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in some lukewarm milk with a pinch of sugar and wait 10–20 minutes until bubbly before adding to the dough.

How to Make Pumpkin Puree

Canned pumpkin puree is convenient—look for 100% pumpkin (not pie filling). To make your own, roast halved, deseeded eating pumpkin or butternut squash (not carving pumpkins) at about 200°C/400°F until tender, scoop out the flesh and puree until smooth. Avoid boiling, which can make the puree too watery.

Top Tips

Use gram measurements with a digital scale for consistent results—baking is precise and cups can be unreliable.
Check your yeast is fresh; expired yeast may prevent proper rising.
Confirm canned pumpkin is pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Rising times vary with temperature—warmer kitchens speed the rise, colder ones slow it.
Bread flour yields the best texture, but all-purpose flour works in a pinch.
Add-ins like chopped nuts, dried fruit or chocolate chips can be mixed into the filling if you like.
The most reliable way to check doneness is using a probe thermometer—internal temperature should reach about 90°C / 194°F.

Recipe Card