White Chocolate Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

My husband has been tainted. 

I thought I'd never be able to satisfy that insatiable desire of his...

...for the perfect cinnamon roll.

It all started in college. He had this guy roommate who was basically a God in the kitchen. We'll call him Scott. 

Okay, his name is actually Scott. 

The well of imagination is running a little dry this morning. 

Scott's Mom is apparently the mother ship of all things baking. She's a genius, and an absolute legend. She taught Scott all she knows, or at least enough to ruin the pallets of anyone who is privileged enough to taste one of his baking creations. 

Unfortunately for me, Ryan has had a batch or two of Scott's famous cinnamon rolls. Second to none, Ryan always said. I've tried on countless occasions to make him cinnamon rolls just as good, but without batting an eye, he always started the next sentence with "Scott cinnamon rolls this blah blah blah". 

I was 1-upped. Always. By this roommate of his, and his famous baking skills. 

He was right, though. Scott's cinnamon rolls were incredibly fluffy, gooey warm, and by far the best I have ever tasted (really, it puts the Lion House here in Utah to shame). 

Last week, the winds of change blew through our apartment - 

I hadn't prepared Ryan for what was coming, spent the afternoon tending this beautiful pumpkin cinnamon roll dough, adding in a touch of white chocolate, and stirring in some Fall maple to warm up the frosting with sweetness. I knew I had a chance against the unspoken dynasty of cinnamon roll royalty.

Ryan walked in from work. Without a word, I handed him a plate of these warm white chocolate pumpkin cinnamon rolls with maple cream cheese frosting.

Let's just say - 

his eyes grew wide and almost filled with tears of joy

...

he was absolutely speechless.

xo, 

blondie

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 15 cinnamon rolls

ingredients:

rolls:
1/4 C warm water
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 C warm milk
3/4 C pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 T melted butter
3-4 C all-purpose-flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger

filling:
1/2 C butter softened
3/4 to 1 C brown sugar
cinnamon
pumpkin pie spice
3/4 C white chocolate chips

frosting:
4oz cream cheese
4-6 T maple syrup
4 T butter softened
1 T vanilla
2-4 C powdered sugar
milk for thinning to desired consistency

method:
1. In the bottom of the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine warm water and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until yeast activates.
2. Add milk, pumpkin puree, beaten egg, melted butter, and about 1 1/2 C flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
3. Switch out paddle attachment for the dough hook attachment. Slowly add remaining flour, a little at a time, until dough becomes smooth and stretchy. I did all the kneading in the mixer with the paddle attachment, but if you don't have one, remove the dough from the mixing bowl, and knead out on a floured surface until ready.
4. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn dough around in bowl so the entire ball is slightly coated in grease. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for about an hour until dough is doubled in size.
5. Roll out dough in a large rectangle on a slightly floured surface - 18-20 inches. Smear surface with slightly melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips. Carefully roll dough (hot dog or long way) into a log and pinch the ends. Using a string slid under the log and pulled together, pinch the log into 15 slices.
6. Place slices in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes until doubled in size. Mine took about an hour, so keep an eye on it. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven.
8. Prepare frosting while pumpkin rolls are baking - beat softened cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup together until combined. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk until you gain your desired consistency - I like mine more like frosting vs. glaze, so it's up to you! Frost pumpkin rolls while warm, and serve right away. Reheat if serving later. They taste great cold, but AMAZING warm.

recipe adapted from: chef-in-training