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This Pumpkin Roll is the ultimate fall dessert! It is moist, perfectly spiced, and filled with rich cream cheese frosting. It looks fancy on your holiday table but comes together easily, delivering all the flavor and festive flair of the holidays with half the fuss.
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
Simple, Stunning, and Perfectly Pumpkin
Every fall, when the leaves start to turn and there’s that first crisp chill in the air, my mind immediately goes to all things pumpkin – pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and of course, this classic Pumpkin Roll. It’s one of those cozy desserts that truly tastes like the season, with soft, spiced pumpkin cake wrapped around a rich, creamy swirl of homemade cream cheese frosting. A light dusting of powdered sugar gives it that bakery-perfect look, but don’t worry – it’s much easier to make than it seems! Whether you’re serving it as the star of your Thanksgiving dessert table or gifting it to friends and neighbors, this pumpkin roll is a must for your autumn baking list.
🧡 Emily
Where did the Pumpkin Roll Come From Anyway?
While pumpkin has been a staple in American cooking since the colonial era, the idea of a rolled pumpkin cake began appearing in the 1960s-70s as a seasonal twist on the classic Swiss roll (or jelly roll). Around that time, recipes for pumpkin roll cakes started popping up in cookbooks, women’s magazines, and community recipe collections across the U.S. Today, this nostalgic dessert remains a beloved holiday favorite enjoyed by pumpkin lovers of all ages!
Key Ingredients
Both the cake and frosting for this classic pumpkin roll recipe are equally simple to make. Here’s what you need:
Cake Batter
- Flour – regular, all purpose flour works great. You can sift before adding into the bowl.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pumpkin pie spice – you can find this spice year round in the spice aisle of the grocery store. It’s got a little of everything: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- Salt
- Eggs – six LARGE eggs or seven medium size eggs.
- Sugar – you’ll need a couple cups of white, granulated sugar.
- Pumpkin puree – I like to always have a few cans of pumpkin on hand for recipes, but you could make your own pumpkin puree too! Learn more: How to make pumpkin puree three different ways.
- Optional – you can add pecans or walnuts in these sheet cakes if you like an extra crunch.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese – two 8-ounce blocks, softened. I like to leave them on the counter so they get to room temperature.
- Butter – again, softened at room temperature
- Powdered sugar – you’ll need about three cups, depending on how thick you like your icing.
- Vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the Pans and Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray two jelly roll pans with cooking spray, then line them with wax paper. Lightly dust two thin kitchen towels with powdered sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; set aside.
- Make the Batter and Bake: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and well combined, then mix in the pumpkin puree. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Roll and Cool: Carefully turn each cake out onto the prepared powdered sugar towels and peel off the wax paper. Sprinkle the top with a little more powdered sugar, then cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely. Optional: For perfect shaping and fewer cracks, roll each cake up in a piece of parchment paper while still warm, then let cool completely before filling.
- Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
- Fill the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, remove the plastic wrap. Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the surface of each cake, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Roll and Chill: Starting from the short end, carefully roll up the cake into a tight spiral. Wrap it completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. (It’s worth the wait — this helps the swirl set perfectly and makes clean, beautiful slices!)
*Tip: 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 of the 15-inch jelly roll pan and roll it up. Let the rolled cake cool completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way is to roll the cake up right after it is slightly cooled and still pliable Then, let it cool completely rolled up and it will keep its form.
Yes! This Pumpkin Roll Recipe makes two rolls, so it’s perfect to make and stick in the freezer. That way you’ll have plenty on hand for guests who drop by.
To keep the cake from cracking, roll it in a cotton kitchen towel or fresh sheet of parchment paper as soon as it comes out of the oven. The heat and moisture will help keep the cake in tact.
These rolls freeze beautifully for up to three months. The trick is to just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Hold off adding the powdered sugar right away. Dust the roll just before cutting into slices so the sugar stays white and fresh-looking and doesn’t melt into the roll.
This Pumpkin Roll recipe makes two Pumpkin Rolls. If you cut the roll into one-inch slices, you can get a dozen slices per roll. A little thinner and you can get 15 slices per roll.
Read Next: The BEST Pumpkin Desserts
More Pumpkin Recipes
Serve up any and all things pumpkin this season! From September on, we love to create pumpkin breads, meals, desserts and even drinks. Try some of our very favorite pumpkin recipes for your family this fall and enjoy the flavors of the season!
There’s nothing quite like slicing into a homemade Pumpkin Roll and seeing that perfect swirl! I hope this recipe brings a little extra sweetness to your fall gatherings. Don’t forget to leave a ⭐️ rating and comment below to let me know how it turned out! 🍁🧡
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
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the cream cheese filling in an even layer over one side of the cake.
- Tightly, but carefully, roll the cake up.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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!