Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
While I love a good slice of carrot cake, these carrot cake cinnamon rolls give them a run for their money.
They bake up so soft and fluffy, thanks to freshly grated carrots, and are packed with warm spices!
Spread some cream cheese frosting over the top of them when they’re still warm, and they’re truly irresistible.
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting & FAQs
Below are some answers to frequently asked questions about this recipe and advice to help you make the very best cinnamon rolls!
What Makes These Cinnamon Rolls Taste Like Carrot Cake?
While the shredded carrots add tons of moisture and a nice pop of color, they don’t actually contribute much to the flavor of these cinnamon rolls.
To give these carrot cake cinnamon rolls that nostalgic carrot cake flavor, the filling is made with lots of warm spices.
In addition to cinnamon, this recipe includes ground nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. The spices paired with the cream cheese frosting make these taste just like a slice of carrot cake!
What Type of Yeast Should I Use to Make These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls?
This recipe uses instant yeast! It comes in small packets that can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
You can also order larger packages of instant yeast online if you bake with yeast a lot!
You can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast in this recipe, but you will need to let the dough rise longer. Active yeast takes longer to rise than instant.
What’s the Best Way to Grate Carrots for This Recipe?
Finely grated carrots really make this recipe!
I like to peel my carrots and then grate them on a microplane grater to make them extra fine. This makes it easier for them to be incorporated into the dough.
However, you can also grate your carrots using a grating attachment on a food processor or with a regular cheese grater.
Whatever method you decide to use, be sure to wring out the shredded carrots with either a cheesecloth or a couple of paper towels.
The carrots should be roughly half the weight and volume they started at once they’ve been wrung out.
If you don’t do this, your dough will be super sticky and difficult to roll out.
This will also force you to add extra flour, which will make your cinnamon roll dough denser and less fluffy.
How Much Flour Am I Supposed to Use??
While this seems like it should be a straightforward question, the amount of flour you use in this recipe can vary.
The amount of flour you start with is set at 4 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
But as you add in your wet ingredients and the egg, a sticky dough ball forms, and you might need to add in additional flour.
I usually add an additional 1-2 Tbsp of flour into the dough at this stage, but it varies a little every time I make this recipe.
You need just enough flour to make the dough workable.
The main goal is to make the dough easy enough to handle and knead by hand, but it should still be a bit tacky and soft.
If you add too much flour, you can end up with dense, chewy cinnamon rolls that are difficult to roll.
This is why you want to be careful with how much flour you add, especially if you decide to add a bit more to get the consistency of your dough just right.
Can I Make These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls by Hand or with a Stand Mixer?
Good news! This recipe can be made by hand or with a dough hook / stand mixer.
It is definitely easier to make them with a stand mixer, but a little elbow grease never hurts anyone.
I also find it’s easier to get the consistency of the dough right if you knead by hand.
When I make cinnamon rolls, I like to start making the dough in my stand mixer and finish the kneading process by hand. This usually gives me the best results and helps me make the fluffiest cinnamon rolls.
The dough should be tacky but not sticky once it’s ready to rest.
If you’re unsure what the right consistency of dough feels like, I recommend testing the dough by pressing it with your finger.
It should feel tacky but not leave any residue on your finger when you pull it away.
Whichever method you use to make the dough, just be sure to knead or mix the dough until it gets an elastic texture and just starts to pull away from the bowl or counter.
Once you get to this point, stop, and let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes.
This little break lets the gluten relax a bit and makes the dough easier to roll out.
What Are These Cinnamon Rolls Frosted With?
Carrot cakes, like cinnamon rolls, are often topped with cream cheese icing.
With that in mind, a simple cream cheese frosting seemed fitting for these carrot cake cinnamon rolls.
However, you can use a more traditional vanilla icing on your cinnamon rolls if you prefer them that way.
If that’s you, swap out the cream cheese for additional butter and double the amount of vanilla extract in the frosting.
Substitutions and Swaps
While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know you might not have all these ingredients on hand!
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.
- Instant / Rapid Rise Yeast – You can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast in this recipe; just be sure to activate it before adding it to the dough and let the dough rise for a bit longer. Active yeast takes longer to rise than instant.
- Whole Milk – Most alternative milks work fine in this recipe, including soy, oat, and almond milk.
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
- Finely Shredded Carrots – I like to peel my carrots and then grate them on a microplane grater to make them extra fine. However, you can also grate your carrots using a grating attachment on a food processor or with a regular cheese grater. Whatever method you use, squeeze out as much juice as possible with a cheesecloth or paper towel before adding them to the dough.
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar to make the filling for these cinnamon rolls. I prefer using dark in this recipe!
- Chopped Pecans – The nuts in this recipe are optional. I like the texture they add and find that toasting them really amps up their flavor (bake in a preheated 350 F / 150 C oven for 5-7 minutes).
Making These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls in Advance
If you want to make these carrot cake cinnamon rolls ahead of time, be my guest! I’m all about working ahead and making life easier.
This recipe can be made the evening before and then baked the following morning.
You can refrigerate these cinnamon rolls after they have been cut in a greased or lined pan.
Cover the cinnamon roll pan tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the seal is airtight.
If the cinnamon rolls are exposed to air, they can dry out, and no one wants dry cinnamon rolls!
The morning you want to bake them, take them out 1 hour before you plan to bake them, then follow the recipe instructions to bake.
You can also bake the cinnamon rolls, then let them cool and freeze them individually.
This is what I do with our leftover cinnamon rolls. I leave the leftover rolls unfrosted, then tightly wrap each roll in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.
I move individual cinnamon rolls from the freezer to the fridge the night before I want to eat them.
Then, in the morning, I unwrap the cinnamon roll and heat it up in the microwave until it’s warm and gooey (usually about 30 seconds!).
Tips for Making the Best Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
- Wring out the freshly grated carrots with a cheesecloth or paper towel. This will prevent your dough from becoming too sticky to roll out.
- Don’t overwork the dough! Knead it just until it becomes elastic and easy to handle.
- Test your dough with the finger test. When you think you’ve added enough flour, poke the dough with the tip of your finger. It’s ready when it feels tacky but doesn’t leave any residue on your finger.
- Use a ruler to make sure your dough is rolled out to the right size (12 in x 24 in) and cut into even pieces.
- Mark the cinnamon roll log before cutting it to make sure your cinnamon rolls are all the same size. This will help them bake more evenly.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls in a greased rectangular pan (mine is 9 in x 13 in).
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then add the frosting. This will allow the frosting to melt perfectly over the cinnamon rolls.
- Store leftover cinnamon rolls or cinnamon rolls made ahead of time in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this recipe for carrot cake cinnamon rolls, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and a comment with your thoughts.
You can also tag me on social media @chelsweets or use #chelsweets so I can see your creations!
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 550g + about additional flour to be added later
- 4 1/2 tsp (2 packets) instant dry yeast 14g, 1/2 oz.
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 1 cup whole milk 240g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots – about 3 large carrots 210g
- 1 large egg, room temperature 56g
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 133g
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted – optional 125g
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature 226g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 190g
Instructions
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 1/4 cups of flour, 2 packets (4 1/2 tsp) of instant dry yeast, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- In a separate, heat-proof bowl, combine 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup softened butter, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave and stir to combine the ingredients. The butter should be melted, and the mixture should be warm but not hot to the touch (you don't want to kill the yeast!).
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix on medium speed with a dough hook or by hand. Scrape around the edges with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flour gets incorporated.
- Wring out 1 1/2 cups of freshly grated carrots with a paper towel or cheesecloth. You should be able to squeeze out a significant amount of carrot juice, and the carrots should look kind of like sweet potatoes once they're wrung out. You should be left with about 3/4 cup of wrung-out carrots that weigh half as much as before (from about 210g to 105g). Mix them into the dough at a medium speed until they're worked into the dough.
- Add in 1 large egg. Mix at low speed at first, then increase to medium speed until a sticky dough ball forms.
- Continue to mix the dough on a medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until the dough becomes more elastic.
- Keep mixing the dough and add 1 Tbsp of additional flour at a time until the dough is tacky but no longer sticky (it usually takes me 1-2 additional Tbsp of flour). The best way to test the dough is to tap the dough with your finger. It should be tacky but shouldn't stick to your finger or leave any residue on your finger.
- Once the dough reaches this stage, cover your bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. This will make it easier to roll out.
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Roll Filling
- While the dough rests, make the cinnamon roll filling. To be able to combine the filling into a paste-like consistency, the butter needs to be really soft (but preferably not melted). It should be spreadable/softer than room temperature. I usually heat room-temperature butter in the microwave in 5-second intervals to get this consistency – just be sure not to fully melt it!
- Add 1/2 cup of very soft butter, 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp allspice, and 1/4 tsp salt together. Set aside. The mixture should have a thick, paste-like consistency.
Roll Out & Bake the Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
- Line a 9×13-inch pan (light-colored metal preferable) with parchment paper and set aside. If you don't have metal, glass will work, too. If you use glass, lower the oven temperature by 25 F and bake for a few minutes longer.
- Next, place the rested dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that's about 14×24 inches. It should be a little less than 1 cm thick.
- Spread the filling in a thin, even layer across the dough with an offset spatula or rubber spatula. It might seem like there isn't enough filling at first, but I promise there is! It just takes a bit of time to get it fully spread out over the dough.
There are two options for rolling and cutting these:
- Traditional Roll and Cut Method: Roll the dough horizontally, then cut 12 equal pieces using dental floss, and place them in the prepared pan.
- Cut THEN Roll Method (my preferred method): Use a pastry rolling cutter or pizza cutter to cut 12 equal strips that are about 2" wide – this is why it's important that the dough is 24" wide! If it's shorter, you may need to cut your strips a bit narrower. Then, roll each cinnamon roll up individually and place them in the prepared pan.
- Proof & Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- There are also two options for proofing and baking these rolls! Follow the instructions below based on when you chose to make these rolls.
- If you are making these cinnamon rolls the night before, cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. The following morning, take them out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 200°F/93°C. Then, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place the rolls in the oven for about 30 minutes until they've risen. Remove them from the oven and take off the tinfoil.
- If you make these the morning of, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and place them in the oven to rise for about 30 minutes. MAKE SURE YOU'VE TURNED THE OVEN OFF. We want a nice cozy place for the rolls to rise, but we don't want to bake them yet. Remove them from the oven and take off the tinfoil.
- At this point, they should look puffier and have grown about twice in size. Don't worry if some of the butter has melted out around the base of the cinnamon rolls. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Then bake the rolls for 26-30 minutes or until they're just starting to brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make the cream cheese frosting while the cinnamon rolls bake and cool. Mix 1 cup of room temperature cream cheese, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar together with a whisk or electric mixer. I like to heat the cream cheese up a little bit in the microwave to make the frosting easier to mix. Mix on a low speed until the frosting smooth.
- Let the carrot cake cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy them warm! If desired, cut a leftover carrot into tiny pieces and add as a garnish with small bits of carrot top greens to look like little carrots.
Video
Notes
Using the Right Type of Yeast: Active vs. Instant Yeast
Make sure you are using instant yeast! It comes in small packets that can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can use active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast in this recipe, just be sure to activate it in a small bowl with 2 Tbsp of warm water and 1 tsp sugar before adding it to the dough and let the dough rise for longer (active yeast takes longer to rise than instant).Tips for Making the Best Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
- Aggressively wring out the freshly grated carrots with a cheesecloth or paper towel. This will prevent your dough from becoming too sticky to roll out!
- Don’t overwork the dough. Knead it just until it becomes elastic and easy to handle.
- Test your dough with the finger test! When you think you’ve added enough flour, poke the dough with the tip of your finger. The dough is ready when it feels tacky but doesn’t leave any residue on your finger.
- Use a ruler to make sure your dough is rolled out to the right size (12×24 inches).
- Mark the cinnamon roll log before cutting it to make sure your cinnamon rolls are all the same size. This will help them bake more evenly.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls in a greased rectangular pan (mine is 9 in x 13 in).
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then add the frosting. This will allow it to melt perfectly over your cinnamon rolls.
- Store leftover cinnamon rolls or cinnamon rolls made ahead of time in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Making These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls the Night Before
This recipe can be made the evening before and baked the following morning. You can refrigerate these cinnamon rolls overnight after they have been cut and placed in a greased or lined pan. Cover the cinnamon roll pan tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the seal is airtight. Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you plan to bake them the following morning to let them warm up and rise a bit. Then bake at 350°F/175°C for 26-32 minutes or until golden brown.Nutrition
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Can theses be frozen raw? Then baked later?
It says wring out 1/2 cups carrots. Do you mean 1 1/2 cups?
Thanks!
Can you add raisins to the dough?
Your ingredient list says 1 1/2 cups carrots. The instructions call for 1/2 cup. Now I’ve got wet dough all over my hands and the iPad trying to figure out where I went wrong. And have to drive into town to repurchase milk and flour. Hopefully round 2 works out.
Hi Lindsey,
I’m so sorry about that, apologies! The ingredients portion is correct, it should be 1 1/2 cups. I’ve updated the instructions portion to reflect this. Thank you for letting me know!
@Chelsweets,
Thanks so much for your quick reply. I’ve made this twice now with 1/2 cups carrots and Think I’m wringing them out pretty well, and the dough is tacky and becomes no longer tacky with 3-5 Tbsp flour. I’m nervous to add the whole 1 1/2 cup because try first attempt was disastrous. I make your recipes all the time and this is the first issue I’ve encountered. (And receive so many compliments, always giving you the credit ?? You are a baking rockstar!!!) Is it possible for you to reevaluate the carrot measurement?
Thank you!!!
Hi Lindsey,
You are too sweet! And I’m sorry this recipe is being such a pain :/ I was planning to make a batch in the next couple weeks, so I’m more than happy to retest it!
Out of curiosity, are you using a microplane grater or a regular grater? And are you wringing out the carrots with a paper towel or cheese cloth?
I’ll keep you posted on how my batch turns out!
Following up on this Lindsey! Remade this recipe this week and it turned out great!!
I think the issue you might be running into is that you aren’t squeezing enough liquid out of your carrots. You want to squeeze literally as hard as you can! The shredded carrots should be like half their weight once they’ve been wrung out. While we start with 1 1/2 cups of carrots, you end up with about 3/4 cup of compressed carrots.
As long as you wring out the carrots enough, the dough should come together nicely! I added about 2 Tbsp of additional flour to dough this batch and it was nice and tacky. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Could you make these a few days in advance? Prepare Friday and cook Sunday morning?
Made these for kids while being constantly interrupted by said kids. Despite this they turned out perfectly. The dough was very easy to work with. I made it in the kitchen aid stand mixer and didn’t have to add any additional flour. Both the kids and I enjoyed them.
Aw so happy to hear that Kirsten!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
These came out so delicious!
Wondering if I could make these in a bread machine? So excited to try this recipe!
The directions are clear and concise and the dough came together beautifully. In true Chelsweets style, the end result was fabulous- moist, pretty and so flavorful. Thank you for another recipe that makes me look waaaay more accomplished as a baker than I actually am. #imposterbaker
Can I use matchstick carrots instead?
Hi Sunny,
Yes, you can use matchstick carrots if needed! But they won’t release as much moisture as freshly grated carrots, so the dough may turn out a little less soft and tender. If you can, give the matchstick carrots a quick chop or pulse in a food processor to break them down a bit more. It’ll help them blend into the dough better and add more moisture. Either way, the flavor will still be delicious!
Do you let the dough rise once before rolling out dough?
Hi Gayle,
I do not! I let the dough sit for 10-20 minutes once it’s made to let the gluten relax and make it easier to roll out, but the proper rise happens once the rolls are cut and placed in the pan, before they’re baked. Hope that helps, happy baking!
These really are spectacular. I have found that I wanted the flavor a little more carroty and so I keep the carrot juice after wringing out and substitute it for an equal volume of the milk in the recipe. It changes the timing of the steps as written but the texture was still perfect.
Hi Sarah,
Ok that is actually genius!!!!! I am going to try that next time! And I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing 🙂