We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
This Pumpkin Roll is made with soft pumpkin spice cake wrapped around a thick layer of cream cheese filling. It’s a beautiful dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you’re craving something pumpkin. The best part? This recipe makes two rolls, so you can serve one now and save the other for later!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Life saver! My husband’s favorite dessert is a pumpkin roll and I had no idea how to make it! This was super easy and he said it was delicious!” – Jessica
“So so delicious!! It’s hard to stop eating this!” – Jen
A Fall Favorite Worth Making
Once pumpkin season rolls around, there’s no shortage of recipes to make. There’s pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and plenty more. But a pumpkin roll is a little different. You get that soft, spiced pumpkin cake with a thick swirl of cream cheese filling, and it looks so pretty when you cut into it!
If you’ve never made a cake roll before, don’t let the rolling part scare you off. The trick is knowing when to roll the cake and giving it plenty of time to cool before adding the filling. Once you get that part down, the rest is easy. And since this recipe makes two, it’s especially handy for holiday gatherings.
🧡 Emily
Ingredients You’ll Need
The pumpkin cake and cream cheese filling use simple baking ingredients. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the Pumpkin Cake
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour works well. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off so you don’t accidentally add too much.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Check that both are fresh before you start baking.
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can find this in the spice aisle, or make your own pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Salt: Just a little goes into the cake batter.
- Eggs: Use large eggs. This recipe calls for six because you’re making two cakes.
- Granulated sugar: Regular white sugar is what you’ll need.
- Pumpkin puree: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which would throw off the recipe.
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream cheese: You’ll need two 8-ounce blocks, for 16 ounces total. Use softened block-style cream cheese so the filling mixes smoothly.
- Butter: Let it soften before mixing it with the cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar: Measure out the amount listed in the recipe card. You’ll also need a little extra for dusting the towels and finished rolls.
- Vanilla extract: Regular vanilla extract works great.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Homemade pumpkin puree: You can use homemade pumpkin puree instead of canned pumpkin. Make sure it’s thick and not watery, since extra moisture can affect the cake.
- Chopped nuts: Pecans or walnuts can be added for a little crunch. Sprinkle finely chopped nuts over the batter before baking, if desired.
- Individual spices: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Keep the total spice amount the same as the recipe calls for.
I wouldn’t substitute pumpkin pie filling for plain pumpkin puree without adjusting the rest of the recipe. It’s already sweetened and spiced, and those extra ingredients can change the cake.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe makes two pumpkin rolls. You’ll need two jelly roll pans, two thin kitchen towels, and something to roll the cakes in while they cool. Have everything ready before the cakes come out of the oven.
- Prepare the pans and dry ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray two jelly roll pans with cooking spray, line with the paper specified in the recipe card, and prepare two thin kitchen towels with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Mix the batter and bake. Beat the eggs and sugar together until thick and well combined, then mix in the pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Turn out the cakes and cool. Carefully turn each warm cake onto a prepared powdered sugar towel and peel away the baking paper. Sprinkle with a little more powdered sugar. For easier rolling and fewer cracks, place a fresh sheet of parchment paper over the cake and gently roll it up from the short end while it’s still warm. Keep the cakes rolled in the parchment while they cool. Don’t rush this part! If the cakes are still warm when you add the cream cheese filling, the filling can soften too much and become difficult to spread.
- Make the cream cheese filling. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the vanilla, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar until everything is well combined and creamy.
- Fill the Cake: Carefully unroll each cooled cake and spread half the cream cheese filling over each one, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll and Chill: Roll the cakes back up from the short end without the parchment inside. Wrap each roll completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Roll the cake while it’s still warm. This helps it take the shape of a roll before you add the filling and reduces the chance of cracking when you roll it again.
- Use a thin, smooth kitchen towel. Avoid thick terry cloth towels. A generous coating of powdered sugar also helps keep the cake from sticking.
- Start rolling from the short end. This gives you the spiral shape you want when you cut into the finished cake.
- Don’t overbake the cake. Since the batter is spread into a thin layer, it bakes quickly. Start checking at 12 minutes and remove it when a toothpick comes out clean. A dry, overbaked cake is more likely to crack.
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the filling. Warm cake can soften the cream cheese filling and make rolling messy.
- Don’t panic over a small crack. If the cake cracks a little, carefully bring the edges together as you roll. The filling can help hold everything in place, and a dusting of powdered sugar can cover minor imperfections.
- Give the finished rolls time to chill. Refrigerating them for at least an hour helps the filling firm up so you can cut cleaner slices. Use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: Pumpkin rolls are a great dessert to prepare ahead of a holiday meal. Make the cakes, add the cream cheese filling, and wrap the finished rolls well before refrigerating. Keep them chilled until you’re ready to serve.
Storing: Because the filling contains cream cheese, keep the pumpkin rolls covered in the refrigerator rather than leaving them out on the counter. For best quality, plan to enjoy refrigerated leftovers within three to four days.
Freezing: These pumpkin rolls can be frozen for up to three months, as noted in the original recipe. Wrap each finished roll tightly in plastic wrap, then add an outer layer of freezer-safe wrapping to help prevent freezer burn.
Thawing: Move a frozen roll to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Keep it wrapped while thawing, then dust with powdered sugar just before slicing and serving.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you’re looking for more ways to use pumpkin this fall, there are plenty of good recipes to try! Here are a few favorites:
You can also check out our collection of The BEST Pumpkin Desserts for more fall baking ideas.
I hope this recipe brings a little extra sweetness to your fall gatherings. If you make this pumpkin roll, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a star rating below.🍁🧡
Pumpkin Roll
Video
Ingredients
Pumpkin Roll
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
Cream Cheese Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened (two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Spray two jelly roll pans with cooking spray then line with wax paper. Dust two thin kitchen towels with powdered sugar. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in small bowl then set aside.
- In a medium size bowl thoroughly beat together eggs and sugar, then beat in pumpkin. Mix in flour mixture.
- Spread the batter evenly into the two jelly roll pans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Turn the cakes onto the powdered sugar towels and peel off the wax paper. Sprinkle the top with more powdered sugar then cover with plastic wrap and cool completely.*Optional: To help with shaping and to prevent cracking, you can place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake once its turned out and roll it up. Let the rolled cake cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
- When the cake is cool, remove plastic wrap. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over cakes.
- Tightly, but carefully, roll the cake up from the short end. Gently transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and cover the cake completely. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. It will be tempting to slice into it sooner, but for that beautiful swirl to set up it needs a full hour in the fridge.
Equipment
- Jelly Roll Pan
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Notes
- This recipe makes two pumpkin rolls.
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Roll the cakes from the short end while they’re warm to help prevent cracking.
- Let the cakes cool completely before adding the cream cheese filling.
- Refrigerate the finished rolls for at least one hour before serving.
- Freeze tightly wrapped rolls for up to three months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Life saver! My husband’s favorite dessert is a pumpkin roll and I had no idea how to make it! This was super easy and he said it was delicious!
So so delicious!! It’s hard to stop eating this!
Can you use pumpkin pie filling?
You can, but it is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced so you would have to adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
wont the cake stick to powder towel and how do I get it off the cake I have tasted this cake and it was great but never found out about the towel. Please help out
If you use thin dish towels, not terry cloth ones, and you dust them with powdered sugar then it shouldn’t stick! Hope this helps!
Which end are you rolling? It does not state long end or short end. Thank you
You roll from the short end. I’ll make this more clear on the recipe. Thank you for letting me know it’s confusing!
Hello, I would love to try this recipe. I have seen recipes where the cake is rolled after baking and before filling. Do you just wrap this flat? Thanks
Hi Sue, I have also used recipes for ice cream cake rolls where the cake is rolled before filling. With this recipe, it is not necessary to roll it before filling. The cake cools quicker if it is left flat covered with the plastic wrap. Thank you for asking! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Isn’t it more likely to crack if it is left flat to cool then rolled after filling?
This is why we recommend placing a new piece of parchment paper over the cake once it is turned out of the jelly roll pan. Roll it up with the parchment paper and the cake cool in the roll. This prevents cracking and makes it easier to roll again once the cream cheese is on the cake. Thank you for your question!
Is it 2×8 oz packaged of cream cheese so 16 ozs or 2 packages totaling 8 ozs?
Its 2 pkgs, 8 oz. each… so 16 oz total.
This looks great. Tried to Pin It, but no picture would appear. Just a blue box with a ? mark.
Hi. What size of pan is the jelly roll pan? THANKS!
The size of a jelly roll pan is 18 x 12 inches. It is also referred to as a half-sheet pan. Thanks for asking!
Thanks, I had the same question! Can’t wait to try it out. My kids are helping me make it for a Mother’s Day surprise. Their mom loves pumpkin anything.
Yum! I love anything pumpkin, no matter what time of year it is! Definitely pinning!!! P.S. Stopping by from BYBC13 🙂
Awesome! That was a great conference, glad you found us!
Natalie… Thanks for stopping by! We had so much fun at BYBC13. There were so many amazing bloggers there! Send us a message with your blog, we would love to check it out!