Pumpkin Streusel Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

For the rolls:
Cut half of the butter into fairly thin slices and place in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Place milk in a small saucepan and set over moderately high heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. Pour milk into the bowl with the butter and whisk until butter is completely melted. Whisk in sugar until combined.

If mixture is still above lukewarm (which it most likely will be), whisk in ½ cup of the flour until combined. Sprinkle in yeast and briefly whisk. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes, until foamy.

Whisk in pumpkin puree until combined. Attach bowl to stand mixer and using the dough hook on low speed (the speed I used was around level 3), add eggs, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, or until dough pulls away from sides of bowl (if after the first 2–3 minutes of kneading the dough is still too sticky, add about ¼ cup more flour).

Once done kneading, turn mixer off and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place bowl in a warm area and allow dough to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Set out the cream cheese to soften while dough is rising.

About halfway through the rising process, make streusel.

For the Streusel:
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together all ingredients except the butter. Drizzle in melted butter, and stir until thoroughly combined; the mixture should feel clumpy and not sandy when gently squeezed between your fingertips. If mixture is still too dry, add a little more melted butter until you reach the right consistency. Set streusel aside until ready to use.

To assemble:
Take remaining butter and soften in microwave until it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Flour a clean work surface and turn dough onto surface. Fold dough in thirds; turn, and fold into thirds once more, then gently press into a rectangle. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle that is 16 inches wide and 20 inches long.

Cut softened butter into slices and distribute over dough. Use an offset spatula (or a similar tool) to gently spread butter over dough, leaving 1 ½ inch on one side uncovered.

Sprinkle streusel evenly over butter-covered rectangle, breaking up any extra large clumps as you go. Starting at the long edge that is butter/streusel covered, roll the dough as tightly as you can toward the bare edge, forming a log.

Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Use a bench scraper to cut dough into rolls about 1 ½ inch thick (my log yielded a baker’s dozen). Set rolls slightly spaced apart (to allow room for second rise) in prepared pan. Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove plastic from pan and bake cinnamon rolls for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool slightly while you prepare icing.

For the icing:
In a medium-sized bowl, using an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, syrup, and vanilla extract and beat until combined and smooth. The icing will be a relatively thick consistency, so if you prefer yours a bit thinner, add a little bit of milk as well as a little more maple syrup, until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember that the icing will thin slightly on warm rolls.

Spread icing evenly—don’t hold back!—over warm rolls. Serve warm.