Pumpkin Twists

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These pumpkin twists are packed with pumpkin spice and topped off with a gorgeous cream cheese frosting. Your home will be filled with the best pumpkin scent and the whole family will absolutely love snacking on these twists all fall season! Enjoy these twisty delights for a sweet breakfast treat or as a dessert after dinner.

My husband was the inspiration behind these pumpkin twists. He wanted to make a pumpkin roll but thought twists would be even better! I ran with the idea and came up with this super fun and delicious pumpkin twist recipe. These twists take some time to make but I promise, they are beyond worth the effort!

Overhead view of pumpkin twists fresh from the oven.

*Originally published October 2015. Photos and text updated.*

These twists are the perfect sweet fall comfort food. Looking to serve dinner before your guests devour these pumpkin twists? Try making this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping or Hearty Beef Stew to stick with the comfort food theme!

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH – warm milk, dry active yeast, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, large egg, melted butter, all purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Adding canned pumpkin to this dough gives these twists a beautiful color, flavor, and texture.

FILLING – softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. The filling is what takes these twists to the next level of pumpkin spice.

ICING – softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. Simple and delicious!

Overhead view of all the ingredients needed.

HOW TO:

DOUGH:

First, combine the milk, yeast, and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and let it stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast activates and gets foamy on top.

Next, add the pumpkin, egg, and butter. Mix to combine, then add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix just until combined then mix using the dough hook for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 25 minutes.

Punch down the dough to remove the air and place it on a lightly floured work surface.

Finally, roll the dough into a 24″x12″ rectangle.

FILLING:

First, brush the dough with the softened butter and sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice on top.

Then, fold the dough in half and cut into 1″ strips to get 24 strips. Pinch the loose end together and twist it a couple of times and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat for remaining strips.

Bake your pumpkin twists for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden, then remove from the oven and let them cool before drizzling with icing.

ICING:

Combine all the icing ingredients until smooth and drizzle over cooled twists.

Four pictures showing how to make the dough.
Six pictures showing how to roll the dough and shape into twists.

Tips and variations:

  • Don’t have a sweet tooth like me? Make these twists without the frosting. They will be just as pumpkiny and delicious, just less sweet.
  • Ran out of pumpkin pie spice? Believe it or not, it’s super easy to make your own! Here is how to make an easy homemade pumpkin pie spice.
  • Add a little crunch to your twists by adding nuts. I would probably use crushed walnuts or pecans.
  • Looking for something along the lines of a cinnamon roll? Try this Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll recipe. They are equally as delicious and fall flavored!
  • Not so crazy about pumpkin? That’s okay, you can try these Cinnamon Twists instead!
  • Enjoy this pumpkin treat all winter long! You can store these delicious twists in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Overhead view of pumpkin twists with cream cheese frosting drizzled over them.

Frequently asked questions:

  • What can I serve with these Pumpkin Twists?

    Personally, I would eat these Pumpkin Twists with a hot coffee, hot cocoa or a tall glass of milk. If you want to stick with the fall vibe, serve these twists with some Homemade Apple Cider.
  • Can I store these twists in the fridge?

    Don’t store your twists in the fridge. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days and if they last longer (highly doubtful) you can store them in the freezer.

Other pumpkin recipes you might like:

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Overhead view of pumpkin twists with cream cheese frosting drizzled over them.

Pumpkin Twists

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Rolls
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon twists, pumpkin cinnamon twists
These Pumpkin Twists are a wonderful breakfast treat, full of pumpkin and spice. Then drizzled with a cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes
Servings: 24 twists
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
Print Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients

DOUGH:

  • cup (160ml) warm milk (at about 110°F)
  • teaspoons dry active yeast
  • ¼ cup (45g) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (220g) canned pumpkin
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 4 cups (525g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

ICING:

  • 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1⅔ cups (175g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

DOUGH:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the milk, yeast, and brown sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy on top.
  • Add the pumpkin, egg, and butter. Mix to combine. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix just until combined then mix using the dough hook for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 25 minutes.
  • Punch down the dough to remove the air and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to a 24"x12" rectangle.

FILLING:

  • Brush the dough with the softened butter and sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Fold the dough in half (like a hot dog bun: see photos for details) and cut into 1" strips to get 24 strips. Pinch loose end together and twist it a couple of times and place on a baking sheet. Repeat for remaining strips. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool before drizzling with icing.

ICING:

  • Combine all the icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled twists.

Notes

  1. STORAGE: Store twists in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. 
  2. FREEZER FRIENDLY: Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter
  3. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice replace it with the following: ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground clove, and ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1twist | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 1734IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

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