Pumpkin Pecan Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are a decadent treat that bring back fond memories. Delicious dough smothered in cinnamon and cream cheese frosting... the thought of it makes my mouth water! What can be better than that? Well, I've got just the thing for you... Before I tell you about it, I have a funny story to share.

Several year ago I found a recipe for Pull Apart Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread. It was an enriched pumpkin dough that was covered in cinnamon sugar and sliced and stacked in a loaf pan for baking. I've made it a few times, and it's always quite tasty. Late last year, I suddenly realized that it actually was just a pumpkin cinnamon roll! So, I made that recipe again, but after I rolled it out, I rolled it into a log and sliced it for rolls. I put the same glaze on that I used with the Pull Apart Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread. It was good, but I thought it could be better.

The second attempt, I added more spices, switched from white sugar to brown sugar, replaced the sugar in the dough with maple syrup, changed the frosting to a maple cinnamon cream cheese, and filled the inside and the top with toasted pecans. These are so very rich and decadent. If you like all things fall, such as maple, pumpkin, pecans, and fall spices, you're going to want to try these. If you do, please tell me how you like them!

Bread ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (room temperature; I microwaved mine for 20 seconds to warm it up)
2 1/4 tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

Inside sugar and spice mixture

2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)



In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black).



Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to the stove and heat through.



Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup maple syrup and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).



Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour.

Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel.



Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While the dough is proofing, mix up 2 cups of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and the allspice until combined.

Also toast the 2 cups of chopped pecans over medium heat. I use a skillet on the stove and stir them frequently until they are fragrant. In another bowl, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with your hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle.



Brush dough with melted butter.

Spread the brown sugar and spice mixture thickly and evenly across the dough leaving about a 1/2 inch border.

Spread about 1 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans evenly across the sugar. Reserve about 1/2 cup for topping the rolls.

Carefully begin rolling the dough trying to keep as much of the cinnamon sugar mixture and pecans inside. Use a little of the butter to seal the edge, rolling the edge to the bottom for cutting.



Trim off the ragged edges, then as close as possible, cut the roll into 12 even pieces. place in a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper.

Allow to proof for 30-45 minutes until the dough is soft and puffy and nearly twice the size.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown.

Icing

8 oz unsalted butter

8 oz cream cheese

2 lbs powdered sugar

2-4 Tbsps maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8-1/4 tsp salt

***1/2 tsp maple extract (if you want a stronger maple flavor without thinning it too much)

In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Start adding the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. After about half the powdered sugar, add the cinnamon and salt. Once you've gotten most of the powdered sugar added, begin adding the maple syrup and alternate with the remaining powdered sugar until you've reached a firm but spreadable consistency.

Slather the rolls with icing and top with extra toasted pecans. Enjoy! Store leftovers in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, warm in the microwave in 15 second intervals until warm and the icing is melted.

Apple Spice Cake with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

I love autum. I always have, but that love has definitely intensified througought my adult years. 

In my childhood, fall always meant new beginnings for me. That's when school started and everything was new. New schools, new friends, new relationships. It was a time for beginnings, even as nature began exploding with the colors and smells of dying. 

I love the temperature change, the crispness to the air, and the smell of smoke from fireplaces and outdoor fires. I love carving pumpkins and roasting pumpkin seeds and creating pumpkin treats such as Pumpkin Spice Bread. 

I also love apples - a good crisp sweet and tart apple to enjoy, especially a Granny Smith coated in hard red cinnamon candy... you know, candy apples, and making apple sauce for my daughter with as many varieties of apples as I can get my hands on. The batch I made for her the other day had 10 different apples in it. That is what makes a delicious apple sauce! 

Which leads me to my new adventure - using apples in cakes. Y'all. Seriously. This is a cake you need to make. I use some brown sugar for a more caramel flavor to the cake and a ton of spices, which I love. But if that isn't enough fall goodness for you, I then top the cake with a Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing. Yep. It's a mouthful, but it is amazing. Let me know if you give this cake a try and how you like it!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda 

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp allspice

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups olive oil (vegetable oil works as well; I've just really been enjoying the extra flavor and moisture of olive oil).

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans will work

Another 1/4-1/2 cup nuts for toasting for garnish

3 cups shredded apples - honeycrisp, Granny Smith, gala, Fuji, Macintosh, or pink lady are good options (you have more flexibility here - if you like chunks of apple, just dice these small, or use the large or small shredder depending on the texture you want from your apples. The smaller you shred, the more it will just melt into the cake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a skillet over medium heat, toast pecans until fragrant; shift them around often so that they don't burn. Allow to cool completely. Combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, and spices into a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine all the ingredients together. If your flour is clumpy, you should seriously consider sifting it into your bowl. If you don't you might end up with flour clumps throughout your batter.

Shred the apple. If you want color and more texture, don't peel your apples. If you don't, then peel them. It's your preference here. I ended up peeling two of my apples and not peeling two of them for a bit of color and texture.

Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.

Fold in the apples and nuts until mixed.

Spread batter into a prepared 9x13 or bundt pan. Spray it, use crisco and flour, or use parchment paper.

Bake 35-45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. If baking cupcakes, bake 15-20 minutes until done. It can have a few moist crumbs, but you don't want the toothpick to be wet.

While the cake cools, prepare the frosting.

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz unsalted butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1-1 1/2 tsp maple extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of salt

In a large bowl or stand mixer cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy with the whisk attachment. As with the flour, you might want to sift your confectioner sugar if its clumpy. Add part of the confection sugar and blend in. Add the remaining confectioner sugar and combine. Add the vanilla and maple extracts and the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.Whisk until incorporated; scrape down sides, and then mix some more. Turn speed up to high and whip some air into the frosting until it's light and fluffy. Frost the cake, and then top with toasted pecans. Now, enjoy!