Carrot cake meets cinnamon rolls in this delightful fusion of flavors.These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls are soft, sweet, and swirled with a cinnamon-sugar filling, all topped off with a luscious cream cheese glaze.
Whether you’re a fan of classic cinnamon rolls or a carrot cake enthusiast, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings.
Follow these simple steps to create a memorable breakfast or dessert treat.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt. Mix well.
Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, while continuously mixing. Add the grated carrots, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg to the dough.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
2. Prepare the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Mix until it forms a smooth paste.
3. Assemble the Rolls
After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it out into a large rectangle on a floured surface, approximately 16×20 inches.
Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle chopped pecans and raisins on top if desired.
Starting from one long edge, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Cut it into 12 equal-sized rolls using a sharp knife.
Place the rolls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rise for an additional 30 minutes.
4. Bake the Rolls
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and the centers are cooked through.
5. Prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze
In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Gradually add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired glaze consistency.
6. Serve
Once the carrot cake cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, let them cool slightly.
Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the warm rolls.
Serve your delicious Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls and enjoy!
| Name: | Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | American |
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 25-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 120 minutes |
| Servings | 12 rolls |
| Yield | 12 rolls |
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 380
Total Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 75mg
Sodium: 320mg
Total Carbohydrates: 53g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 26g
Protein: 6g
Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze.
Indisputably a healthier recipe than that of most cinnamon rolls, this one calls for whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, and a low amount of sugar. That might not sound like the makings for a tasty cinnamon roll, but when you add warm carrot cake spices, golden raisins, walnuts, and a decadent-tasting but light cream cheese glaze, you get a delicious & healthy result!
I know the directions list looks a bit intimidating, but I assure you none of the steps are too difficult. I find the whole process to be rather meditative: hand mixing and kneading the dough, rolling it out and scattering the filling over top…
… rolling the dough up nice & snug and nestling the cut pieces into a cake pan.
It’s so rewarding to peek at the rolls an hour later and behold them in their puffed-up risen glory.
Then they emerge golden and warm from the oven, perfuming the air with their intoxicating aroma.
You can’t really see the flecks of grated carrot in the baked dough, but I assure you they’re in there ;).
Then comes the cream cheese glaze. Because let’s be honest, what is carrot cake without cream cheese? What are cinnamon rolls without glaze?
Boring, that’s what.
I opted for a consistency thinner than frosting, thus I’m calling this silky smooth, partly sweet partly tangy, and absolutely delicious concoction a glaze.
The following photo looks like a gargantuan cinnamon roll with a huge bite taken out of it.
Don’t think I didn’t consider doing just that.
Yet, I held back and served myself a more reasonably sized portion.
Given the modest amount of sugar in the carrot cake dough, it is more akin to bread than the typical cinnamon roll.
But once you cut into the roll, the sweet, cinnamon-heavy, walnut- & raisin- studded filling is revealed.
Keep on unraveling the soft but hearty swirls of bread, and you’ll finally reach the absolute best part of the cinnamon roll:
If you’ve been searching for a slightly indulgent sweet treat for Easter brunch, (or for any day of the week), I’ve got you covered!
