These Sweet Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns are filled in the center with a pumpkin cheesecake filling, then topped with a powdered sugar icing! A perfect treat for fall.
Happy Fall! Now that it's officially fall, I won't feel guilty about all the fall recipes I've been posting. I felt it was time to add to my Brioche Buns Series. Last fall I made an Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns recipe that was absolutely amazing and filled with spiced apples and a topped with a delicious streusel! If you're a fan of apples, definitely check that one out. This year, I went the pumpkin route and made these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns. They're made with a spiced sweet brioche dough, filled with sweetened cream cheese, spiced and sweetened pumpkin puree, then topped with a glaze. They're cozy, warm, and perfect for fall.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft Brioche Buns: These Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns are made with a super soft and subtly sweet dough that not only tastes wonderful, but it stays soft for days!
- Perfect Fall Treat: This recipe is perfect for Sunday brunches with family, or to take with you to a gathering, and it's especially perfect for the cozy fall season.
- Make-Ahead: You can proof the dough the night before for the first rise!
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
Sweet Brioche Dough
I have several brioche buns recipes on my blog that uses this dough recipe as a base, and it's perfect every time! The only difference with this recipe is the addition of the pumpkin pie spice.
- Flour: This recipe can be used with either Bread Flour or All-Purpose Flour. I prefer bread flour, but if you don't have any, all-purpose will work.
- Yeast: My favorite yeast to use is Active Dry Yeast, which requires proofing before adding it to the flour mixture.
- Milk: It's best to use whole milk since this is an enriched dough, the more fat, the better.
- Salt: ALWAYS important in any recipe. Without salt, the bread will taste flat.
- Granulated Sugar: This adds sweetness to the Brioche dough and creates a bit more of a softness.
- Egg: I use two egg yolks for this recipe, adding more fat, without the added liquid of the whites.
- Butter: A key ingredient in Brioche is butter. This recipe calls 6 tablespoons of during softened butter during the second kneading. Make sure the butter is very soft, otherwise it will take a while to incorporate into the dough.
- Vanilla extract: This ingredient is optional. I like adding it to flavor the dough when I'm making a sweet dough. You can leave it out if you'd like.
- Pumpkin pie spice: To flavor the dough, we're using a whole tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Fillings:
- Cream cheese: Make sure to use a whole block of full fat cream cheese. It needs to be softened to room temperature.
- Granulated sugar: To sweeten the cream cheese filling.
- Vanilla extract: Adding flavoring to the cream cheese enhances the taste.
- Pumpkin Puree: I love Libby's pumpkin puree. Make sure not to use pumpkin pie filling. We only want the pumpkin.
- Brown sugar: I use whatever I have most on hand, so dark or light brown sugar. Both work great.
- Pumpkin pie spice: For the filling, use anywhere from ½ teaspoon to ¾ tsp. It's up to you if you'd like more or less.
- Egg: one whole egg.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns
For full recipe and step-by-step photos and instructions, refer to How to Make Brioche Dough.
Make the Sweet Brioche Dough:
Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, packet of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and let sit and foam for about 5 minutes.
First knead: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add flour, sugar, salt, 2 egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the activated yeast mixture and let knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough comes away from the bowl and forms a sort of ball.
Hint: Don't add more flour. Let the dough knead and come together. It will be tempting to add more flour, but trust the process. If you weighed your ingredients using a scale, the dough should all come together.
Second Knead: Start adding the softened butter slowly until all is incorporated and knead for an additional 12-15 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. When touching with your finger, the dough should not stick at all. The dough will be tacky and a lot smoother/silkier than a regular dough.
Windowpane: You know the dough is ready when it passes the windowpane test: take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
First proof: Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise for at least an hour.
Hint: The timings in this recipe is a guide. Your mixer and kitchen are different, so you may need to knead for longer than 10 or 20 minutes. Your dough may need to proof for longer or less time, depending on how the temperature is in your kitchen.
Shape & Bake the Buns
Prep: Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. I like to add 4 to a baking sheet to avoid overcrowding.
Shape: Once dough has risen, remove from bowl and divide into 8 equal pieces using a kitchen scale. Roll each piece into a ball and place them on the baking sheet, making sure to leave room between them.
Hint: You can make the buns smaller by diving the dough into 12-16 balls instead of 8.
Second proof: Once all have been formed, transfer them to a baking sheet, cover lightly with saran wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Try to make sure there is enough space between them so that they aren't touching when rising.
Make the Filling
Cheesecake filling: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat using a hand mixer until completely smooth.
Pumpkin Filling: Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and an egg in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
Fill and Bake
Create indent: After 30-45 minutes, the buns should now be doubled in size. Take a cup or a small bowl (make sure it's floured so it doesn't stick) and create an indent in the center. I like to use a ⅓ cup measuring cup or a 1 cup measuring cup.
Fill: Add the cheesecake filling to each bun, followed by pumpkin filling.
Hint: You can use a piping bag for the fillings or whatever you have on hand like a spoon or a small measuring cup.
Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the buns become golden brown.
Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Glaze
Make glaze: Combine powdered sugar and milk and mix until a pourable thick consistency forms. Once buns are cooled enough, drizzle with icing.
Variations
I have several different brioche buns variations that you could try.
Lemon Curd - switch out the cranberry sauce with lemon curd, like my Lemon Curd Buns recipe.
Cranberries - Use my Orange Cranberry Buns recipe for a holiday or winter twist.
Apple - This is one of my favorite, and also a favorite of many readers, for many years. Switch it up and add apples, like my Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns.
Berries - Use any type of berry, like my Raspberry Cheesecake Brioche Buns.
Pastry Cream - Make an easy pastry cream and turn these buns into Vanilla Custard Buns.
How to make ahead
You can absolutely make these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you're ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won't need to let the dough come to room temperature because you'll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store the Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns in an airtight container or a ziploc bag and keep it at room temperature. You can eat them at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave or oven. They will keep for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips
- Measure Flour Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
- Don't Skip Kneading: Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before adding the softened butter. This will ensure the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Then once you add the butter, knead for another 10-15 minutes until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough has pulled away from the bowl again.
- Don't add too much flour: This dough will be tacky, but shouldn't stick to your hands. It will also be very silky (this due to all the butter added). If while kneading, the dough doesn't come together after 15 minutes, you can add one tablespoon of flour at a time. But be patient before adding the flour. You don't want a dry dough.
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you're ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won't need to let the dough come to room temperature because you'll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
- Proof in pre-heated oven: One trick I love doing is to pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning off the oven and letting my dough proof in the oven. This cuts down on proofing time, especially if I'm in a hurry, but it also helps in the winter when it's especially cold.
- Windowpane test: To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
FAQ
Brioche Buns recipe or Brioche bread recipes are different than regular dough recipes because of the amount of fat it contains. A regular bread recipe typically contains flour, yeast, water, salt. A brioche bread recipe is an enriched recipe that contains milk, eggs, and butter. My Brioche Buns recipe contain ¼ cup of sugar to give it an extra hint of sweetness, which is not typical in a regular bread recipe.
Absolutely! This Brioche Buns Recipe can be a base for so many bread recipes. You can top it with whatever you desire, sweet or savory. I have a few other Brioche Buns recipes on my blog for ideas, linked below.
You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you're ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won't need to let the dough come to room temperature because you'll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
My milk temperature is a guide so that you don't use too hot of milk (could kill the yeast) or too cold of milk (won't activate the yeast). Milk temperature between 105-115 degrees F. will do the trick and yield best results.
To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
More Brioche Recipes
- Apple Cheesecake Brioche Buns
- Lemon Curd Brioche Buns
- Raspberry Cheesecake Brioche Buns
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
- Breakfast Brioche Buns
Reader Feedback
Since developing my first brioche bun recipe in 2022, I've had many people remake them, with such great feedback. I have, however, had people mention that the dough can be a little too sticky/wet and they needed to add more flour. For this reason, I went back to the drawing board to test the recipe with ¼ cup less milk, so only ¾ cup total milk instead of 1 cup, and it turns out great! However, this is with my controlled environment, and with using a scale to weigh my flour.
If you're a long-time reader who has had success with a whole cup of milk, then keep making the recipe that way.
📖 Recipe Card
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brioche Buns
Equipment
- 1 Large baking sheet
- 1 Stand mixer with hook attachment
Ingredients
Sweet Brioche Dough
- ¾ cup (202 g) +1 tablespoon warm milk, 110℉ (see notes)
- 1 package (7 g) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups (360 g) bread flour
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter softened
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 8 oz Package cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Pumpkin Filling
- ½ cup (115 g) pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed dark or light
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice use more or less to your liking
- 1 egg
Icing
- ⅔ cup (80 g) Powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Sweet Brioche Dough
- Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, packet of yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and let sit and foam for about 5 minutes.¾ cup +1 tablespoon warm milk, 110℉, 1 package active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- First knead: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add flour, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, 2 egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the activated yeast mixture and let knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough comes away from the bowl and forms a sort of ball.3 cups bread flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Second Knead: Start adding the softened butter slowly until all is incorporated and knead for an additional 12-15 minutes until the dough forms a smooth ball and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. When touching with your finger, the dough should not stick at all. The dough will be tacky and a lot smoother/silkier than a regular dough.6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Important: Don't add more flour. Let the dough knead and come together. It will be tempting to add more flour, but trust the process. If you weighed your ingredients using a scale, the dough should all come together.Humidity: If you live in an area with high humidity, you may need to add extra flour or reduce the amount of milk added to the dough. I've had readers have success with either adding more flour or reducing the milk. I've had to add more flour during the summer months when humidity is high.
- Windowpane test: To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
- First proof: Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise for at least an hour.
Shaping the Sweet Brioche Buns
- Prep: Prepare 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. I like to add 4 to a baking sheet to avoid overcrowding.
- Shape: Once dough has risen, remove from bowl and divide into 8-10 equal pieces using a kitchen scale. Roll each piece into a ball and place them on the baking sheet, making sure to leave room between them.
- Second Proof: Once all have been formed, transfer them to a baking sheet, cover lightly with saran wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Try to make sure there is enough space between them so that they aren't touching when rising.
Prep the Filling
- Cheesecake filling: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract and beat using a hand mixer until completely smooth.1 8 oz Package cream cheese, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin Filling: Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and an egg in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.½ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup brown sugar, packed, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 egg
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Create indent: After 30-45 minutes, the buns should now be doubled in size. Take a cup or a small bowl (make sure it's floured so it doesn't stick) and create an indent in the center. I like to use a ⅓ cup measuring cup or a 1 cup measuring cup.
- Fill: Add the cheesecake filling to each bun, followed by pumpkin filling.
- Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the buns become golden brown. Start checking at 12 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Glaze
- Make glaze: Combine powdered sugar and milk and mix until a pourable thick consistency forms. Once buns are cooled enough, drizzle with icing.⅔ cup Powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoon milk
- These Sweet Brioche Buns are delicious warm, but taste great at room temperature as well.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
Reader Feedback
Since developing my first brioche bun recipe in 2022, I've had many people remake them, with such great feedback. I have, however, had people mention that the dough can be a little too sticky/wet and they needed to add more flour. For this reason, I went back to the drawing board to test the recipe with ¼ cup less milk, so only ¾ cup total milk instead of 1 cup, and it turns out great! However, this is with my controlled environment, and with using a scale to weigh my flour. If you're a long-time reader who has had success with a whole cup of milk, then keep making the recipe that way. Tips for the best results:- Measure Flour Correctly: As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
- Don't Skip Kneading: Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes before adding the softened butter. This will ensure the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Then once you add the butter, knead for another 10-20 minutes until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough has pulled away from the bowl again.
- Don't add too much flour: This dough will be tacky, but shouldn't stick to your hands. It will also be very silky (this due to all the butter added). If while kneading, the dough doesn't come together after 15 minutes, you can add one tablespoon of flour at a time. But be patient before adding the flour. You don't want a dry dough.
- Make Ahead: You can absolutely make this recipe ahead of time by letting the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight for the first rise. When you're ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and continue with the recipe. You won't need to let the dough come to room temperature because you'll still need to proof a second time, so it will have plenty of time.
- Proof in pre-heated oven: One trick I love doing is to pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning off the oven and letting my dough proof in the oven. This cuts down on proofing time, especially if I'm in a hurry, but it also helps in the winter when it's especially cold.
- Windowpane test: To know if your dough is ready, perform the windowpane test where you take a small piece of dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If it stretches out without tearing and light can pass through, then it has passed the windowpane test. If it tears, let the dough knead another 5 minutes, then perform the test again.
- Humidity: Due to reader feedback, I've updated the recipe to reduce the amount of milk to ¾ of a cup instead of a whole cup. See Reader feedback for more info.
The brioche bun had a bread consistency and it took and extra 10 minutes to cook properly. The pumpkin and cheesecake fillings were very good though.
Thank you for the feedback, Em. I’m glad you enjoyed the pumpkin and cheesecake fillings! The brioche base is a bread dough, so it will naturally have a soft, bread-like consistency rather than a cake texture. If you found it a little dense, that can sometimes happen from adding too much flour, over-proofing, or even from the buns needing extra bake time. An oven thermometer can help make sure your oven is running at the right temperature, since ovens often vary. Overfilling the buns can also add to the bake time.
This brioche recipe has been tested and retested in my kitchen and is a favorite among readers around the world, but I know every oven and kitchen behaves a little differently. I really appreciate you sharing your experience!
Super easy recipe to follow! Make sure to use a cup or something with a large diameter to ensure the well that holds the filling is big enough. I made them a tad too small so my buns had a super thick crust/ring lol. Oddly my batch started to darken on the bottom really quick and I had to pull then out of the oven at the 16 minute mark so the bottom wouldnt burn, however the top was still pale and the inside just barely cooked. could be my oven temp isn't accurate but I may try again at 350° and push it to 20 minutes. Other than that, great base flavour and I love that you can switch out the pumpkin for a variety of other toppings!!
Thank you for the review and feedback, Alyssa! It's possible your oven runs pretty hot, so I do suggest getting an oven thermometer to make sure it's at the correct temperature. Those tips are very helpful. Thank you again! I'm glad you found the recipe easy to follow!