Pumpkin Roll Recipe (classic holiday dessert)

This Pumpkin Roll Recipe combines a moist pumpkin cake with a fluffy cream cheese filling, perfect for fall or holiday celebrations.

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There’s something magical about a dessert that looks fancy but isn’t hard. This pumpkin roll hits that sweet spot. Soft, spiced pumpkin cake rolled up with creamy filling = crowd‑pleaser. Plus, a little tip will help you roll it without cracking (yes, you can do this!). Whether you’re baking for Thanksgiving, a holiday party, or just because you need pumpkin in your life, this one’s going to shine.

How to make a pumpkin roll

First, gather your ingredients.

Ingredients

For best taste, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to. 

To make this pumpkin roll recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Cake

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Salt
• Eggs (room temperature)
• Granulated sugar
• Canned pumpkin purée
• Powdered sugar (for dusting the towel)

For the Cream Cheese Filling

• Cream cheese (softened)
• Butter (softened)
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar (for garnish, optional)

Want to switch things up or need to make this pumpkin roll work with what you’ve got? No problem! You can use homemade pumpkin purée instead of canned! Just make sure it’s not too watery. If you’re out of pumpkin pie spice, mix your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of cloves. For a slightly lighter version, try using Neufchâtel cheese instead of full-fat cream cheese in the filling.

Feeling adventurous? Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter before baking for a little crunch. You can even sprinkle nuts on the filling before rolling it up. For a flavor twist, swap out the vanilla extract with maple or almond extract. And if you’re gluten-free, a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend may work. Just be gentle with the cake, as it may be more delicate when rolling.

Making Our Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Our Pumpkin Roll Recipe is simple and can be made in just a few steps. Here is how to make it.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a 10×15 inch sheet pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. I like to spray the pan with cooking spray then add the parchment paper to help it stay in place.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until a thick yellow batter forms. Then beat in pumpkin until fully combined.

Stir in the flour mixture to combine it well with the rest of the ingredients.

Spread the pumpkin cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. You can use an offset spatula if you have one to smooth out the cake batter. A large metal spoon also works great.

Bake the cake in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched. Meanwhile, take a clean, thin kitchen towel, lay it out onto a flat surface and dust it with powdered sugar all over. It doesn’t need to be overly covered in sugar, just a nice thin layer is fine. This is where you will put the cake after it is done baking.

Once the cake is done baking, immediately loosen and lift it out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper and place the warm cake onto a cooling wire rack, leaving it on the parchment paper.

Then use the cooling rack to help you invert the cake carefully onto the sugared kitchen towel and very carefully peel off the parchment paper by lifting it while also lightly pressing the cake down so it doesn’t crack.

Then turn the cake so the narrow end is facing you and carefully and tightly roll it up in the towel. This will help it form that perfect pumpkin roll shape. Place the cake onto the cooling rack so that it can cool completely to room temperature.

Making the cream cheese filling

This pumpkin roll recipe uses a classic cream cheese icing/ filling. Once the cake has fully cooled you can make the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium size mixing bowl and beat it with a hand mixer until it is fully incorporated.

Add in the powdered sugar and whisk until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and keep whisking for 30 seconds or so to blend it in.

Assembling pumpkin roll

The next step in this pumpkin roll recipe is to carefully unroll the pumpkin cake using the kitchen towel to guide you. Go slow so you don’t break the cake. The reason for rolling it up is to allow it to retain that rolled shape while it cools so it will roll up more easily once you add the creamy filling.

Spread a nice, even, thick layer of the cream cheese mixture all over the cake to cover the entire cake. You can use an offset spatula or a rubber spatula to do this.

Now re-roll the cake into a nice, tight log. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour, allowing it to set. This will help the cake remain intact when you slice it.

Garnish and serve

After an hour it is time to unwrap the cake and slice it. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, unwrap it and use a serrated knife to slice off the ends of the cake. Then slice it into 1 – 1.5 inch slices. Make sure to clean off your knife after each slice to allow it to slice more easily.

Sprinkle the slices of cake roll with more powdered sugar and serve! The powdered sugar will dissolve quickly so it is best to sprinkle the cake with the powdered sugar right before you serve it.

Y’all enjoy the classic pumpkin roll recipe, and be sure and let me know if you try it. And be sure and check out my dessert recipe archives here for more yummy treats.

Leftovers

Be sure and store any leftover pumpkin roll in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Always use common sense and good judgment when it comes to leftovers, though! If something looks or smells funky, don’t eat it.

I hope y’all enjoy this homemade pumpkin roll recipe! Let me know if you try it.

More Recipes Like This

• No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
• Vegan Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Vegan Pumpkin Bread
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Muffins
• Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

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5 from 3 votes

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Pumpkin Roll Recipe

This pumpkin roll recipe makes the yummiest dessert for the holidays, and it is pretty simple to make.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pumpkin roll, pumpkin roll recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Cooling + chilling time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 10 slices

Calories 341 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

For the cake

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar – for dusting

For the cream cheese filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for garnish if desired

Instructions

Making the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a 10×15 inch sheet pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. I like to spray the pan with cooking spray then add the parchment paper to help it stay in place.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
3. In a larger mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until a thick yellow batter forms. Then beat in pumpkin until fully combined. Stir in the flour mixture to combine it well with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Spread the pumpkin cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. You can use an offset spatula if you have one to smooth out the cake batter. A large metal spoon also works great.
5. Bake the cake in the middle rack of the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
6. Meanwhile, take a clean, thin kitchen towel, lay it out onto a flat surface and dust it with powdered sugar all over. It doesn’t need to be overly covered in sugar, just a nice thin layer is fine. This is where you will put the cake after it is done baking.
7. Once the cake is done baking, immediately loosen and lift it out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper and place it onto a cooling rack, leaving it on the parchment paper.
8. Then use the cooling rack to help you invert the cake carefully onto the sugared kitchen towel and very carefully peel off the parchment paper by lifting it while also lightly pressing the cake down so it doesn’t crack.
9. Then turn the cake so the narrower end is facing you and carefully and tightly roll it up in the towel. This will help it form that roll cake shape. Place the cake onto the cooling rack so that it can cool completely.

Making the cream cheese icing/ filling

1. Once the cake has fully cooled you can make the cream cheese icing. Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium size mixing bowl and beat it with a hand mixer until it is fully incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and keep whisking for 30 seconds or so to blend it in.

Assemble the pumpkin roll

1. Carefully unroll the pumpkin cake using the kitchen towel to guide you. Go slow so you don’t break the cake. The reason for rolling it up is to allow it to retain that rolled shape while it cools so it will roll up more easily once you add the frosting.
2. Spread a nice, even, thick layer of the frosting all over the cake to cover the entire cake. You can use an offset spatula or a rubber spatula to do this.
3. Now re-roll the cake into a nice, tight log. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour so it can set up. This will help the cake remain intact when you slice it.
4. After an hour it is time to unwrap the cake and slice it. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, unwrap it and use a serrated knife to slice off the ends of the cake. Then slice it into 1 – 1.5 inch slices. Make sure to clean off your knife after each slice to allow it to slice more easily.
5. Sprinkle the slices of cake with more powdered sugar and serve! The powdered sugar will dissolve quickly so it is best to sprinkle the cake with the powdered sugar right before you serve it.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Nutrition Facts

Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 92mg31%

Sodium 266mg12%

Potassium 118mg3%

Carbohydrates 47g16%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 38g42%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 3128IU63%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 48mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Pumpkin roll originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy November 1, 2021.