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Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

🥕🍞🧡 These soft and fluffy rolls are what happens when you infuse the flavors of carrot cake into homemade cinnamon rolls! Flecks of grated carrots in every bite, combined with a warming spice trio of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and topped with the most decadent cream cheese frosting! Make these for your next special event including Easter, Mother's Day, or a lazy weekend brunch!*Please read through the FAQs and the Tips section in the blog post BEFORE you make this recipe!

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Rising Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 525 kcal
Course: Breakfast , Bread , Brunch
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Dough
  • 4 ½ cups bread flour (plus extra for dough if necessary and for dusting work surface. If measuring by weight, it's 652.5 grams bread flour; if using AP flour 4 1/2 cups = 585 grams and you will likely need to add ~1/2 cup more)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk warmed as indicated on the packet of yeast (2% milk may be substituted)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (this is one standard-sized packet in the US, or about 0.25-ounce; do not use instant or rapid yeast)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter very soft
  • ½ cup grated carrots (do it yourself on a box grater and don't buy pre-grated bags of carrots)
Filling
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed (dark brown sugar may be substituted)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or to taste (1 tbsp = 3 tsp, you can always reduce the amount if desired but I like 1 tbsp)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste
  • ½ cup unsalted butter very soft
  • 1 cup grated carrots
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature (use brick-style cream cheese; do not use anything labeled as lite or reduced fat)
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar sifted if it's very lumpy
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter very soft
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt optional (balances the sweetness of the frosting)
  • ½ cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted in a dry skillet if desired; optional for garnishing

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dough - To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and stir to combine; set aside.
  2. Proofing the Yeast - Warm the milk according to the package directions on the yeast. Normally it's about 110F. This takes about 30 seconds in the microwave, but can vary. Tip - Take the temperature and do not guess! Too hot and you kill the yeast; too cold and the yeast won't activate. If you stick a clean finger into it, it should feel warm but not hot.
  3. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the warmed milk, yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar from the 1/2 cup sugar (reserve the remainder), beat well, then leave it for about 5 minutes. After 5-7 minutes, the mixture should look frothy and foamy, meaning the yeast is active and you can carry on. Tip - If it's not frothy and foamy, you need to repeat this process because if you don't your rolls will never rise.
  4. Add the remaining sugar, egg + yolk (save the white for another use or just discard it), butter, and beat on medium to medium-high speed for about 90 seconds. The butter will look lumpy and awful at this point, like it has split, but it's fine.
  5. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients mixture with the flour and spices, one cup at a time. After all the flour has been added, stop and scrap down the bowl.
  6. Add the grated carrots and beat on the lowest mixer speed for about 2 minutes. The dough will start pulling away from the sides of the bowl and being to form a ball.
  7. Kneading - Stop the mixer, swap out the paddle for the dough hook, and set the mixer to the lowest speed and knead for about 8 minutes. (If you're doing this by hand, you'll want to turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10-15 minutes.)
  8. Checking the Dough - Stop kneading and check the dough. With a clean and dry finger, gently press it and your finger should make an indent that slowly springs back. Tips - The dough itself WILL feel tacky but should NOT stick to a clean, dry finger. If the dough doesn't spring back when touched or feels sticky, add one tablespoon flour at at time, with the mixer running on the lowest speed. Mix again for 1 minutes, check again, and repeat if necessary. Do NOT add too much flour because over-floured dough creates rolls that are dense and heavy, rather than light and fluffy. If in doubt, perform a windowpane test by taking a small amount of dough about the size of a walnut then stretch it. The dough should become thin and translucent without tearing, and when held up to a windowlight should pass through it. If your dough passes this test you can be confident it has developed enough gluten and you’re ready to move on to the next step in the recipe.
  9. First Rise - Spray a large mixing bowl (the same one you used for mixing together the dry ingredients is fine) with cooking spray or use a little oil to grease the bowl. Place your dough ball into it, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Tips - If you have a warm or sunny nook in your kitchen, this is ideal. Dough will rise faster in warmer environments than in cold ones. Take a picture of your dough. This makes it easier to see a couple hours later if it has indeed doubled in size. If it needs more than 2 hours, that's fine to give it another ~30 minutes or so.
  10. Filling Mixture - Meanwhile, make the filling. To a small bowl add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and use a fork to thoroughly mix the ingredients together. Use this time to make sure your butter is very soft. If it’s not spreadable you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds just before you roll out the dough.
  11. Punchdown + Roll-Out - Once the dough has doubled in size punch the air out then transfer to a lightly floured surface like a clean countertop. Roll out the dough to a rectangle roughly 12 inches by 18 inches.
  12. Spread the dough rectangle with the soft butter, taking the butter all the way to the edges. Evenly sprinkle over the spiced sugar then scatter the grated carrots on top. Press the top of the carrots down with a fork so they don’t escape when you roll up the dough.
  13. With the longer edge (or side) facing you, roll up the dough into a log shape then pinch the seam together.
  14. Slicing - Cut the log in half then cut each half into 6 equal sections. Tip - You can use a sharp serrated knife to do this or unflavored dental floss for precise cuts. Floss helps from compacting or squishing down the log so the rolls stay circular and less mutilated.
  15. Second Rise - Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish very well with cooking spray (or grease with butter) and then place the cinnamon rolls inside. Cover the dish and leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes or until they look puffed up. They should roughly double in size. Tip - Again, take a before photo for extra assurance so you can remember what they looked like.Preheat the oven at the beginning of the second rise to 350F if you're planning on making them straight through and not doing the make-ahead option. Make-Ahead -  After the second rise, if you’d like, you can stop, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge overnight. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge 2-3 hours before you plan on baking them to allow them to come to room temperature. Baking with a cold baking dish and cold dough will not yield great results.
  16. Baking - When the rolls have puffed and risen, bake in the middle of the preheated 350F oven for about 30-35 minutes or until they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the rolls comes out clean. Using a digital thermometer, check to see that the the internal temperature is 190ºF - 200ºF. Tips - Watch the dough carefully to make sure they're not burning on top. All ovens vary so make sure you keep an eye on them and start checking early, after ~25 minutes. I like to rotate my pan midway through baking for more even baking.
  17. Frosting - While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by adding the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla, and optional salt to the bowl of the stand mixer (or large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer) and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until soft, fluffy, and creamy. Tips - If you want the frosting to be a bit thicker, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. As written, the frosting amount is sufficient to cover the rolls but if you LOVE frosting, double all ingredients so you have a double batch.
  18. You can frost the rolls freshly pulled from the oven. The frosting will melt and seep down into the crevices. Or you can wait 10-15 minutes, and it won't melt as much - your choice. Optionally, garnish with nuts, and serve warm.

Notes

  • Storage
  • In the Refrigerator: Rolls will keep in an airtight container up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before enjoying them. You can use a microwave (or oven) or just wait until they’re at room temp.
  • In the Freezer: Rolls will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Do not frost them if you plan to freeze them is my advice. Thaw, then frost, and enjoy.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1roll Calories 525kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 69g (23%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 58mg (19%) Sodium 250mg (10%) Potassium 191mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 32g (64%) Vitamin A 3369IU (67%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 73mg (7%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 525

% Daily Value*

Serving 1roll
Calories 525kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 69g 23%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 250mg 10%
Potassium 191mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 32g 64%
Vitamin A 3369IU 67%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 73mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.