Your favourite spring dessert and big day breakfast rolled into one? These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls are filled with grated carrots, heat spices, and chopped walnuts, then topped with a cream cheese frosting for an ideal springtime brunch.
Leap to:
Spring is for all issues carrot cake-flavored and cinnamon rolls.
OK,cinnamon rolls are technically a year-round deal with and I would take pleasure in carrot cake in any season,too.
However there’s one thing about Easter that requires each of them.
With grated carrots in each the dough and the filling,warming spices,and a cream cheese frosting,these carrot cake cinnamon rolls might be a really welcome addition to Easter brunch.
Or only a enjoyable springtime deal with.
🗒 Components
In case you’ve ever made home made cinnamon rolls earlier than,you may see these use very commonplace elements,with the addition of some particular options,like grated carrots,warming spices,and walnuts.
And,in fact,a cream cheese frosting to high them off!
Here is the whole lot you want for the recipe (remember to view the recipe card on the backside of this put up for ingredient quantities and full recipe directions):
- Complete milk
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Dry lively yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Floor cinnamon
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Finely grated carrots:You will wish to eliminate as a lot moisture as doable from the carrots. After measuring them out,I like to recommend wrapping them in cheesecloth or a dish towel and squeezing them firmly to take away as a lot water as doable.
- Unsalted butter
- Gentle brown sugar
- Floor nutmeg
- Floor ginger
- Floor cloves
- Chopped walnuts:optionally available,however extremely really useful!
And for the cream cheese frosting,you may want:
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioners’sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk or cream
🥕 make carrot cake cinnamon rolls
The primary time I made cinnamon rolls,I used to be so intimidated and it felt like such an enormous venture. Now,it is one thing I do for enjoyable on a Tuesday afternoon!
So,if that is your first time,I perceive you may be a bit of nervous. However I promise it is an entire lot simpler than it appears to be like! You largely simply want a while (particularly for the rises!) and a few counter house (for rolling out the dough).
To begin,warmth the milk,vegetable oil,and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium warmth,stirring sometimes,till it is scorching,however not on the level of boiling.
It must be about 170-180 levels.
Pour the milk combination into the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer,you are able to do it by hand (I share ideas within the recipe card)
Now,let the combination relaxation for about 10 minutes to chill a bit. In case you’re utilizing a thermometer,you need it to chill to about about 110 levels.
As soon as cooled,sprinkle yeast excessive of milk combination and let sit for five minutes.
As soon as rested,add flour,1 teaspoon cinnamon,and salt to exploit combination and blend on low for 1 minute,till flour is integrated.
Add vanilla extract and ½ cup grated carrots (be sure to squeeze the moisture out of your carrots!) and use your mixer’s dough hook attachment to knead on medium velocity till dough is comes collectively and is clean,6-8 minutes.
Switch the dough ball to a flippantly greased mixing bowl,cowl with a towel,and place in a heat location for about an hour.
The dough ought to nearly double in measurement throughout the finish of the hour it is resting.


As soon as dough has risen,punch it down and place on a flippantly floured floor. Roll dough out right into a rectangle,about 12×16 inches.
Utilizing a knife unfold butter over all the dough rectangle,all the best way to the sides. Sprinkle brown sugar,remaining 2 teaspoon cinnamon,nutmeg,ginger,cloves,remaining ½ cup grated carrots,and walnuts excessive.
Now,roll the dough lengthwise into a decent log,and use a pointy knife or unflavored dental floss to chop the log into 12 equal slices (about 1 ¼”thick).


It is OK if you find yourself with a pair additional! Organize the rolls in 2 9-inch pie plates which are flippantly sprayed with cooking oil or brushed with softened butter.
Now you need to allow them to rise once more. I do know,a lot ready!
Cowl the pan with a towel and place the rolls in a heat space to rise for about 45 minutes.
When rolls are virtually carried out rising,preheat oven to 350 levels.
And now you are able to bake! Bake the rolls for about 20-24 minutes,till cooked via and now not doughy.


Whereas they’re baking,you’ll be able to whip up the cream cheese frosting.
Within the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer or whisk,beat cream cheese and butter till clean.
Add confectioners’sugar,cinnamon,and vanilla extract and beat till mixed.
Add 3 tablespoon milk or cream to bowl and beat properly. Add a further tablespoon liquid for thinner frosting.


Let the cinnamon rolls relaxation for about 5 minutes earlier than spreading with cream cheese frosting and including sprinkles,if desired.
I like to recommend utilizing cute carrot sprinkles.


And Easter brunch is prepared. OK,possibly it’s best to serve some eggsor hamor one thing together with these carrot cake cinnamon rolls.
However I would say your brunch contribution is formally fulfilled. And all company might be very a lot glad.


The carrot cake cinnamon rolls are such a candy contact of spring!
☀️ make prematurely
Clearly making cinnamon rolls is not an excellent fast course of and it is probably not doable to rise up within the morning to make them in time for breakfast.
Fortunately,you do have some choices for prepping a part of the rolls prematurely!
Listed below are two other ways you are able to do this:
- Possibility 1:After the dough rises (step 4 within the recipe card),cowl the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge for as much as three days and end rolling dough and forming rolls when prepared.
- Possibility 2:After you prepare the rolls within the pan (step 7),you’ll be able to cowl the pan in plastic wrap and place them within the fridge in a single day or within the freezer for longer. Merely carry to room temperature and bake when prepared.
⏲️ retailer
And when you’ve got leftover cinnamon rolls after baking otherwise you merely wish to bake the rolls prematurely and simply re-heat earlier than brunch,that is tremendous,too!
I like to recommend ready to frost the rolls proper earlier than serving. And so long as you wrap the dish of unfrosted cinnamon rolls tightly in plastic wrap,you’ll be able to retailer them at room temperature for about 24 hours.
Any longer than 24 hours or in the event you’ve already frosted the rolls,it’s best to hold them tightly wrapped within the fridge.
To re-heat the cinnamon rolls earlier than serving,I like to recommend doing so within the oven at 325 levels. Frivolously cowl the dish with aluminum foil and warmth for 10-12 minutes,till warmed via.
As soon as warmed,frost the rolls


🎉 Variations on recipe
Listed below are a couple of concepts for what you’ll be able to add to those carrot cake cinnamon rolls/adjustments you can also make to go well with them much more to your tastes!
- Some folks like raisins of their carrot cake and you’ll actually add them to the filling elements.
- You may also add shredded coconut to the rolls for extra tropical carrot cake taste.
- In case you’re lacking the pineapple taste,you’ll be able to add crushed pineapple to the filling;simply be sure to drain it rather well.
- In case you do not desire nuts,you’ll be able to depart the walnuts out,although I do suppose they add loads to the carrot cake taste of the rolls! You may also be happy to crush them in order that they’re smaller.
- You may also substitute the walnuts for pecans in the event you desire.
🐰 Extra Easter brunch recipes
For extra candy and savory Easter brunch concepts,try a few of my different favourite recipes:
We additionally make this Eggs Benedict Casserolefor brunch on a regular basis in our home!
And an Iced Cherry Chai Latteis the right spring drink to serve with brunch.


I hope these carrot cake cinnamon rolls make your spring season a bit of brighter.
Please depart a remark and ranking under in the event you make them!
📖 Recipe

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Your favourite spring dessert and big day breakfast rolled into one? These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls are filled with grated carrots,heat spices,and chopped walnuts,then topped with a cream cheese frosting for an ideal springtime brunch.
Makes:12rolls
Components
- 1cupcomplete milk
- ¼cupvegetable oil
- 6Tbsp (¼ cup+2 Tbsp)granulated sugar
- 2 ¼tsp (or 1 packet)dry lively yeast
- 2 ¾cupsall-purpose flour
- 4teaspoonfloor cinnamondivided
- 1teaspoonsalt
- 1teaspoonvanilla extract
- 1cupfinely grated carrotsdivided (after measuring grated carrots,wrap in cheesecloth or a dish towel and squeeze firmly to take away as a lot water as doable)
- 6tablespoonunsalted buttersoftened
- ¾cuppacked brown sugar
- ¼teaspoonfloor nutmeg
- ¼teaspoonfloor ginger
- ⅛teaspoonfloor cloves
- ½cupchopped chopped walnutsoptionally available
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8ozcream cheesesoftened
- ½cup (1 stick)unsalted buttersoftened
- 2cupsconfectioners’sugar
- 1 ½teaspoonvanilla extract
- 3-4tablespoonmilk or cream
Directions
Warmth milk,vegetable oil,and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium warmth,stirring sometimes,till it is scorching,however not on the level of boiling. It must be about 170-180 levels.
Pour milk combination into the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (if you do not have a stand mixer,you are able to do it by hand-see notes under) and let relaxation for about 10 minutes to chill a bit (you need it at about 110 levels). Sprinkle yeast excessive of milk combination. Let sit for five minutes.
Add flour,1 teaspoon cinnamon,and salt to exploit combination and blend on low for 1 minute,till flour is integrated. Add vanilla extract and ½ cup grated carrots and use your mixer’s dough hook attachment to knead on medium velocity till dough is comes collectively and is clean,6-8 minutes.
Switch dough to a flippantly greased mixing bowl,cowl with a towel,and place in a heat location. Let dough rise for about an hour,till it doubles in measurement.
As soon as dough has risen,punch it down and place on a flippantly floured floor. Roll dough out right into a rectangle,about 12×16 inches.
Utilizing a knife unfold butter over all the dough rectangle,all the best way to the sides. Sprinkle brown sugar,remaining 3 teaspoon (1 Tbsp) cinnamon,nutmeg,ginger,cloves,remaining ½ cup grated carrots,and walnuts excessive.
Roll the dough lengthwise into a decent log,and use a pointy knife or unflavored dental floss to chop the log into 12 equal slices (about 1 ¼”thick). It is OK if you find yourself with a pair additional! Organize the rolls in 2 9-inch pie plates which are flippantly sprayed with cooking oil or brushed with softened butter.
Cowl cinnamon rolls with a towel and place in a heat space to rise for about 45 minutes.
When rolls are virtually carried out rising,preheat oven to 350 levels.
Bake rolls for about 20-24 minutes,till cooked via and turning golden.
Let cinnamon rolls relaxation for about 5 minutes earlier than spreading with cream cheese frosting and including sprinkles,if desired.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Within the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer or whisk,beat cream cheese and butter till clean. Add confectioners’sugar,cinnamon,and vanilla extract and beat till mixed.
Add 3 tablespoon milk or cream to bowl and beat properly. Add a further tablespoon liquid for thinner frosting.
Notes
- If you do not have a stand mixer,put milk combination in a big bowl,sprinkle yeast over,and use a picket spoon to mix with flour,cinnamon,and salt. As soon as dough comes collectively,place on a flippantly floured floor and use your fingers to knead dough for about 10 minutes.
- If you wish to make a part of these cinnamon rolls prematurely,you might have a pair completely different choices:
Possibility 1:After the dough rises (step 4 within the recipe card),cowl the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge for as much as three days and end rolling dough and forming rolls when prepared.
Possibility 2:After you prepare the rolls within the pan (step 7),you’ll be able to cowl the pan in plastic wrap and place them within the fridge in a single day or within the freezer for longer. Merely carry to room temperature and bake when prepared.