Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 8 votes

These carrot cake cinnamon rolls have a super carrot-filled dough full of cinnamon carrot filling. They are topped with a cream cheese icing.

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Resting Time1 20

Total Time2 30

Servings: rolls

Calories: 497kcal

1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast a full packet
2 Large eggs room temperature
1 cup Finely grated carrots grate them yourself, don't buy pre-shredded because they will be too big and too dry.
2 tablespoon Wholesome organic fair trade raw honey
5 cups All-purpose flour
¼ cup White granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground ginger
10 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature and cubed

This recipe is for using a stand mixer with a dough hook, but for making by hand instructions see notes.
First, grate your carrots using the fine side of the grater. Then, cover the 1 cup of carrots and the other 1 cup separately with paper towels. Do this a few times to soak up the moisture.
1 cup Finely grated carrots, 1 cup Finely grated carrots
Heat the milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Heat until 110°F. Pour in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes for yeast to foam and activate.
1 cup Milk, 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add in the cubed butter. Use a pastry kneader or your hands to knead the butter into the flour. Do this until the butter is the size of a pea.
5 cups All-purpose flour, ¼ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground ginger, 10 tablespoon Unsalted butter
Add in the milk/yeast mixture, lightly beaten eggs, honey, and the blotted carrots to the bowl. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Then, turn to a medium speed and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will soft and just a little bit tacky.
2 Large eggs, 2 tablespoon Wholesome organic fair trade raw honey
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place in the oven. Crack the door and turn off the oven. Let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg on high speed until smooth. It should be like a paste.
½ cup Unsalted butter, ¾ cup Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Light Brown Sugar, 1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. Roll into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Spread the filling over the dough using a offset icing spatula. Then, sprinkle the carrots evenly on top. Drizzle honey on top of the carrots.
Wholesome organic fair trade raw honey
Roll the dough into a log starting on the short side. Use a serrated knife to cut the uneven ends off. Then, cut into 12 rolls. Make sure to use very very light sawing motions with the knife to not squish the rolls.
Spray a 9X13 inch pan (I prefer a 9X14 inch casserole dish) with baking nonstick spray. Place the rolls evenly in the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes until the top of the rolls are lightly golden brown.

Make the icing while the rolls are baking. Using a hand mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese on high speed in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
4 tablespoon Unsalted butter, 4 oz Cream cheese
Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Then, add in the vanilla and milk.
1 cup Wholesome Organic Fair Trade Powdered Confectioners Sugar, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup Milk
As soon as the rolls are out of the oven, top the rolls with the icing using a spoon.
Let the rolls sit for 10 minutes before eating.

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 tablespoon of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Making by hand:

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry by using a rubber spatula. Switch to using your hands to mix until a dough starts to form.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead using your hands for 5-8 minutes.

It is done when your spread the dough apart thinly using your fingers. Hold the dough to the light. If you can see light through it, then it is done.