Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls are deliciously fun and festive, making them the perfect fall treat! Buttery crescent rolls are stuffed with a sweet and tangy pumpkin cheesecake filling, then drizzled with cream cheese frosting. They're absolutely irresistible!
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🎃 The Best Pumpkin Stuffed Rolls
These quick and easy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls are perfect for a baking adventure with the family. Store-bought crescent dough is a great supermarket shortcut and super fun for the kids to open! And the tasty filling is simply made from cream cheese, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice. It's fuss-free and effortless, but tastes scrumptious and cozy from the warm spices.
Once baked, the pumpkin crescent rolls are golden and lightly crunchy on the outside, but soft, fluffy, and buttery on the inside. The pumpkin cheesecake flavor isn't too sweet, making these suitable for both breakfast and dessert. They're also perfect for Thanksgiving or as a snack before trick-or-treating on Halloween!
For more delicious fall treats, try Pumpkin Protein Balls, No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, or Caramel Apple Popcorn!
Why You'll Love It
- Versatile: These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls can be served anytime of the day. They're great for breakfast or dessert, or as an on-the-go snack. They'd also be delicious holiday appetizers or side dishes!
- Quick and easy: Use pre-made refrigerated crescent rolls to save time and effort. This recipe is simple and straightforward - perfect for beginners!
- Perfect for the holidays: These filled rolls are the quintessential fall recipe. They're a favorite during the holidays too, especially on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The orange swirl on the inside is as beautiful as it is tasty!
🧂 Ingredients
- Cream cheese: I recommend full-fat blocks of cream cheese for the best quality. Take them out of the refrigerator about 1 hour in advance so they can reach room temperature.
- Canned pumpkin puree: Make sure to use purée and not pumpkin pie filling. The ingredients should be 100% pumpkin.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Usually a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. You can buy it or make your own.
- White sugar: You can use any type of granulated sweetener here.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a sweet floral taste and aroma.
- Crescent roll dough: My favorite brands are Trader Joe's, Annie's Homegrown, or Pillsbury. Keep them refrigerated until you're ready to stuff and roll them.
- Melted butter: Helps create a nice golden brown and crunchy exterior. I recommend using unsalted butter.
- Salt: A must, even in your desserts.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: Gives the glaze a mild tanginess. Again, make sure it's at room temperature to ensure a smooth glaze.
- Powdered (confectioner's) sugar: Sift the sugar to remove any clumps.
- Milk: Thins out the glaze. Adjust it to your preferred level of thickness.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you can't find crescent roll dough, use pie dough in its place. Roll it out and use a pizza cutter to make 8 triangles. Use boxed instructions to follow baking temperature and time. They won't be as fluffy but it'll still taste delicious.
- Substitute white sugar with an equal amount of coconut, brown, or palm sugar.
- Feel free to skip the frosting and simply dust powdered sugar over the top. Or make a simple glaze with just powdered sugar and milk.
- To make this gluten-free, you can use Mom's Place Gluten Free Crescent Roll Mix to make your own.
- To make this vegan and/or dairy-free, use vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, and nut milk as substitutes. Most of the crescent rolls I've used are also vegan but double check the ingredients to be sure.
👩🏻🍳 How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.
STEP ONE: First, preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone mat.
Then in a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
STEP TWO: Add the pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk again until combined.
STEP THREE: Open and unfurl the crescent roll dough. Place a dollop of filling (about 2 tsp) in the center and use a spoon or spatula to spread it across the triangle.
STEP FOUR: Tightly roll, starting at the wide end, until the tapered end sits in the middle. Place the crescent roll, seam side down, on the baking sheet.
I like to make an assembly line for this part. So divide the filling equally amongst all the pieces of dough, then schmear all at once, and finish by rolling each one.
STEP FIVE: Brush each roll with a generous amount of melted butter.
STEP SIX: Next, combine pumpkin pie spice and sugar together in a bowl. Sprinkle over the crescent rolls and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and puffy. Let cool if you're planning to glaze with frosting.
STEP SEVEN: While the pumpkin cream cheese crescent rolls are baking, make the frosting. Whisk together cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and milk. Add as much milk as needed until you reach your desired consistency. Drizzle the rolls lightly and/or serve the frosting on the side.
💭 Top Tips
- To prevent lumps, take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 1-2 hours before you start. Room temperature ingredients will create a smoother, more integrated filling.
- If your crescent roll dough is very sticky, lightly dust your work area with flour.
- Make an assembly line when stuffing the rolls. First, dollop some filling onto each piece of dough. Then schmear it across, followed by rolling and brushing with butter. Focusing on one step at a time (rather than doing each crescent roll one-by-one) will save you time.
- Roll the stuffed crescent dough at a slight angle so the narrow tapered end will be in the middle. Also, roll tightly to prevent air pockets and tuck the pointed ends to form a crescent moon shape.
- Let the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls cool completely before glazing them. The heat can "melt" the frosting and cause it to slide off the crescent rolls.
- If you plan to frost all the croissants, double the cream cheese frosting recipe. You can also serve it on the size so guests can customize the amount of glaze they want.
🥡 Storing & Freezing
Storing: I recommend storing the rolls and frosting separately. Let the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls cool completely. Then store in an air-tight container or zip-top bag (with as much air squeezed out as possible. Meanwhile, store the frosting in an air-tight container or jar. Both will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: These mini croissants freeze great but I'd recommend freezing without the frosting. Place baked rolls in a zipper-top bag with as much air removed as possible. They'll last in the freezer for 3 months.
Reheating: If frozen, let the crescent rolls thaw overnight first. For a softer texture, reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. For a crispy exterior, bake or air fry at 300º for 3-5 minutes or until warm.
Make Ahead: These are great to make 2-3 days in advance. Bake as instructed but wait to glaze them. Then pop them in the oven at 300ºF to lightly toast for 5-10 minutes.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Though they are prepared and shaped similarly, they are different from each other. While crescent rolls are made of yeasted dough, croissants are made of several layers of dough and butter to make it flaky and extra crispy.
Yes! Store it in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container. If you have a lot, I recommend dividing the purée into smaller portions so you don't have to repeatedly thaw and freeze it.
The "Best By" date indicates 3 months after the dough has been made. If the tube is unopened, the dough is still safe to eat 2 months after the date. If it's open, the dough will dry out and should be used within 3 days. Also, don't leave the dough unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.
🍽 Looking For More Pumpkin Recipes?
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📋 Recipe
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tbsp + ¾ tsp white granulated sugar divided
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin purée
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice divided
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone mat.
- Whip cream cheese and 2 tablespoon sugar until softened and smooth. Then add pumpkin purée, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
- Open, unroll, and separate dough from both cans of crescent rolls. Place about 2 teaspoon of pumpkin filling onto the middle of the widest part of the dough. Use a spoon or spatula to schmear it towards the tip, leaving a border around the edges.
- Starting at the widest end, tightly roll each one at an angle so the tip ends up in the center. Place each roll onto the lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one, and fold ends in to form a crescent moon shape.
- Brush each crescent roll with melted butter. Then in a small bowl, mix together ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ¾ teaspoon sugar. Sprinkle mixture on top of the crescent rolls.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Whisk together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Add more milk until the frosting is drizzable. Once the crescent rolls are cooled, drizzle frosting over the top or serve on the side.
Notes
- To prevent lumps, take the cream cheese out of the fridge about 1-2 hours before you start.
- Make an assembly line to make it easier. First, dollop some filling onto each piece of dough. Then schmear each one, followed by rolling and brushing with butter. Dividing the steps rather than doing each crescent roll one-by-one will save you time.
- If you plan to frost all the croissants, double the cream cheese frosting recipe. You can also serve it on the size so guests can customize the amount of glaze they want.
- Substitutions:
- Substitute white sugar with an equal amount of coconut, brown, or palm sugar.
- Skip the frosting and simply dust powdered sugar over the top. Or make a simple glaze with just powdered sugar and milk.
- To make this gluten-free, you can use Mom's Place Gluten Free Crescent Roll Mix to make your own.
- To make this vegan and/or dairy-free, use vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, and nut milk as substitutes. Most of the crescent rolls I've used are also vegan but double check the ingredients to be sure.
Anne
I love this time of year because I love pumpkin. This recipe looks awesome, so I am headed to Target tomorrow to get what I need to make them. Yum!!!
Jessica
I couldn't agree more! Can't wait to hear what you think of them!