Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

4.99 from 236 ratings

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

These carrot cake cinnamon rolls 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.

Prep Time30

Cook Time28

Additional Time40

Total Time1 38

Course: Bread & Cinnamon Rolls

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 Cinnamon Rolls

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

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 9x13-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 14x24 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 (12x24 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