Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls from scratch with pecans, coconut, carrots, cinnamon filling, and cream cheese frosting. The perfect Easter treat!

However you know them, cinnamon rolls, chelsea buns, sweet buns, THEY'RE GOOD. Some of my favorite variations include the Best Homemade Orange Rolls and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, both of which are appropriate for holiday breakfast or Easter brunch.

So here's the deal. Carrot Cake. Cinnamon Rolls. Together forever. It's a beautiful thing. My little bakers helped me test this recipe a few times to get it perfect, and we all agree this is a favorite. I'll include general tips for how to make carrot cake cinnamon rolls and the icing for cinnamon rolls.

Instructions

1. Make the dough by first mixing together the milk, sugar, and yeast, and let sit 5 minutes until foamy. Assemble other ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer: grated carrots, butter, egg, salt, and flour.
2. Add milk/yeast mixture and mix until ball forms, then knead by hand or in  a stand mixer with dough hood 5-7 minutes until elastic. This dough is sticky, you can spray your hands with cooking spray if kneading by hand or mix in stand mixer with dough hook.
3. Form dough into ball and cover, let sit for 60 minutes at room temperature (approx 70-74F) until doubled in size.
4.  Gently deflate the dough and turn out onto floured work surface and shape into a loose rectangle/log shape, careful not to work the dough too much, it becomes less stretchy the more you knead it after the first rise.
5. Roll out into a 24 inch long by 14-16 inch wide rectangle, keeping the corners as square as possible.
6. Spread softened butter on top of the dough rectangle, then sprinkle brown sugar/spice mixture. Sprinkle flour on top evenly last, this helps keep the filling inside the rolls as they bake.
7. Roll gently lengthwise into a long roll, careful to keep the filling inside. Leave seam side down.
8.  Using string or dental floss, cut roll into 12 equal 2 inch wide slices by sliding string under roll, crossing string ends, and pulling tight to pull the string through the roll. I usually mark the roll with the string before slicing to ensure even sizes. Can also be sliced with a sharp knife.
9. Place in prepared 9x13 inch pan or 11x 18 inch baking sheet to rise and cover. Let rise 45-60 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
10. Bake at 350F for 32-35 minutes if in a 9x13 inch glass pan (may need to cover with foil last 10 minutes of baking to avoid over browned tops) or bake for 25 minutes on a 11x18 inch baking sheet.
11. Mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and whole milk until smooth. Spread over baked cinnamon rolls and top with toasted coconut and pecans.

Icing for Cinnamon Rolls:

I like to make a cream cheese icing for my cinnamon rolls, but I also love to use mascarpone in place of cream cheese when the mood hits me.

My icing recipe is more like a frosting than a glaze, but you can customize it by adding more milk or whole cream to make it thinner.

Overnight Instructions:

1.  Follow recipe to make dough, fill, roll, and cut dough into 12 equal rolls and place cut side down onto a baking sheet or 9×13 inch pan.
2. Cover with plastic wrap. Do not let rise first or they will deflate in the refrigerator. Cooling the dough simply slows yeast growth, it does not kill it.
3.  Place in fridge overnight.
4. Remove from refrigerator and let rise for 30-40 minutes in warm place before baking. I like to turn on the oven to 200 F for 2 minutes, then turn off the oven and set the rolls inside to rise with the door cracked open.
5. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 min (or 25 min if on a large baking sheet). Glass pans will take a few more minutes to bake than dark pans.

How to Freeze Rolls:

1. Follow directions to make dough, fill, roll, and cut dough into rolls and place into foil lined pan so edges are not touching, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer immediately, do not let rise first or they will deflate in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bag or airtight freezer safe container.
2. Freeze until ready to use up to 3 months. Do NOT microwave dough to thaw. It will kill the yeast.
3. Regular rise method: Remove from freezer, thaw in warm place (covered) for 3-5 hours or until almost doubled in size.
4. Quicker rise method: Turn ON oven to 200 degrees for 2 minutes then turn OFF oven. Place rolls in oven and let thaw and rise 2-3 hours until almost doubled in size.
5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes (if on large baking sheet) and 32-25 min (if in 19x13in pan). Glass pans will take a few more minutes to bake than dark pans.

Pro Tips:

• Sprinkle flour over cinnamon sugar filling to help the filling stay nice and gooey inside the cinnamon rolls during baking, and help it from crystallizing into a hard sugar syrup on the bottom of the pan.
• When rolling out the dough, keep edges straight and corners as square as you can by stopping along the way to shape. This helps the rolls be a more uniform shape and size when you slice.
• Bake on a 11x18 in. baking sheet for beautiful bakery style cinnamon rolls worthy of a bake sale.
• Use a 9x13 in. baking pan for a family style breakfast that can be made to rise overnight, instructions below.
• Use toasted coconut on top!
  • Toast 1 cup of shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut by first preheating the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread shredded coconut evenly on top. Bake for 5 minutes, stir coconut, and pop back in the oven for a total of 10 minutes. Coconut should be golden brown and smell lovely.

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5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls from scratch with pecans, coconut, carrots, cinnamon filling, and cream cheese frosting. The perfect Easter treat!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Rising Time2 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot Cake CInnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls

Servings: 12 rolls

Calories: 625kcal

Author: Sara

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Mixing Bowl
• Baking Sheet/baking pan

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 cup milk (warm, approx 100-119F)
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup butter, softened (4 Tablespoons)
• 2 cups grated carrot (200g)
• 1 large egg
• 5-½ cups all-purpose flour (785g)

For the filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground clove
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 4-5 Tablespoons all purpose flour

For the icing

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter (4 Tablespoons) softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 Tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup toasted coconut

Instructions

For the dough:

• In a small bowl combine warm milk (between 100-110 F), sugar, and active dry yeast and let sit 5 minutes or until foamy. If using instant yeast, simply combine all dough ingredients. Just keep the yeast away from direct contact with the salt when combining ingredients (salt slows yeast growth).
• In a stand mixer with dough hook attachment (or large bowl if mixing by hand) combine salt, butter, grated carrot, egg, and 5 cups of flour. Pour foamy yeast mixture in and mix with dough hook on low speed for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic (if mixing without a mixer, simply mix with a wooden spoon until you can’t mix anymore and then begin kneading by hand 6-8 minutes.

  Add another ½ cup (up to one cup if needed) of flour to make dough consistency thick and slightly sticky.
• Oil a large bowl, place dough in it and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for one hour or until doubled in size.

For the filling:

• In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg). Set aside.
• On a floured work surface with rolling pin, roll dough into roughly a 24 inch by 12-14 inch rectangle. I stop occasionally and shape it with my hands to keep a rectangular shape.
• Spread softened butter over dough with a spoon or pastry brush.

  Sprinkle and spread sugar mixture evenly over butter.

  Sprinkle 4-5 Tablespoons of flour evenly over filling (a sifter works great if you have one).  Carefully roll dough lengthwise into a long roll. Mark the dough into 12 equal portions with a knife.
• Use a piece of clean string or dental floss and slide the string underneath the roll. Pick up both ends of the string, cross them, and pull tight to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Place rolls cut side down into an oiled 9x13 inch pan or large baking sheet, being careful not to crowd the rolls so they have room to rise.
•  Cover with a dish towel, and let rise for 45 minutes to one hour until almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until light golden brown on top. (Glass pans take more time, dark pans & large baking sheets take less time.) Cool 15-20 minute before icing.

For the icing:

• In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, butter and mix until most of the lumps are gone. You can microwave them for 10-20 seconds to soften them enough to mix. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. I like my icing thicker like frosting. Add another 1-2 Tablespoons milk if you prefer a thinner glaze. Generously spoon icing over rolls to coat evenly, and top with pecans and toasted coconut.

  Serve warm for maximum deliciousness.

Notes

Overnight Instructions:

1.  Follow recipe to make dough, fill, roll, and cut dough into 12 equal rolls and place cut side down onto a baking sheet or 9×13 inch pan.
2. Cover with plastic wrap. Do not let rise first or they will deflate in the refrigerator. Cooling the dough simply slows yeast growth, it does not kill it.
3.  Place in fridge overnight.
4. Remove from refrigerator and let rise for 30-40 minutes in warm place before baking. I like to turn on the oven to 200 F for 2 minutes, then turn off the oven and set the rolls inside to rise with the door cracked open.
5. Bake at 350 F for 32-35 min (or 25 min if on a large baking sheet). Glass pans will take a few more minutes to bake than dark pans.

Freezer instructions: 

1. Follow directions to make dough, fill, roll, and cut dough into rolls and place into foil lined pan so edges are not touching, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer immediately, do not let rise first or they will deflate in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bag or airtight freezer safe container.
2. Freeze until ready to use up to 3 months. Do NOT microwave dough to thaw. It will kill the yeast.
3. Regular rise method: Remove from freezer, thaw in warm place (covered) for 3-5 hours or until almost doubled in size.
4. Quicker rise method: Turn ON oven to 200 degrees for 2 minutes then turn OFF oven. Place rolls in oven and let thaw and rise 2-3 hours until almost doubled in size.
5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes (if on large baking sheet) and 32-35 min (if in 19x13in pan). Glass pans will take a few more minutes to bake than dark pans.

Nutrition

Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 4225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg