Pumpkin-Shaped Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls (Vegan One-Hour)

These Pumpkin-Shaped Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are fluffy, vegan, egg-free and so delicious. With a pumpkin dough, cinnamon sugar filling and chocolate chunks, they are easy to make in one hour.

If you love my Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls then you are in for a treat with these pumpkin-shaped buns. Inspired by my Chocolate Stuffed Pumpkin Buns, they are carefully and easily shaped into little pumpkins and baked until super fluffy and warming. These buns are spiced, made with real pumpkin and have cinnamon, melting chocolate and sticky glaze in every bite. I love topping these buns with wafer or cinnamon sticks to really make these look like little pumpkins.

Why will I love these buns?

These cinnamon rolls are so fun:

• Delicious, cosy, warming and gooey
• Sticky, pumpkin spiced and nostalgic
• Made with real pumpkin
• Packed with melting chocolate
• Topped with a sticky glaze
• Filled with a lighter cream cheese coconut sugar filling
• Shaped like little pumpkins
• Easy to make
• Ready in about one hour (minimal kneading and proofing time)
• Great for Halloween and all year round
• Naturally vegan, egg-free and dairy-free

If you already love the sound of these buns then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, read on to discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

The ingredient list is pretty simple and you can see my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section and find full weights in the recipe card below.

For the dough:

• Plant-based milk: use your preferred dairy-free milk like organic soya, oat, almond or coconut (from the carton).
• Vegan butter: this melts into the milk to make a base for this enriched dough that is so tasty and melts in your mouth.
• Coconut sugar: to lightly sweeten the dough. You can use light brown or caster sugar, too.
• Fast action yeast: for the rise.
• Plain and strong flour: I use a mix of plain white and strong white bread flour to create a lovely soft and supple dough. I do not think these will work with gluten-ree flours.
• Pumpkin pie spices: to make these really cosy. You can also just use cinnamon, some ginger and mixed spices if you prefer.
• Salt: for the flavour and yeast.
• Pumpkin puree: I used 100% pumpkin puree from a tin which is so easy and creates the perfect dough. I know that all pumpkin puree tins will vary so I have linked below the brand that I use.

For the filling:

• Vegan cream cheese: I am obsessed with the Cocos Organic creamy spread which is tangy, super smooth and great for gut health. It is also made with minimal ingredients which I love.
• Coconut sugar: as above.
• Cinnamon: for flavour.
• Cornstarch: to thicken the mix as it bakes, helping absorb any excess liquid.
• Dark chocolate: chop up your favourite bar of dark chocolate, or use chocolate chips, to sprinkle over the dough. Dairy-free milk chocolate will also work.

For the glaze and decoration:

• Icing sugar: also known as powdered sugar, mixed with water and drizzled over these buns makes for the perfect bake.
• Wafer biscuit sticks or cinnamon sticks: to add into the middle to bring these pumpkins to life.

Are these gluten-free and nut-free?

These are not gluten-free, but try my No Yeast Pumpkin Buns which can be made without gluten. These are naturally nut-free, just check all of your ingredients.

How do I make them?

These are simple to make when you know how:

• Warm the milk and butter: whisk in the sugar and sprinkle over the yeast. Allow to bloom for 5 minutes.
• Stir together all the dough ingredients: and then knead for 1minute until soft.
• Allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes: it won’t double but it will increase in volume.
• Mix together the ingredients for the filling: until smooth.
• Roll out the dough: to a large rectangle.
• Spread over the filling and sprinkle on the chocolate: leaving a small border around the edges.
• Trim the dough and slice into strips: about 7 or 8 of them.
• Roll up each strip into a cinnamon roll: you can now leave them as they are and bake as rolls or shape them into pumpkins.
• Use a long piece of food-safe string: this prevents it sticking to the dough.
• Place the cinnamon roll in the middle of the string: and bring the ends up, cross them over and bring back down to shape the dough into four equal pieces.
• Flip the bun upside down: and bring the string up to the centre and back down to cut one ¼ into half.
• Flip back over and bring the string up and cross over: to divide the bun into 8 equal parts.
• Secure the string with a knot: making sure the string isn’t too tight, but just touching the dough.
• Place on a parchment lined tray: brush with milk and bake for 22 minutes or until golden and puffy.
• Allow to cool and then drizzle with icing sugar: and add a wafer or cinnamon stick.

How long will they last?

These are best eaten on the same day but will keep in a sealed container for 1-2 days at room temperature is fine.

What else can I bake?

If you’re looking for other cosy bakes, how about:

• Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
• Orange Curd Air Fryer Baked Vegan Donuts
• Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls
• Vegan Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls

Shop the recipe

Stay in touch

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Pumpkin-Shaped Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With pumpkin buns of love x