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Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Carrot cake cinnamon rolls with a warm spiced swirl and shredded carrot in the filling, topped with thick cream cheese frosting. Soft, golden baked rolls with cinnamon and nutmeg visible throughout for a classic Easter-style breakfast bake.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

dough
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2.25 tsp instant yeast
  • 0.25 cup sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup warm milk
  • 0.25 cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
filling
  • 4 tbsp butter, softened
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ginger
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
cream cheese frosting
  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make and rise the dough
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt.
  2. Add warm milk, butter (softened), and egg, then knead until smooth and elastic.
  3. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour, until puffy and increased in volume.
Fill and shape the rolls
  1. Roll the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
  2. Spread softened butter over the dough.
  3. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and shredded carrots evenly over the butter.
  4. Roll the dough up tightly to form a log.
  5. Slice the log into 12 rolls, then place them in a greased 9x13 pan.
  6. Cover and let the rolls rise for 30 minutes until visibly swollen.
Bake and frost
  1. Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the tops are golden.
  2. Beat cream cheese (softened), powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then spread over the warm rolls.

Notes

For the best swirls, keep the filling layer even from edge to edge before rolling. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm individual rolls in the microwave. For freezing, cool completely, freeze in a sealed container up to 2 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese in the frosting (texture stays thick but may be slightly softer).