Abstract We put forward an alternative quantum algorithm for finding Hamiltonian cycles in any N-vertex graph based on adiabatic quantum computing. With a von Neumann measurement on the final state, one may determine whether there is a Hamiltonian cycle in the graph and pick out a cycle if there is any. Although the proposed algorithm provides a quadratic speedup, it gives an alternative algorithm based on adiabatic quantum computation, which is of interest because of its inherent robustness.