Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm butter until it begins to melt. Add milk and sugar and heat until just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Do not stir. Allow to sit in a warm place for about 5 minutes, or until foamy and frothy. If mixture doesn’t foam and froth, then the yeast is no longer fresh— toss the mixture and start again (this step is important!). Whisk in egg yolk and vanilla extract.

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk until evenly combined. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet mixture. Knead with the dough hook for about 4–5 minutes until smooth and elastic, or mix with a wooden spoon and then transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 5–6 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel). Allow to rest in a warm spot (like in the oven with the light on) for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

After rising for at least 1 hour, add grated carrot and stir mixture together with a wooden spoon. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least 1 hour or so beforehand.)

To make the filling, in a small bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a large rectangle that is about a 1/2-inch thick. Slather with the softened butter (you can pop the butter into the microwave for 15 seconds to soften slightly if it’s not spreading easily) in an even layer and sprinkle generously with the sugar and spice filling. Roll the dough tightly into a log, lengthwise, pinching the seam to close it. Cut the log into 8 rolls and discard the pinched ends.

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan (or casserole dish) with parchment paper, add evenly coat the bottom of the pan with some melted butter. Transfer rolls to the buttered pan, spacing them evenly apart. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rest in a warm spot for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake the rolls for about 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for about 15 minutes before frosting.

To make the frosting, in a large bowl, cream together softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powered sugar and salt and continue to mix until incorporated.

Slather the rolls with the frosting; you may end up with a bit left over at the end and can save this for something else.

Enjoy!

Notes:
1. You can use a greater (or lesser) amount of carrot, if desired. Anything from 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups is fine.

2. This is optional, but a layer of toasted pecans tastes real good sprinkled on top of the sugar and spice mixture in the filling.

3. Cinnamon rolls, in general, take a long time to prepare but you can do a lot of the prep work the day before if you’d like to have these quickly in the morning. There are two ways you can do this. The night before baking, make the dough, allow to rise for 1 hour and then place in the fridge. In the morning you can then roll the rolls, slice, allow to rise for a second hour and then bake (this is the option I prefer).
Or, the night before baking, make the dough, allow to rise for 1 hour, prepare rolls, and place in the fridge. In the morning you just allow the rolls to rest for an hour and then bake.

4. Wrap leftover rolls well in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for about 3–4 days. Right before eating, rewarm them for a few minutes in the oven or a few seconds in a microwave to warm through and make them soft once more.

Dough recipe adapted from The Candid Appetite.