Pumpkin Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls
Prep Time: 35 minutes (excludes 2 hours of rising time)
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 12 rolls
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Dough:
½ cup Zeal Creamery Whole Milk, warmed to 110°F
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ cup Zeal Creamery Unsalted Butter, cut into ½-inch cubes & softened
For the Chocolate Hazelnut Filling:
1 ⅔ cups light brown sugar, packed
½ cup Zeal Creamery Unsalted Butter, melted
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped
For the Whipped Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 Tablespoons Zeal Creamery Whole Milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Line a 9-in x 13in pan with parchment paper and generously spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Make the pumpkin dough: To a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the warmed milk and yeast. Whisk to combine and let sit for 5 minutes. Add flour, eggs, granulated sugar, pumpkin, cornstarch, and salt to the bowl.
Turn to medium speed and mix until dough comes together (it will look shaggy). Continue to mix dough and slowly add softened butter, one piece at a time until all butter is incorporated.
Turn to medium-high and mix until dough forms a ball around the center of the dough hook and is smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes.
Remove dough from mixer and shape into a ball. Transfer dough to a medium mixing bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until dough has doubled in size, 1-1.5 hours.
Just before you’re ready to shape the rolls (about 5 minutes before they’re done rising), make the chocolate hazelnut filling: To a small mixing bowl, add light brown sugar, melted butter, cocoa powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, salt, cloves, and ginger. Use a fork to combine. Set aside.
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release air. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 16-inch square.
Sprinkle filling over the top. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread filling to edges.
Sprinkle chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts over the filling.
Starting with the end nearest you, roll dough into a tight coil, pressing lightly to seal, making sure there are no gaps. Using a sharp knife, cut log into 12 even rolls (each will be about 1 ¾ -inch thick). Transfer rolls, cut-side up, to prepared pan, arranging in 4 rows of 3, spacing rolls ½-inch apart.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional hour (Note: rolls won’t double in size, but will puff and expand slightly).
Bake rolls until they’re a deep golden brown and the sugar filling starts to caramelize a bit, 25-30 minutes.
While the rolls are baking, make the icing: To a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, add cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt. Turn to medium-high and whip until light and smooth.
Turn mixer to low and slowly add in powdered sugar. Turn to high and whip until light and creamy (Note: if the icing seems thick, add more milk a Tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency).
Once rolls are done baking, remove from oven and set on a wire baking rack. Spread icing evenly over tops of rolls. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
To toast hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter nuts onto parchment paper. Bake until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a baking rack.
Baked cinnamon rolls will keep in an airtight container stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
It’s important to make the filling close to the assembly time of the rolls. If the filling sits for too long, it will tear the dough when you try to spread it.
Once rolls have been filled, sliced, and placed in the pan, they can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before baking. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours, then bake as directed.