Pumpkin Puff Pastry Pull-Aparts Recipe

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My pumpkin puff pastry pull-aparts stack strips of cold puff pastry with a thin layer of spiced pumpkin and cinnamon sugar, then bake upright in a muffin pan until the layers are deeply golden and peel apart like a cinnamon roll. Use regular or gluten-free puff pastry, and finish with an optional powdered sugar drizzle.

A Cinnamon Roll Craving That Turned Into This Instead

These started with a cinnamon roll craving and zero interest in mixing and proofing a yeasted dough. I wanted something seasonal I could make with puff pastry instead, since I already reach for a sheet of it any time I want something that looks more impressive than the effort it takes, like my apple, cheddar, and sage pinwheels or my caramel apple tart. This time I wanted the pastry to peel apart in layers the way a cinnamon roll does, and that’s exactly what this recipe turned into.

My whole family loved these. They’re easy and fun to make, and the texture and flavor are definitely similar to cinnamon rolls, just with a pumpkin pie twist!

Enjoy!

~Kristen

A hand holding a small pumpkin pastry with icing, with more rolls on a plate in the background on a wooden table.

Pumpkin, Pastry, and Sugar Swaps

A few quick notes on the ingredients that matter most. Find the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.

Pumpkin purée: Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling here already has brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, so pie filling would double up on both.
Puff pastry: Regular or gluten-free both work. Keep it thawed but still cold so it stays easy to stack. Sweet Loren’s makes an excellent gluten-free and vegan puff pastry!
Tapioca starch or cornstarch: Use whichever one you have. Both go into the pumpkin filling in the same amount.
Sugar of choice: This goes into the cinnamon sugar. I like coconut sugar, but granulated or any other sugar you prefer will do.

Four puff pastry pull aparts with icing are stacked on a white speckled plate, set on a wooden surface.

Tips for Flaky Layers and Easy Release

Work with the pastry cold. If it feels soft after you’ve stacked and cut it, refrigerate the whole muffin pan for 10 minutes before baking.
Don’t skip greasing the muffin cups. This is how your prevent any pastries sticking to the pan due to caramelized sugar.
If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil for the last few minutes.

Four pumpkin puff pastries with icing are arranged on a white plate atop a wooden surface.

What to Sip With These Pull-Aparts

Serve warm alongside a mug of my Spanish hot chocolate, which is thick enough for dunking.
Pour a mug of ruby hot chocolate for a pink, berry-leaning pairing with the pumpkin and cinnamon.
Brew a pot of cinnamon tea to sip alongside, since it echoes the cinnamon sugar.
Enjoy one warm with the icing as a weekend breakfast pastry, or skip the icing for a less sweet snack.