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Home » Food » Desserts » Classic Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Classic Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

By Lana Stuart · Published: Oct 26, 2020 · Last Modified: Oct 26, 2020 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Roll - A spiced pumpkin roll with sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert menu. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-roll/
Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Roll - A spiced pumpkin roll with sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert menu. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-roll/
Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Roll - A spiced pumpkin roll with sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert menu. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-roll/
Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray with text overlay for pinning.
Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray with text overlay for pinning.
Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray with text overlay for pinning.
Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray with text overlay for pinning.
Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray with text overlay for pinning.

My Classic Pumpkin Roll is a delicious dessert that your whole family will enjoy for any of the fall holidays. It's a rolled, spiced pumpkin cake filled with sweetened cream cheese. The recipe uses a packaged biscuit mix to make it easy as pie!

What's your favorite thing about the Fall season? The beauty of changing leaves, bright orange pumpkins, boisterous hay rides, pots of yummy soup bubbling away on the stove?

Slices of pumpkin roll on a serving tray.

Fall is, I think, a season when we can all relax a little bit. A time to slow down from the frenzied, fun activities of summer and get ready for days snuggled up in front of a warm, cozy fireplace. 

Fall also means it's time to switch gears in the kitchen. The cool, refreshing recipes of spring and summer give way to pots of stew, hearty casseroles and pumpkin!

This recipe is one of our family's favorites. BeeBop asks for it every year during the holidays. I made one a year or two ago to take to our neighborhood's annual Oktoberfest party. It was a sensational hit!

How to Make Classic Pumpkin Roll

Preheat the oven to 375.

Photo collage showing pan greased and lined with waxed paper

Grease the bottom and sides of a jellyroll pan. Line the greased pan with waxed paper and then grease the waxed paper. Set the pan aside.

Make the Cake Batter

Photo collage showing process of beating eggs and sugar together.

Beat the eggs with a mixer at high speed until they become thick and pale. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat until soft peaks form and the sugar dissolves (this takes 2 to 4 minutes).

Mixing bowl holding dry ingredients for cake batter.

In a separate small bowl, combine the biscuit mix and spices.

Photo collage showing the mixing of the wet and dry ingredients and the additional of the pumpkin puree.

Fold the pumpkin puree into the egg and sugar mixture. Then fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture making sure everything is well incorporated.

Cake batter spread into the prepared pan with pecans sprinkled over top.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the batter evenly with chopped pecans. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Roll the Warm Cake in a Tea Towel

Photo collage illustrating how to roll the warm cake in a tea towel.

A few minutes before you're ready to remove the cake from the oven, sift 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar over a clean cloth towel.

Pro tip: you'll want to use a woven towel, not a terry cloth towel for this step.

Take the cake out of the oven and immediately turn it out onto the sugared towel. Carefully peel off the wax paper.

Starting at the narrow end, roll up the cake and towel together.

Cake rolled in a tea towel resting on a metal cooling rack.

Place the rolled cake and towel on a wire rack seam side down and allow it to cool completely (about 30-40 minutes).

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling

Photo collage showing ingredients for the cream cheese filling being mixed in a bowl.

When the cake is completely cool, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla and beat that in until combined.

Photo collage showing the cooled cake being filled with sweetened cream cheese and re-rolled.

Carefully unroll the cake and spread it with cream cheese mixture. Re-roll the cake without the towel.

Pro tip: I have made this roll dozens of times and I've never made one that did not crack in several places (see the top left panel above?). When (not if) this happens to you, don't panic. You're going to go right ahead and fill it and re-roll it, dust it with powdered sugar and no one is going to know that the cake cracked, okay? Honestly, it works out perfectly in the end. Trust me.

Rolled cake with filling resting on a tea towel.

See? All rolled up and looking great!

Place the roll on a serving plate, seam side down, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. When you're ready to serve, dust the top generously with powdered sugar.

Oh, and don't worry about all that goop that sticks to your towel. Just a quick rinse in the kitchen sink will take care of every bit of it!

Pro Tips:

  • Make sure the cake is totally cooled before adding the cream cheese filling. If the cake is still warm, the filling can melt.
  • To keep the cake cracking to a minimum work fast when inverting and rolling it. Just go for it!
  • If you're cooking this Classic Pumpkin Roll the same day you plan to serve it, you'll need to make it early in the morning so that you'll have plenty of time for cooling the cake and at least two hours of refrigeration time before serving.
  • To add even more flavor to the delicious cream cheese filling you could stir in about a third of a cup of either apple butter or apricot preserves.

FAQs

What is a "jellyroll pan"?

A jellyroll pan is a small baking pan. The standard measurements are 15" x 10" x 1" deep. If you don't have a jellyroll pan, unfortunately there really isn't a good substitute. I have one that I've owned for almost 30 years and it probably cost less than $15. I'd consider it a good investment.

Can I freeze my Classic Pumpkin Roll?

Absolutely. You can make this recipe up to two months in advance, wrap it very well and freeze it until needed. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then allow it to sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Should I keep it refrigerated?

Yes. After serving, cover the pumpkin roll and store it in the refrigerator.

More Recipes You'll Love ...

  • Fast and Easy Pumpkin Crunch Cake
  • Black Walnut Pumpkin Bread
  • Raspberry Filled Jelly Roll
  • Glazed Pumpkin Pound Cake
  • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies
  • Pumpkin Seed Breadsticks
  • Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle

More Great Pumpkin Recipes ...

  • Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies from Everyday Annie
  • Kalyn's Kitchen's Low-Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
  • Recipe Girl's Pumpkin French Toast

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.

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Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Roll - A spiced pumpkin roll with sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert menu. From @NevrEnoughThyme https://www.lanascooking.com/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin-roll/

Classic Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

A spiced pumpkin roll with sweet cream cheese filling. Perfect dessert for any fall dinner.
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 508kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ⅔ cup canned pumpkin
  • ¾ cup biscuit mix recommend: Bisquick
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ⅓ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Grease the bottom and sides of a 15x10x1 inch jellyroll pan. Line the pan with wax paper and then grease the wax paper. Set aside.
  • Beat the eggs with a mixer at high speed until they become thick and pale. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat until soft peaks form and the sugar dissolves (this takes 2 to 4 minutes). Fold the pumpkin into the egg and sugar mixture.
  • In a separate small bowl, combine the biscuit mix and spices. Fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture making sure the dry and wet mixtures are well incorporated. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.
  • Just before removing the cake from the oven, sift 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a rectangle on a cloth towel (do not use a terry cloth for this step). Remove the cake from the oven and immediately turn it out onto the sugared towel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Starting at the narrow end, roll up cake and towel together. Place the rolled cake and towel on a wire rack seam side down and allow to cool completely.
  • When the cake is completely cool, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until combined. Carefully unroll the cake and spread with cream cheese mixture. Re-roll without the towel.
  • Place on a serving plate, seam side down and chill for at least 2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

  • Be sure to use a woven towel, not a terry cloth towel for rolling the cake.
  • It's just a fact that this cake will crack when rolled and unrolled. Don't panic when that happens. Just fill and roll the cake, dust it with powdered sugar and serve it up. It'll all work out in the end. To keep the cracking to a minimum, try to work fast when inverting and rolling.
  • To add even more flavor to the delicious cream cheese filling you could stir in about a third of a cup of either apple butter or apricot preserves.
  • Make sure the cake is totally cooled before adding the cream cheese filling. If the cake is still warm, the filling can melt.
  • If you're cooking this the same day you plan to serve it, you'll need to make it early in the morning so that you'll have plenty of time for cooling the cake and at least two hours of refrigeration time before serving.
-- Recipe adapted from Southern Living 1993 Annual Recipes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 3891IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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About Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →

Previous Post: « Sausage Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos
Next Post: Black Walnut Pumpkin Bread »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ann says

    November 03, 2019 at 5:52 am

    Killer recipe! I’m so glad to have come across this! This is absolutely fab! My neighbor Lisa often makes this pumpkin roll and shares it with our family or bring it along to party tables. Tastes like heaven. I guess it’s time to make this myself. Though I’d like to replace white sugar by brown sugar. Hope it will turn out as fantastic.
    Thank you for sharing it with us Lana!

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 04, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      You're welcome, Ann! I hope you enjoy the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Donna Park says

    November 01, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Whenever I make a pumpkin roll I always have the filling ooing out when I reroll ...any suggestions to avoid this?

    Reply
    • Donna Park says

      November 01, 2019 at 9:21 am

      should have said oozing out

      Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 01, 2019 at 9:22 am

      I've never experienced that! However, you might try leaving an inch or so around the edges when you spread your filling and then roll loosely, don't press down when rolling.

      Reply
  3. Angela says

    November 20, 2015 at 11:37 am

    Hi Lana :) This sounds delicious, and also fairly easy - especially since you're using "Bisquick" mix. I'm wondering why you didn't recommend using a 'terrycloth' dish towel. Since those are the only kind I own, I'll probably need to purchase a 'linen' one. Would that work?

    Reply
    • Lana Stuart says

      November 20, 2015 at 12:29 pm

      I tried terrycloth a few times a long time ago and I had cloth fibers all in my cake. If your terrycloth towel is very well worn, it probably would work, but I prefer a smoother textured one so that I don't get lint all in my cake :-)

      Reply
  4. Miss P says

    March 04, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    Hi there. Just an update. You know how frugal (cheap) I can be, right? Well, there was some leftover baked fruit, with Mama's usual curry powder in it, etc. I just could not bear to throw it out. So, into the food processor, strained it in a sieve to remove excess moisture, and voila', a new "cake roll." It's pretty good, even if I do say so myself.

    Miss P

    Reply
    • Lana says

      March 04, 2012 at 4:43 pm

      Hmmm. Curried fruit cake roll...sounds delicious!

      Reply
  5. Linda says

    December 16, 2011 at 11:23 am

    I have just started making pumpkin rolls this year. Mine are turning out to be very moist almost to the point of being gooey, how can I prevent this from happening? (they are done when removed from the oven)

    Reply
  6. bitty says

    November 16, 2011 at 10:57 am

    im a high school student in a cooking class of my own creation and i love the picture diagram. i was reading a cook book about how to make it but i didnt make any since but thanks to you i got an A!

    Reply
  7. Heather Davis says

    October 26, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    Great dessert Lana! I love your first paragraph and the descriptions of autumn. I completely relate to all of it. I love the transition between summer and winter. It's the winter bit I could do without. Will definitely have to give this one a go!

    Reply
    • Lana says

      October 26, 2010 at 5:34 pm

      Why, thank you, Heather. Lovely comment.

      Reply
  8. the urban baker says

    October 18, 2010 at 9:58 am

    I made one of these over the weekend and it was delish! i have been so fearful of rolled cakes in the past, however this was easier than i had expected!! yours looks totally scrumptious!

    Reply
    • Lana says

      October 18, 2010 at 7:07 pm

      I'm so pleased that you tried it and liked it! It is easy, isn't it?

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Lana Stuart, the cook, writer, and founder of Never Enough Thyme. I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 so I could share my delicious home cooking recipes with all of you. You'll find almost 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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