Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

carrot cake cinnamon roll with cream cheese icing on beige plate with gold fork and flowers

These gooey, soft, and sweet Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls are a Spring take on the classic that we all know and love, and just as fluffy and mouthwatering!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Sweets

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls recipe, iced cinnamon buns

Prep Time 1 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 45

Servings large rolls

Calories 655kcal

Author Elizabeth Van Lierde

Ingredients

Cinnamon Rolls

1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup unsalted butter melted + cooled
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs room temperature, slightly beaten
4½ cups all-purpose flour

Carrot Cake Filling

⅓ cup unsalted butter softened + 1 tablespoon melted for topping
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 carrots peeled and finely grated
½ cup raisins
¾ cup chopped pecans
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup salted butter
4 oz 1/2 package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk or cream

Instructions

Make Cinnamon Rolls

Dissolve yeast into warm milk for 5 minutes, or until foamy. While yeast is dissolving, combine brown sugar, butter, salt, and eggs into a large bowl. Mix in two cups of flour, and then mix in yeast + milk mixture. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. The dough should be elastic, but not sticky. Sprinkle flour over a large surface and knead for 5-10 minutes.
Place dough in a large, well-greased bowl (I sprayed mine with Pam) and cover with two clean dish towels without touching the dough. Place in a dry area for an hour to double in size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Punch down the dough and roll out into a large 15×9 rectangle on a floured surface. Spread evenly with softened butter, brown sugar, shredded carrots, raisins, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg. Very gently roll dough together. Cut slices about 1 inch thick and arrange close together in a greased casserole dish or on a large baking sheet. Brush the tops and sides of rolls with melted butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Make Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl fitted with a hand mixer or the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add in room temp butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes. Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream after every sugar addition. Spread evenly onto warm cinnamon rolls!

Notes

To Make In Advance: If making cinnamon rolls the night before, skip step 3 and wrap your baking sheet or casserole dish filled with cinnamon rolls extremely tight with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. One hour before baking, remove rolls from the refrigerator and let rolls come to room temperature before baking.

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