extra fluffy carrot cake cinnamon rolls
The Easter Bunny’s favorite brunch!
Yeah yeah, it’s still February and I already chucked out the “E” word. Time is collapsing around us, my friends, faster than a judge’s anvil, and I don’t want to see any of ya’ll scrambling to scrounge up an Easter menu.
I guess I’m just trying to appeal to ya’ll who christened “stop procrastinating” on your New Year’s resolution lists.
But, I also know many of you are squealing for a sign of spring, so let this be one of yours (along with the bevy of berries we’re gonna see in this here space soon!). These Extra Fluffy Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls truly are as described: they’re huge, gooey, tender, sweet, and smothered in a thick layer of bourbon-laced cream cheese icing. Brunch all year, but especially when the tender shoots of spring start splashing forth.
Careful, though, Peter Cottontail might race down the Bunny Trail and snatch them from your breakfast table!
D‘Oh Man!
My cinnamon roll dough stays pretty routine from recipe to recipe, but here we add fresh shredded carrots to the ensemble of regulars.
Two important notes here:
One…Finely shredding the carrots ensures huge chunks don’t stick to your teeth once you take a bite of one of these beauties. There’s nothing inherently wrong with thicker shreds, but keep in mind the texture. You can shortcut this by tossing your carrots into a food processor and pulsing until they’re well crushed.
Two…The 1 1/2 cup measurement is after the carrots have the water removed. You can do this by squeezing them real good with paper towels or a clean tea towel.
Okay, that aside, we’re ready to dough.
First, proof your yeast in a mix of warm milk and brown sugar. If the yeast doesn’t bubble and froth, it dead. Toss it and try a fresh packet. Add to your stand mixer bowl (if you didn’t proof it in there) along with melted butter and a lightly whisked egg, then fold in your carrots.
Add three cups of all purpose flour and turn in your mixer, with the dough hook attached. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is tacky and releases from the bottom and edges of the bowl. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes. I used about 4 1/4 cups of flour to achieve the proper texture, but you may need more or less depending on your climate.
Grease a clean bowl, plop the dough in to coat both sides with oil. Cover with plastic and let rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
FulFilling
Next, the rolling and filling. Yeehaw.
Punch down your down and form into a nice ball. Flour a clean, flat work surface and roll the dough into a 12 x 18 inch rectangle.
Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough. In a bowl, toss together brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, then sprinkle that shit all over that buttery slab of goodness.
As I’ve said before, I prefer the cut into 12 strips and roll each method as opposed to trying to gather a behemoth dough into a log and cutting rolls out of said log with a knife or unscented dental floss (it always looks like fuckery when I do that). Do whatever you’re comfier with.
Either way, you’ll end up with 12 humongo rolls. These bitches are huge, fellas. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and arrange the rolls inside. Cover and rise 20-30 minutes longer, OR set in the fridge overnight to rise.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. When ready to bake, uncover the rolls and throw them in for 20-22 minutes. These take slightly longer than most of my rolls because the dough is more substantial, and wetter. You may need up to 25 minutes for a persnickety oven to really ensure those big center rolls are baked through.
Bour-Bunny
All good Easter bunnies enjoy some bourbon.
This is my classic, and favorite, bourbon cream cheese icing. I use it on so many of my buns.
In your mixer, combine butter, cold cream cheese, bourbon, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and blitz until soft and silky. Start with 1 1/2 cups and move up a couple tablespoons if you want a thicker spread (I usually do).
After the rolls have cooled for 10 minutes or so, swirl that frosting all overtop. Grab one by the buns and enjoy while still warm and gooey. Ugh. One of my favorite things.
If storing, wait until the buns cool substantially – think an hour or so – then package up in an airtight container and pop in the fridge. These babies also freeze wonderfully, and will last up to a month or two when sealed well.
Cannot wait for carrot cake everything. Kinda like our springtime pumpkin spice!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Buns on my mind:
extra fluffy carrot cake cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrot, excess water squeezed out
- 4 – 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
filling
- 6 tbsp butter, softened
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
bourbon cream cheese icing
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, cold
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, brown sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the butter, beaten egg, and carrots.
- With the mixer running on low, add 3 cups of flour. Continue adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft, tacky, but cohesive dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes.
- Grease a clean bowl with oil. Flip the dough into the bowl so both sides are coated. Cover in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
- In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Flour a clean, flat surface. Punch down the dough and dump onto the floured area. Roll into a roughly 12 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread with butter, then sprinkle with the spiced sugar. Roll from the long side into a log. Use a sharp knife to slice 12 rolls out of the dough. Arrange into the prepared baking dish. Cover and let rest 20-30 minutes longer until puffy. Or, transfer to the fridge and let rise overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Uncover the rolls and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden on top. If you refrigerated the rolls, you may need 22-25 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined, then whip in the bourbon and vanilla. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until incorporated. Crank up the speed to high and whip until very fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Spread generously onto the warm rolls. ENJOY!
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