Any morning that starts with a slice of giant cinnamon roll is going to be good. If it is a big pumpkin skillet cinnamon roll with maple brown butter glaze, it is sure to be great!

A big cast iron skillet filled with a giant warm pumpkin cinnamon roll is a thing of glory. Drizzle it with maple brown butter glaze to take it to the next level of wonderful. This is a perfect way to start a fall morning. It would be a wonderful breakfast for Thanksgiving as well!
A special breakfast sets a day off on the right foot. It is a sign of good things to come.
I love making great big cinnamon rolls that are as big as my large cast iron skillet. It’s almost like a cinnamon roll cake.

It makes a statement and allows you to cut as little or big of a slice as you’d like. I have done several versions over the years, but this pumpkin spice version is one of my favorites.
When Tara from Tara’s Multicultural Table asked if I would like to be a part of a virtual baby shower for Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook, I jumped at the chance.
Then I heard that she is due in November and Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday, so we were going to do Thanksgiving themed recipes. My mind really got going then!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday too! I love the food, the family and the football! I thought about doing one of the classics.
I couldn’t commit to any of them. My family’s Thanksgiving spread is usually enormous; Turkey, a rice stuffing, oyster stuffing, stove top stuffing, sweet potato casserole, candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows, baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, green beans, corn, three day rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, the famous frozen fruit salad.
Then of course there is dessert, last year there were no less than 8 pies, a cake and some cookies. You know we love our pie after our pecan pie throw down this summer, but I didn’t want to revisit that.
And of course there are always the egg noodles, we used to always have them on Thanksgiving and now normally have them the weekend after.

It is WAY to hard to pick just one of those things to share. So, I decided to focus on a great Thanksgiving morning breakfast.
This is a great way to get a little of that sweet pumpkin fix in the morning. People can cut a slice as they wake up and it will help hold them over until the big meal.
The pumpkin roll is delicious on it’s own, but in my opinion the maple browned sugar glaze really sets it over the top. My first thought was I would do a cream cheese glaze, but MiMi said that was too obvious.
She mentioned browned butter, I twisted it with some maple and a masterpiece was born! The warmth of the maple and browned butter just melt into the pumpkin pie spiced filling and it almost melts in your mouth.
I hope Lauren enjoys this slice of cinnamon roll and has a chance to kick her feet up for a few minutes to enjoy her virtual shower. It sounds like this Thanksgiving will be extra special with a new little bundle of joy to be thankful for!

I love making big skillet cinnamon type rolls like this for several reasons. The first is they are really eye catching.
The giant size and all of those rings make for a fun presentation. Plus you can cut whatever size piece you’d like.
Sometimes single cinnamon rolls are oversized, which is usually a good thing in my eyes. However if there is a selection of other food you’d like to try, committing to something that large can be difficult.
So a big skillet roll or cinnamon roll cake allows you to cut whatever size slice you’d like. A small one to save room for turkey later, or a large one to hold you over to a later lunch.
This particular version is delicious with the pumpkin mixed into the dough and the pumpkin spice filling. It really reminds me of fall with all of its warmth and goodness.
Of course I am a sucker for all things frosting and glaze. The brown butter and maple carry that warmth all the way through and the glaze helps give the whole thing that sweet sticky goodness that a cinnamon roll should have.
If you like big cinnamon rolls, you are going to love my strawberries and cream skillet roll. It is based on a similar idea but filled with cream cheese and strawberry filling. I also have a recipe for a whole wheat skillet cinnamon roll that is delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Skillet Cinnamon Roll with Maple Brown Butter Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Dough
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
Pumpkin Spice Filling
- 4 Tablespoon butter softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Maple Brown Butter Glaze
- ½ cup butter
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the milk until scalded. (You want it to get pretty warm, but not boil. Once it gets steamy it should be ready.) Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
- Meanwhile, in your mixer bowl stir together the flour (start with three cups, you can add more later if you need it), sugar, pumpkin pie spice and yeast.
- Using the dough hook, go ahead and mix in the pumpkin, salt and egg. (A mixing bowl and spoon really work just as easily)
- Check your milk mixture to be sure it isn’t too hot (you don’t want to kill the yeast. It can be hotter than warm but not burn you hot. You with me?) If it isn’t too hot, slowly drizzle it into your dough mixture with the hook going on slow.
- Check your consistency. Add a little more flour or milk if it needs it.
- Turn the mixer to medium and let it knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. (Sometimes I really love doing this part by hand, sometimes I am glad for the help!)
- Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, it took mine about an hour and a half.
- Roll your dough out into a large rectangle about 1/2″ thick.
- Spread very soft butter over the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Dust with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
- Cut dough into 1-2″ strips. Carefully roll one strip like you would a cinnamon roll to start the center of your skillet roll. Place in the middle of a greased 10-12″ cast iron skillet.
- Gently place the other strips around the center to make one large cinnamon roll. Don’t worry about making it perfect or getting them too tight. The roll will push out as it rises.
- I made my dough the night before, so I wrapped the skillet in plastic wrap at this point and placed it in the fridge. You could also just wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rise right away. Either way, it should double in size again before it is baked. This should take about another hour in a warm spot without being refrigerated, a bit longer if they are starting cold. I went ahead and preheated my oven to 200 F, turned it off and stuck the roll in the oven to rise to make it go a little faster.
- Preheat the oven to 375 (don’t forget to take the skillet out of you let it rise in there!) and remove the plastic wrap. Bake the roll for about 15-20 minutes. You want it to start getting a little golden, but you don’t want it to go too far. Soft and luscious is better!
- Remove from oven and make your glaze while it starts to cool.
- In thick bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, syrup, salt and milk. You can add more milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over roll while still warm. This is best eaten still warm from the oven with a gooey glaze. Leftovers are good too, just give them a little zap in the microwave and they’ll be almost as good as new!
Video
Nutrition

Amy
Sunday 25th of October 2020
This sounds so good! We really love pumpkin at our house and we love cinnamon rolls so both of those together sound fabulous.
Carlee
Sunday 8th of November 2020
This is a great mix of the two!
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Friday 29th of November 2019
This looks delicious. I have never veered away from the traditional cinnamon roll flavors. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Carlee
Wednesday 18th of December 2019
It's fun to change things up a little every now and then!
Shannon @ Of The Hearth
Tuesday 26th of November 2019
Wow! This sounds amazing. My daughters love cinnamon rolls and pumpkin. I love maple. I think this one will be a winner! Pinned.
Carlee
Wednesday 18th of December 2019
It's something for everyone, enjoy!
Andrea Nine
Tuesday 26th of November 2019
My pumpkin spice loving tastebuds are so happy seeing this. I am making it for sure! YUM!
Carlee
Wednesday 18th of December 2019
You are going to love it!
Jan
Saturday 14th of November 2015
If there was a winner for the whole internet, I think you may have just won! YUM! Thanks for sharing at Country Fair Blog Party! Seriously! I have a cast iron skillet now that needs to be used for this recipe! I can't wait for our December Party to see what you share next! Jan @ Tip Garden
Carlee
Saturday 14th of November 2015
Ha! Thank you so much! That is too funny! I love baking in my cast iron as much as I like to use it to cook. And cinnamon rolls are always popular! Thanks so much for stopping by, I can't wait for the December party!