Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid Recipe

You’ll never believe how easy it is to make this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid recipe! Made with refrigerated crescent roll dough, and a few other ingredients, this gorgeous pumpkin pastry will look like you bought it at a fancy bakery!

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Similar to my Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid, and my uber popular Blueberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid, this pumpkin version is also super simple to make.

It starts with store-bought crescent roll dough, layered with pumpkin pie spiced cream cheese, and filled with pumpkin puree. It not only makes for an absolutely beautiful braided breakfast pastry, but its perfect for a fall breakfast treat!

Here’s how this simple, delicious and beautiful pumpkin breakfast braid recipe comes together:

Step 1: Unroll the Crescent Dough and Cut Strips on each Side

The secret ingredient to making this pumpkin breakfast braid easy to make is the store-bought crescent dough. You’ll start by unrolling the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. If the dough is perforated, simply pinch and pat the seams together. If available, look for non-perforated sheets of crescent dough.

Next, on the longer sides, begin cutting 4″ diagonal strips of dough. These strips will act as your “braid”. However, don’t worry about braiding the dough – you’ll only be folding each side over the other, making a simple cross-hatch on the top of the pastry.

Step 2: Spread the Cream Cheese Mixture in the Middle of the Dough

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  Then, spread the cream cheese mixture in the center of the dough. Leave a 1″ space at both ends of the dough.

Step 3: Add the Pumpkin Filling to the Top of the Cream Cheese

In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Stir together to combine. Then, evenly spread the pumpkin mixture over the top of the cream cheese in the center of the dough.

When the breakfast braid bakes, the pumpkin and cream cheese will bake together to create a wonderfully creamy pumpkin filling!

Step 4: Fold the Dough Strips Over to Create a “Braid”

Once the cream cheese and pumpkin filling is in place, you will then begin to fold the dough over to close up the pastry. Start at each end, folding the top and bottom over the filling.  

Then, fold each strip into the center, alternating each side. Like I mentioned earlier, you’re not actually braiding the dough, simply just creating the appearance of a braid.

The strips will simply lay over the top of each other. It most definitely does NOT have to be perfect.

Step 5: Add a Sugar and Spice Topping before Baking

In a small bowl, combine turbinado or raw sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Then sprinkle over the top of the pastry dough.

Not only does the sugar and spice topping create a wonderful crunch to the pastry, it helps give the dough a beautiful golden brown color once it bakes.

If you don’t have access to turbinado or raw sugar, feel free to use granulated sugar. The turbinado or raw sugar granules are a bit larger, and simply add a bit of extra texture to the dough.

Step 6: Bake

Once the sugar goes on the top of the dough, it can go right into the oven. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

Step 7: Add the Cream Cheese Glaze

While the breakfast braid is in the oven, its a good time to mix together the glaze. The cream cheese glaze is very simple – just three ingredients; powdered sugar, cream cheese and milk.

Once the pastry comes out of the oven, and while still warm, drizzle the breakfast braid with the glaze. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this wonderful pumpkin pastry.

Slice, Serve and Enjoy!

While still warm, slice the pumpkin breakfast braid into strips and serve. It’s fantastic for a fall weekend breakfast, and great for brunch on a crisp autumn day!

This pumpkin breakfast pastry is a fantastic treat for the teachers at your kids school, and your office mates will think you’re amazing after you bring this in to work for a morning treat.  

Amazing with a Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew or my White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Here’s a quick-reference shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this fantastic pumpkin breakfast braid recipe:

• 1 (8 oz.) tube, refrigerated crescent roll dough (non-perforated sheet preferred)
• Cream Cheese
• Granulated Sugar
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Canned Pumpkin Puree (1 can)
• Turbinado or Raw Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Cream Cheese
• Milk

(For ingredient amounts and directions, be sure to check the recipe below)

If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other easy, delicious breakfast recipes:

• Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread
• Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
• Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
• Pumpkin Spice Waffles
• Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid
• Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
• Pumpkin Apple Struesel Muffins
• Fall Favorite Pumpkin Bread
• Crock Pot Pumpkin Spice Latte over at Real Housemoms

Here’s the recipe for my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid:

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

You'll never believe how easy it is to make this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Breakfast Braid recipe! Made with refrigerated crescent roll dough, and a few other ingredients, this gorgeous pumpkin pastry will look like you bought it at a fancy bakery!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) tube, refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 brick)
• 1/4 granulated sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 c. pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsp. turbinado or raw sugar

Glaze:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cream cheese
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On parchment paper, roll out the crescent dough, and pinch together any holes or perforations.
3. In a bowl, cream together the 4 oz. of cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp of the pumpkin pie spice. Spread into the center of the dough, leaving about 4" on each side. Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut diagonal 1"strips along the sides of the dough.
4. In a bowl, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar, pumpkin puree, and 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice and mix together. Evenly spread the pumpkin mixture over the top of the cream cheese area of the dough.
5. Gently fold over each end of the dough on to the top of the pumpkin. Then fold over the strips of dough, alternating with each, folding over the dough until all of the pumpkin is encased. In a small bowl, stir together the turbinado or raw sugar granules with the remaining 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top of the pastry. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes.
6. While pastry is baking, mix together the glaze by creaming together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and milk. Mix until smooth and consistency is thick, but able to drizzle with a spoon.
7. When breakfast braid comes out of the oven, drizzle with glaze. Slice and serve.

Notes

If you cannot find turbinado or raw sugar, granulated sugar works just as well. The only difference is that turbinado/raw sugar granules are larger and work well on top of a pastry.