Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Welcome to October everyone! Are we all ready for warm and cozy food now? I am. Carrot cake is a big deal in our house. It is well loved by my husband and my son who both actually love pretty much anything with carrots. For my sons second birthday I made him a carrot orange cake which was devoured immediately. These carrot cake cinnamon rolls are lightly sweetened and filled with carrots which is why they are so delicious! When I saw the recipe I had to make it. Had. To.

I saw this recipe over at Crazy for Crust and immediately bookmarked it. I love her blog, she has great recipes and she always makes me laugh with her stories. You should check it out. I had never seen a carrot cake cinnamon roll before but now it inspires me to think of other fun flavors to add to the rolls. I have been seeing a lot of pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipes around lately, that could be a great starting point too. Since it's fall now and most people are wanting comforting and traditionally autumn inspired foods it could be perfect. But I would start with these carrot cake cinnamon rolls. 

One of my favorite parts of cinnamon rolls is the frosting because it's so creamy. Some people use a glaze of powdered sugar and milk, that's alright too, but I would take a cream cheese frosting any day over the simple glaze. This recipe makes 12 but they will be eaten before you know it. Happy Baking!

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Makes 12

Ingredients:
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon of yeast (½ a packet)
- ½ cup warm milk (105-115F)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 whole egg
- 2-3 cups flour

- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ cup shredded carrots, heaping (about 1 medium)
- 2 teaspoon flour

- ½ package cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Mix together the yeast and warm milk in a small bowl and let sit until it starts to become foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a mixer, blend together the butter, sugar, salt, and egg until blended. Add the yeast mixture and stir.
3. Slowly add the flour ½ cup at a time and mix. Add enough flour to create a soft dough that is barely sticky when you touch it.
4. Place the dough in a large bowl that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. You can also let the dough sit in the refrigerator at this point overnight then let it sit on the counter about a half hour in the morning and proceed.
5. Roll out the dough to about ½” thick, then spread with the softened butter. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, carrots, and flour. Sprinkle the carrot mixture evenly over the rolled out dough.
6. Roll up the dough with the long side closest to you. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces and place in a lightly greased 9”x13” baking dish. Cover the dish with a kitchen towel and let rise for about one hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the rolls 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
8. Make the frosting while the rolls are in the oven. Mix together the cream cheese and butter then add the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time until all of it has been added and beat until smooth. Spread on the warm cinnamon rolls.

Printable recipe

Recipe adapted from Crazy for Crust

This recipe may be linked up to:

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· Crazy For Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday’s
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· House of Hepworth's - Hookin up with HoH 

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· Couponing & Cooking - Mealtime Monday 

· What's Cooking, Love? - Showcase Your Talent Thursday 

· Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo - Anything Goes Linky
· Chef in training - Tuesday Talent Show

· Dwell on Joy - Dwell on Friday 

· Six Sister's Stuff - Strut Your Stuff Saturday

· Something Swanky: Desserts & Designs - Sweet Treats Thursday 

· A Slice of Southern - Southern Sundays