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Grandma’s Pumpkin Roll recipe is one of my family’s favorites. Sweetened cream cheese filling rolled in a light, and moist pumpkin cake makes this dessert unforgettable.
Before my family and I moved to Florida, we lived near my grandmother. Each year, she made several pumpkin rolls and sent them home with various family members to enjoy over the holidays.
Everyone in the family absolutely loved them. John and I always ended up with at least two at our house. He usually ate them because I wasn’t a big fan of pumpkin.
One year, he talked me into trying a bite. Grandma’s pumpkin roll recipe was so good that I wanted to be able to continue to make them long after she was gone.
The next time we visited Grandma, I asked for her pumpkin roll recipe. My grandmother was thrilled to share her recipe with me, and I’m so glad she did.
Over the years, I’ve practiced making her pumpkin roll recipe but couldn’t get the technique quite right. The pumpkin cake usually ended up in a big heap of crumbs and was a huge mess.
If you’ve read my earlier posts, this year is the year I’m learning to make pumpkin related recipes like Pumpkin Spice Muffins, and Pumpkin Pie Spice.
How could I get by without baking Grandma’s pumpkin roll recipe? This time, I followed the directions better and used the right equipment.
Plus, a little experience never hurts. The result was a moist, cream-filled, pumpkin roll almost as good as Grandma’s.
How to Make a Pumpkin Roll:
Prep and Preheat:
- Grease a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with butter. Cover the pan with waxed or parchment paper.
- Make sure the paper stays in place by pressing down, so it sticks to the butter. Apply more butter or cooking spray to the top of the paper. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Make the Cake Batter:
- Add the sugar, pumpkin, baking soda, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment, and mix on low until combined.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and use a silicone spatula to smooth it into one even layer.
Bake the Pumpkin Roll:
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The cake will rise slightly and should spring back when touched. Do not overbake or the edges will harden.
Cool the Roll:
- While the cake is baking, take a large kitchen towel and liberally sprinkle it with powdered sugar. After the cake bakes, remove it from the pan leaving the waxed or parchment paper attached.
- Flip the cake upside down on the kitchen towel (paper side up, cake side down touching the towel and powdered sugar). Carefully peel off the paper taking care not to tear the cake, then discard the paper.
- Roll the cake up with the kitchen towel inside. Allow the cake to cool completely while still rolled in the towel. In the meantime, make the cream cheese filling.
Make the Filling:
- Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla the bowl of a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to combine.
- If you want to add chopped pecans, remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold them in. Store the filling in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill the cake.
Fill the Cake:
- After the cake cools, carefully unroll it, but don’t force it to lay flat. Use a spatula to apply the cream cheese filling to the interior of the cake.
- Smooth it out so it’s one even layer and covers to all the edges.
- Roll the cake back up with the filling on the inside. Cover the pumpkin roll with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to set.
- Once it has set, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and slice it to serve. It can be stored in your fridge for up to three days.
Want More Pumpkin Recipes?
Here are some of our favorites!
- Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Easy Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Pancakes
If you like this pumpkin roll recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
Grandma’s Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
Filling
- 2 Tablespoons softened butter
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease the bottoms and side of a jelly roll pan or baking sheet (mine was 10 x 15 inches).
- Place parchment paper in the pan then grease the paper.
Cake Batter
- Place all the cake batter ingredients sugar through eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to mix on low speed until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cooked cake from the oven and place cake side down on a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
- Carefully remove the paper.
- Roll the towel and the cake together and allow the cake to cool.
Filling
- Use a whisk to combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
- Add pecans if using.
- Unroll the cooled cake.
- Use a spatula to spread the filling over the cake but don’t try to make it lay flat. The cake will try to roll at the ends.
- After filling the cake, roll the cake back up and wrap it in plastic wrap.
- Store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to set.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Jodie Morgan
Oh I love pumpkin rolls! And grandma’s always make the best ones. I’ve made a few myself and the rolling is always the scary part, but it always tastes delicious all the same. THanks so much for sharing your granny’s recipe!
John
Thank you, Jodie! It’s interesting how the bread can roll up like that. It’s a mystery to me, but I’m glad Kim can do it lol! Thank you again for commenting and have a lovely day 🙂
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
Love this for a fall brunch or dessert after Sunday Supper!
John
Thank you, Kathryn! We are glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Have a great day!
Sam Monaco
Kimberly and John, Once again you pictures are amazing. There is nothing like preserving old family recipes. I try to do the same with my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. Your pictures have really put me in the Fall mode. Looks delicious. Thanks.
John
Thank you, Sam! We appreciate your kind words. It’s a labor of love when creating a beloved family member’s recipe. We are so happy you enjoyed the post. Thank you again for commenting and all your shares on other mediums. Have a great day, Sam!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Gramma’s always have the best recipes. I love summer, but will admit fall is the season of flavour…and this pumpkin roll is the perfect example!!
John
Thank you, Gloria! I agree, our grandparents definitely have the best recipes. Have a lovely Friday 🙂
Christine
I have never actually tried a pumpkin roll but now I’m thinking I must because this looks delicious!
John
Thank you, Christine! I hope you give it a try sometime. Have a lovely Friday 🙂
Analida Braeger
I love a nice pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving! It is so nice you carried on your family tradition.
John
Thank you, Analida! Recipes are a wonderful way to honor our loved ones. Have a lovely Saturday 🙂
Çitra Kale @Çitra's Home Diary
Always love roll cake. And your classic pumpkin roll cake absolutely in my list for upcoming pumpkin season which is soon. thx for sharing
John
Thank you, Citra! I am glad you like Kim’s pumpkin roll. I hope you enjoy it and wish you a lovely Saturday 🙂
Kate
This looks so delicious! I have never made a swiss cake roll before. I should try! I love pumpkin.
John
Thank you, Kate! I hope you get the chance to make a cake soon. Have a wonderful day 🙂
Erin @ The Speckled Palate
This is pumpkin roll perfection! What a gorgeous way to celebrate the fall.
John
Thank you, Erin! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Have a lovely Saturday 🙂
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
This roll looks PERFECT! I can tell it’s nice and tender – pass me a slice (or 3) please!
John
Thank you, Ashely! LOL! Maybe we should sell these via mail order lol! Have a great weekend 🙂
Jessica Pinney
I am sooo excited for “pumpkin season” and this recipe looks like a great way to kick it off. Thanks for sharing!
John
Thank you, Jessica! I am glad you like the pumpkin roll and thank you for the 5-star rating. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
Jessica Randhawa
I have wanted to make a pumpkin roll like this for YEARS! Yours looks amazing! Definitely bumping to the top of my list 🙂
John
Thank you, Jessica! I hope you give it a try this Fall. Have a lovely Sunday 🙂
Carol Borchardt
Love this! Your photos are gorgeous and they take me back to when my grandmother and mother would make pumpkin rolls. I was always mesmerized by the technique. One of these years I’m going to give it a try and I’m going to refer back to this post!
John
Thank you, Carol! Kim does such a great job baking and taking pictures. I’m glad the recipe brought back some nostalgic memories for you. Thank again for your comments, have a lovely Monday 🙂
Renee Gardner
I always end up with a mess when making rolled cakes like these. Maybe I just need more practice – which is a great excuse to make this cake.
John
Thank you, Renee! Perfect, you can practice with this recipe. And hey, if it doesn’t turn out perfectly, it will still be a delicious concoction of ingredients 🙂
Mg
Delicious!!!!
John
Thank you for rating the recipe 🙂