Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

5 from 3 votes
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Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls mimic the flavour and texture of homemade cinnamon buns. King’s Hawaiian rolls have a unique sweetness and fluffy texture which creates the perfect base. Looking for more fall inspired sweet treats? Try my Pumpkin Banana Bread, or Apple Cake.

cinnamon hawaiian rolls

Let’s face it, homemade cinnamon buns are a ton of work. While there is a time and place to make them, sometimes it’s nice to have a quick, delicious and indulgent recipe that mimics the texture and flavours of homemade cinnamon buns. King’s Hawaiian Rolls have the perfect sweetness and pillowy texture and the result is a delightful combination of warm, gooey goodness topped with a simple pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Each bite is truly irresistible.

Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls at a glance

  • Easy prep: these rolls are ready to go, and skip the hassle of making dough from scratch.
  • Top notch flavour: these rolls have a natural sweetness which enhances the cinnamon and pumpkin flavours.
  • Delicious texture: light, airy, and perfectly fluffy. Similar to the inside of a cinnamon bun.
  • Versatile: easily customize with your favourite icing, or nuts.
  • Crowd pleaser: family gatherings, pot lucks, brunch or just because, these are easy enough to make for any occassion.
  • Easy cleanup: few dishes for this one, and we love that.
hawaiian rolls

Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make my Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls. For the exact detailed measurements and ingredients, scroll to the bottom of this page to review my recipe card.

  • King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls 
  • Butter
  • Confectioners sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Pure pumpkin
  • Maple syrup
  • Vanilla
  • Cinnamon
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Cream cheese

Looking for more dessert recipes? 

If you enjoyed this recipe, take a look at a few of my personal favourite desserts down below:

Substitutions & FAQ’s

Can I add nuts to this recipe?
Of course! Pecans or walnuts would pair well. I recommend adding the nuts to the cinnamon/butter mixture.
Do I need to use King’s Hawaiian Rolls?
If you can’t find them, other dinner rolls will work! The reason I like the King’s Hawaiian Rolls are because they have a subtle sweetness to them, which makes them perfect for this recipe.

Did you like this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving me a 5 star rating and review, it means so much to me!

cinnamon buns
5 from 3 votes

Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

By Sammy Montgoms
Cinnamon Hawaiian Rolls mimic the flavour and texture of homemade cinnamon buns. King's Hawaiian rolls have a unique sweetness and fluffy texture that allows every roll to taste just like the centre piece of a cinnamon bun.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients 

  • 1 package King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls, 12 in total
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, aka: powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, don't pack it down
  • 1 tbsp pure pumpkin
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • cups cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar, aka: powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tbsp pure pumpkin

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the butter, confectioners sugar, brown sugar, pure pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Very lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan.
    Cut the rolls in half (horizontally) and place the bottom half of the rolls in the baking pan.
  • Spread half of the mixture onto the rolls.
  • Add the top half back onto the bottom half of the rolls, and spread the remaining mixture evenly over the top of the rolls.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden in color.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin cream cheese frosting by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and mixing really well until you reach a smooth consistency.
    Sammy's tip: if you want a thinner frosting add a splash of milk.
  • Allow the rolls to cool for at least 10 minutes before evenly spreading the frosting all over the rolls.
  • Slice, serve, and enjoy.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Sammy Montgoms
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Course: baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 rolls

Let’s stay connected!

Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest! Also, if you do make this recipe (or any recipe of mine for that matter) be sure to tag #sammymontgoms so I can see your re-creations!

About Sammy Montgoms

I am so glad you are here. I am a BIG foodie gal. I am one of those people who lives to eat, rather than eats to live. I love to create nostalgic Italian dishes (especially pasta), but I also love to whip up simple and quick recipes for my family. Hopefully, my page inspires you to do the same. Thank you for being here, and happy eating!

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I rarely leave comments on recipes because I usually play around with them so much. I made these today to test before a party this weekend and they are AMAZING. The absolutely taste like the best part of a cinnamon roll without all the work.

    1. Hi Cherise- well THANK YOU for leaving this recipe a review! I SOOOOO appreciate it! So happy you loved the recipe! -Sammy

  2. 5 stars
    This was met by RAVE REVIEWS by the teenagers in our Church. They were easy to make and absolutely delicious. They’ll be a repeat recipe for sure. Thank you!

    1. Hi Sarah- this makes me SO happy! If you don’t mind leaving me a star rating for the recipe – I would so appreciate it! – Sammy

  3. 5 stars
    Amazing but mine didn’t look like the picture at all. Probably could have halved the cream cheese icing recipe and had enough. The bread without the icing is also really good!

    1. Hi Candace! Thank you for making the recipe! Yes, without the icing it’s still really delicious. We like a lot of icing around here lol – sammy