Fall Favorite Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Rolls might be the best fall and Thanksgiving dessert there is. With a moist pumpkin cake, fall spices and a sweet cream cheese icing, this dessert is always a crowd favorite!

You can always tell a well loved recipe by the shape of the card. My grandma’s favorite and most used recipes often have food coloring, notes scribbled and maybe a little food splatter here and there. My recipe cards are starting to show the same love and as you can tell below, my pumpkin roll recipe is definitely a fall favorite!

I’ll share the step-by-step account of how to make a pumpkin roll along with a couple of my secrets and tips to make the best pumpkin roll ever. There are quite a few steps to making pumpkin rolls, but don’t let that keep you from trying one! They are easier than they might appear and worth the little bit of extra work! If you’re looking for other delicious pumpkin or Thanksgiving dessert ideas, try our pumpkin bars or grab our fall recipe book for some of our favorite fall treats!

What You Will Need-Grocery List

• Pumpkin Puree
• Eggs
• Granulated Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• All spice
• Cream Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Butter
• Parchment Paper
• Jelly Roll Pan
• Cotton Tea Towel

How to Make a Pumpkin Roll

I have listed in detail all the necessary steps in the recipe below, but one step I would like to clarify is wrapping the cake in the tea towel. Be sure to let your cake cool for about 5 min in the pan while you prepare your tea towel (use a cotton towel, not a terry cloth). Sprinkle the tea towel with powdered sugar and flip the cake over on top of the sugared towel. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and let cool for an additional five minutes before rolling. You will want the cake to still be slightly warm to help prevent the cake from cracking. Roll and chill completely (30 min to an hour) before spreading the cream cheese filling and rolling again.

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Grease and flour one 10×15 inch jelly roll pan. Place a greased and floured piece of parchment paper inside jelly roll pan. Be sure to leave enough parchment paper to cover edges of pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin.
3. In a seperate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda.
4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth.
5. Evenly spread the mixture over the prepared jelly roll pan.
6. Bake 15 minutes in a preheated oven.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle (around five minutes).
8. While the cake is cooling in pan, lay cotton tea towel on counter and sprinkle powdered sugar over top of the towel. Turn cake over so that cake falls on the sugared towel. Cool five additional minutes. Remove parchment paper and roll cake up into the tea towel and chill for 30 min to an hour or until completely cool.
9. Prepare filling by blending together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
10. When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with cream cheese filling. Roll up again without towel.
11. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Best if chilled for at least an hour.
12. When ready to serve, sprinkle the top of the roll with powdered sugar and slice into 8-10 servings.

Storing the Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Rolls are a perfect dessert to make for Thanksgiving! You can make them ahead of time and they freeze perfectly. If serving the same day, be sure you allow yourself enough time to chill the roll before serving. They are best when they have had time to chill in the fridge at least an hour before serving. Wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap and completely cover with foil if not serving same day. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and foil and place in a Freezer ziploc bag. Thaw completely in fridge before serving.

Final Thoughts

Now, it’s time for the best part…sprinkle the top of the roll with powdered sugar, pour yourself a creamy cup of coffee and ENJOY! Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your favorite dessert Pinterest Board or print off the recipe by clicking the recipe card below! If you have any questions or comments…feel free to drop us a line below. I would love to hear from you!