Description
These Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls combine the classic spiced flavors of carrot cake with the soft, fluffy texture of brioche rolls, topped with a luscious cream cheese icing. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or sweet snack, they feature warm spices, shredded carrots, and optional walnuts for a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Brioche Dough:
- 330 g all-purpose flour
- 7 g instant dry yeast
- 30 g dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 120 g warm milk
- 57 g unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 65 g shredded carrots patted dry on paper towels
For the Filling:
- 71 g unsalted butter softened
- 125 g dark brown sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 40 g chopped walnuts (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
- 55 g cream cheese softened
- 30 g unsalted butter softened
- 120 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 15 g milk
Instructions
- Prepare the Brioche Dough: In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, dark brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add warm milk, melted butter, egg, vanilla bean paste, and shredded carrots. Mix until ingredients form a shaggy dough.
- Knead Dough: Using a dough hook on low speed, mix until soft dough forms. Increase to medium-low speed and knead for about 7-8 minutes until soft and supple. If no mixer, knead by hand for 10 minutes.
- First Rest: Transfer dough to floured surface, knead for 1 minute, form into a ball, place in greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes. Prepare filling during this time.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves using a fork until thick paste forms. Set aside.
- Shape the Dough: Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or alternate baking pan. Punch down rested dough on floured surface and roll into a 10×12-inch rectangle with even thickness.
- Assemble Rolls: Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the rectangle, sprinkle chopped walnuts if using, then roll tightly into a 10-inch log. Cut into 7 even pieces and arrange in the prepared skillet. Cover and let rise for 50-60 minutes until nearly doubled.
- Preheat Oven: While rolls rise, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake Rolls: Bake rolls for 25 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Icing: Whisk cream cheese and softened butter until combined. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and whisk until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding more powdered sugar or milk as needed.
- Finish and Serve: Remove rolls from oven, drizzle and spread icing over warm cinnamon rolls. Optionally, sprinkle extra chopped walnuts on top. Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- If a 10-inch cast iron skillet is unavailable, use a jumbo muffin pan or an 8×8-inch pan, greasing bottoms and sides well to prevent sticking.
- Make sure shredded carrots are well-patted dry to prevent excess moisture in the dough.
- Roll dough tightly but gently to maintain layers and structure for fluffy rolls.
- Use room temperature ingredients (butter, cream cheese, milk) for smoother dough and icing texture.
- Leftover rolls reheat well in a microwave for a few seconds to regain softness.
