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Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls taste like the iconic autumn drink! Tender pumpkin dough flavored with coffee and filled with gooey cinnamon spirals—what’s not to love? It basically tastes like a big cozy bear hug for breakfast, but without the guilt of store-bought cinnamon rolls! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yield 12 rolls
3

Reviews

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) warm nonfat milk (about 100-110°F)
  • 2 tablespoons (24g) coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon (7g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 (0.25oz) package (7g) or 2 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
  • 1/2 cup (122g) pumpkin purée, room temperature (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 1 tablespoon (6g) pumpkin pie spice (see Notes below for homemade recipe)
  • 2 to 2 1/2 cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour

Filling

  • 5 tablespoons (60g) coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see Notes below for homemade recipe)
  • 1/2 tablespoon (7g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  • Lightly coat a 9-inch round pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. (See Notes below.)
  • In a large bowl, stir together the warm milk, coconut sugar, butter, and salt. Stir in the yeast and wait 10-15 minutes or until the mixture smells fragrant. (It’s okay if it doesn’t turn bubbly or frothy!) Stir in the instant coffee and pumpkin purée until the coffee has completely dissolved. Sprinkle the pumpkin spice and 1 1/2 cups of flour on top, and stir until completely incorporated. If the dough is still wet, continue stirring in flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead for 3-5 minutes or until the dough springs back most of the way when you gently press your index finger into it. Let the dough rest while preparing the filling.
  • Prepare the filling: stir together the coconut sugar and pumpkin spice in a small bowl.
  • On a clean, well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a 16×10-inch rectangle. Brush with the melted butter, leaving a 1-inch border on the two longer sides. Sprinkle with the filling sugar mixture, leaving a 1-inch border on the two longer sides again. Carefully roll up the dough into a log, starting at one long edge and rolling towards the other one. Pinch the ends to seal. If the dough won’t stick together, gently brush the second longer edge with water before pinching to seal.
  • Slice the log into 12 pieces using dental floss (recommended; see Notes below) or a sharp serrated knife. Place the rolls into the prepared pan, and cover the pan with a clean towel. Set the pan in a warm, draft-free spot, and let the rolls rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 17-20 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the sides feel firm. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

To make the homemade pumpkin spice: 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. 
I highly recommend using a 9-inch round springform pan. Springform pans have taller sides than most traditional cake pans, so this allows the cinnamon rolls to rise properly without touching the top of the towel.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
For a vegan version, substitute your favorite non-dairy milk and stick-style margarine in place of the butter. (You may substitute coconut oil, but the cinnamon rolls will taste different, and the yeast won’t turn frothy.)
Do not substitute regular coffee grounds or brewed coffee! The former will make your cinnamon rolls gritty, while the latter will add too much liquid. (This means you’ll need a lot more flour, and you won’t taste the pumpkin!)
Brown sugar may be substituted in place of the coconut sugar, but the rolls will no longer be clean-eating friendly.
I haven’t had good luck substituting gluten-free flours in this recipe. The cinnamon rolls don’t rise the way they do with wheat-based flour due to the lack of gluten.
Recipe by Amy’s Healthy Baking.

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Review & Comments

Patty Frahler | Reply

What do you recommend for “Pumpkin puree”. The recipe specifically states NOT to use pumpkin pie filling.

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Patty,
You can find pumpkin puree at the store, or google how to make it at home. Pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin – no sugar or spices added.

Happy baking!
Carol

Sofian Dandashi | Reply

4 stars
About of flour is confusing. In the dough mixture you state 2 2 1/2 cup of flour, but in the interaction you only ask for 1 1/2 cup.. which is right

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Sofian,
Start with 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix until incorporated. If the dough is still wet, add in a couple tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition until the dough comes together, pulls away from the side of the bowl and is soft but not too wet or sticky. You may need the entire 2 1/2 cups or you may not need all of it.

I hope you will find this information helpful.
Happy baking!
Carol

Linda Szymoniak | Reply

5 stars
I’m not a coffee drinker but love a hot chai tea latte. Any idea how to substitute tea for the coffee? Maybe instant tea instead of the coffee?

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Linda,
You can certainly try it! Let us know if you do!

Happy baking!
Carol

DONALEE STEPHENSON | Reply

5 stars
CAN I USE PUMPKIN THAT I COOK MYSELF INSTEAD OF THE CAN. BEEN FREEZING FRESH MASHED PUMPKIN FOR AS LANG AS I CAN REMEMBER. STARTED TO MAKE FRESH PUMPKIN PIES FOR MY HUBBY WHEN WE FIRST GOT MARRIED. THAT WAS OVER 50 YEARS AGO, AN BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE. HE WOULDN’T EAT IT OTHER WISE. DONALEE

Red Star Yeast | Reply

Hi Donalee – Yes. It may have a different moisture so just keep an eye on how your dough feels in case you need to add more liquid or less flour.
Happy baking!
Carol

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