Last updated on September 28th, 2026 at 10:47 pm
This Fresh Milled Flour Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling is a classic fall dessert made with 100% freshly milled soft white wheat. The cake is soft, moist, perfectly spiced, and rolled around a rich, tangy cream cheese filling.
If this is your first time making a pumpkin roll, don't let the rolling part intimidate you. With the right wheat berries, a short bake time, and rolling the cake while it's still warm, this is a surprisingly simple dessert to make.
Wheat: Soft white wheat
Pan: 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan
Bake: 375°F for 12–15 minutes
Total Time: About 3 hours, including cooling and chilling
Yield: 1 pumpkin roll, about 10 slices
Best Tip: Roll the cake while it's still warm
Adapting a Classic Pumpkin Roll for Fresh Milled Flour
I’ve been baking with fresh milled flour in my own kitchen for years, and one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t always swap it cup-for-cup into a conventional flour recipe and expect the same results. For this pumpkin cream cheese roll, I adjusted the flour, moisture, and fat to create a soft, flexible cake that rolls without becoming dry or dense. Soft white wheat is my first choice for the tender, cake-like texture, but I’ve also included adjustments if hard white wheat is what you have on hand.
Why You'll Love This Fresh Milled Pumpkin Roll
Pumpkin purée keeps this cake moist and flexible, while cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add classic fall flavor. Soft white wheat creates a tender cake without adding all-purpose flour, and the tangy cream cheese filling makes the perfect match.
It's also a great make-ahead dessert since the finished pumpkin roll needs time to chill before slicing.
If you're new to milling wheat berries, start with my Beginner's Guide to Milling Your Own Flour for more about choosing wheat, grain mills, and baking with fresh milled flour.
Best Wheat Berries for Pumpkin Roll
Soft white wheat is my first choice for this fresh milled flour recipe. Its lower protein content makes it ideal for cakes, muffins, cookies, and quick breads where you want a tender texture rather than strong gluten development.
Mill the wheat berries finely just before making the batter. There's no need to sift out the bran or germ.
Hard white wheat can be substituted, but it may produce a slightly heartier cake. If using it, mill finely and avoid overmixing.
For another dessert made with soft white wheat, try my Fresh Milled Flour Sugar Cookies.
Ingredients You'll Need
Fresh Milled Pumpkin Cake
- Soft white wheat berries: Mill finely just before mixing. This is the grain mill I use.
- Pumpkin purée: Use 100% pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs whip more easily and help give the thin cake structure.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps keep the cake tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Provide just enough lift.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice: Add warm fall flavor.
- Vanilla and salt: Round out the pumpkin and spice flavors.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream cheese: Use softened, full-fat cream cheese.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the filling firm when chilled.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the creamy filling.
- Vanilla and salt: Balance the sweetness.
How to Make a FRESHLY Milled Flour Pumpkin Roll
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
Mill the soft white wheat berries finely. In a separate bowl, whisk together the fresh milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Beat the room-temperature eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer until thick, fluffy, and lighter in color. Mix in the pumpkin purée and vanilla.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the center is set and the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.
Roll the Cake While It's Warm
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. While it cools, generously dust a clean flour sack towel with powdered sugar. Carefully flip the warm cake out of the pan onto the prepared towel, then gently peel away the parchment paper.
Starting at a short end, roll the warm cake and towel together into a log. Place it seam-side down and allow it to cool completely before carefully unrolling, adding the cream cheese filling, and rolling it back up without the towel.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until creamy.
Fill and Roll
Carefully unroll the completely cooled cake and remove the tea towel. Don’t force the curled end completely flat. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake, leaving about ½ inch around the edges.
Starting at the same short end, gently roll the filled cake back up, this time without the towel.
Wrap the pumpkin roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
How to Keep a Pumpkin Roll From Cracking
The biggest trick with cake rolls is keeping the cake flexible. For the best results:
- Use soft white wheat for a tender cake.
- Fold the dry ingredients in gently to avoid overmixing.
- Don't overbake. A dry cake is more likely to crack.
- Roll the cake while it's still warm and flexible.
- Let it cool completely in the rolled shape before filling.
A small crack isn't a disaster. Once the pumpkin roll is filled, chilled, sliced, and dusted with powdered sugar, minor imperfections are usually barely noticeable.
Use a Tea Towel to Roll
Rolling the warm cake in a clean tea towel dusted with powdered sugar helps prevent sticking while the cake cools in its rolled shape. This helps the cake hold its shape and makes it easier to unroll, fill, and roll again without cracking.
Fresh Milled Pumpkin Roll Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
| Cake cracks | Overbaked or cooled before rolling | Don't overbake and roll while warm |
| Cake is dense | Eggs under-whipped or batter overmixed | Whip eggs well and fold gently |
| Cake is gummy | Underbaked or pumpkin too watery | Bake until set and use thick pumpkin purée |
| Cake sticks | Parchment wasn't greased | Lightly grease the parchment |
| Filling squeezes out | Cake was still warm | Cool completely before filling |
| Cake is tough | Higher-protein wheat or overmixing | Use soft white wheat and mix gently |
What Size Pan Do I Need?
This recipe was developed in a standard 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet baking pan. My pan has an approximately 11×17-inch flat interior baking surface.
You don't need a specialty jelly roll pan.
A 10×15-inch jelly roll pan is smaller. Using the full amount of batter would create a thicker cake and change the baking time, so I recommend using the 13×18-inch half-sheet pan for best results.
Can I Use Homemade Pumpkin Puree?
Yes. Homemade pumpkin puree can contain more moisture than canned pumpkin purée, so drain off excess liquid if necessary. You want a thick consistency similar to canned pumpkin.
Don't use pumpkin pie filling. It already contains added sugar and spices and isn't a direct substitute for pumpkin purée.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Pumpkin roll is an easy dessert to make ahead. Assemble the roll, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning it will be chilled and ready to slice.
Store the finished roll or individual slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For longer storage, wrap the pumpkin roll tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make pumpkin roll with 100% fresh milled flour?
Yes. This recipe was developed with 100% freshly milled soft white wheat and doesn't require any all-purpose flour.
Do I need to sift fresh milled flour?
No. Mill the soft white wheat finely and use the whole grain, including the bran and germ.
Do I need a jelly roll pan?
No. This recipe was developed for a standard 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet baking pan.
Which direction do you roll a pumpkin roll?
Start at one of the short ends. This creates the thicker traditional pumpkin roll with a prominent cream cheese swirl.
Why did my pumpkin roll crack?
Overbaking or allowing the cake to cool before rolling are two of the most common causes. Bake just until the cake is set and roll it while it's still warm and flexible.
Related Recipes
- Homemade Pumpkin Spice Granola
- Fresh Milled Flour Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Fresh Milled Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Fresh Milled Flour Banana Bread
- Fresh Milled Flour Sugar Cookies
- Easy Fresh Milled Flour Sandwich Bread
Fresh Milled Flour Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake
- 113 g fresh milled flour soft white wheat preferred
- 188 g pumpkin purée
- 200 g eggs about 4 large eggs without shells
- 188 g sugar or 125 g white sugar + 63 g brown sugar
- 5 g baking powder
- 4 g baking soda
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2.5 g pumpkin pie spice
- 4 g salt
- 6 g vanilla extract
- 18 g oil or 20 g if using hard white wheat
Cream Cheese Filling
- 226 g cream cheese softened
- 56 g butter softened
- 120 g powdered sugar
- 5 g vanilla extract
Optional
- 10 15 g milk only if batter is too thick
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
- Weigh and finely mill the soft white wheat berries.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the fresh milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until thick, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color.
- Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla. Mix on low just until combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula just until no visible streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into a thin, even layer, making sure it reaches the corners.
- Bake at 375°F for 12–15 minutes, or until the center is set and the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Avoid overbaking, which can make the cake more likely to crack.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. While it cools, generously dust a clean flour sack or tea towel with powdered sugar.
- Turn out the cake. Carefully flip the warm cake out of the pan onto the prepared towel. Gently peel away the parchment paper.
- Roll while warm. Starting at a short end, gently roll the warm cake and towel together into a log. Place seam-side down and allow it to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Make the cream cheese filling. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Unroll and fill. Carefully unroll the completely cooled cake and remove the towel. Don't force the curled end completely flat. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake, leaving about ½ inch around the edges.
- Roll again. Starting at the same short end, gently roll the filled cake back up, this time without the towel.
- Chill. Wrap the pumpkin roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours, or until chilled and the filling has firmed.
- Slice and serve. Unwrap and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Slice with a sharp or serrated knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for clean slices.
Video
Notes
- Measure the pumpkin purée by weight for the most consistent moisture level.
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are fully softened before mixing the filling to prevent lumps.
- Cool the rolled cake completely before adding the filling or the cream cheese mixture may soften and squeeze out.
- For cleaner slices, chill the finished pumpkin roll for at least 1 hour, then wipe the knife clean between cuts.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Leave a Reply