Pumpkin Raisin Cinnamon Rolls

What do you do on a random Tuesday night after being in Salt Lake City for a week...you bake pumpkin cinnamon rolls.  Well you make them on Tuesday night, then you wake up the next morning bake them, glaze them and bring them in to the office.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

Well, its official I have survived another "semester" of meetings.  I don't really know why I had never thought of them this way before.  At work we have meeting "seasons" aka fall and spring that are always just completely jam packed.  Don't get me wrong they can be fun, and my brain definitely works in this weird way too organized sometimes...is constantly trying to think of the smallest details...never stops going kind of way.  So, it works and that's why I really like what I do.  This probably makes zero sense, but yeah...don't judge.

So, what better way to take a break, than to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and these are actually super easy.  I mean seriously though, cinnamon rolls just always used to seem so labor intensive to me, but these come together really easily.  They are moist and cinnamony with just a hint of pumpkin and maple.  They really fill your whole mouth flavor.  These cinnamon rolls will not disappoint and reheat in the microwave perfectly.

Dough formed and ready for rolling.  Making any kind of dough, other than cookie dough, really is scary to me.  I am always worried I am going to over knead it or not knead it enough.  Basically I feel like I am going to screw it up some how.  This is worry free dough though.

Yum, brown sugar cinnamon and raisins.

So, I may have made two batches...one with raisins and one without.  I mean some people don't like raisin and 9 cinnamon rolls was not enough for my office...

Pumpkin Raisin Cinnamon Rolls: (adapted from Peas and Thank You)

*makes approximately 8-9 medium sized cinnamon rolls

Dough:

1 cup soy milk

1 packet rapidrise yeast

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or Earth Balance if you want to keep these Vegan)

2 tablespoons raisins

Maple Glaze:

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. In a "wet" pyrex style measuring cup, heat soy milk for 35 seconds or until warm.  Add one packet of rapidrise yeast, stir well, and set aside for 5-8 minutes.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin spice and salt.

3. Once yeast mixture is bubbly, whisk in pumpkin and let sit for another few minutes.

4.  In a small mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and raisin for filling.

5.  Whisk pumpkin-yeast mixture into dry ingredients.  Once it is too hard to continue whisking, using a spatula fold the dough together, until it forms a ball.  Turn dough out on to floured cutting board.

6.  Gently knead the dough for approximately one minute or until it has come together.  Roll the dough out in to a rectangle until it is a little less than 1/2 inch thick. 

7.  Using a pastry brush, brush dough all over with melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with filling. 

8.  Gently roll the dough and cut into 1 1/2 inch rounds.  Place cinnamon roll into an 8 x 8 inch cake pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

9.  Either cover rolls with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise in the refrigerator overnight, or to bake immediately, let dough rise in a warm place for at least 40 minutes.

10.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 21-23 minutes.

11.  Make glaze while rolls are in the oven, by whisking together maple syrup and powdered sugar.  Drizzle over cinnamon rolls when they come out of the oven.  Enjoy!