Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

If you love cinnamon rolls be sure to also check out my classic Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Strawberry Rolls, Cookies and Cream Sourdough Chocolate Rolls, and Sourdough Maple Cinnamon Rolls. Or other twists on breakfast classics like Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole or Sourdough Coffee Cake.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Roll recipe is the perfect addition to your Easter brunch or any special spring occasion. 
• The rolls are ooey gooey with a sweet, gooey filling. 
• The cream cheese icing is made with brown butter for a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm spices.
• This recipe is naturally leavened with a sourdough starter, no commercial yeast required. 
• The rolls can be made ahead of time and baked the day of, freeing up your morning for other holiday activities. 

Ingredients in Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

• Brown butter – you can use regular butter, but the browned butter gives this recipe a delicious, warm, nutty flavor. (See instructions below)
• Sourdough starter- Use an active sourdough starter that has recently been fed, doubled in size, and is bubbly. 
• Crushed pineapple- You can omit if needed and replace it with another 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup sugar, but I recommend using the pineapple. You need to use canned not fresh pineapple so it doesn’t interfere with the gluten.
• Shredded carrots– use a box grater or attachment on your food processor to grate your own or use a bag of pre-shredded carrots for convenience.
• Spices– Warm spices are used in the filling, including ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger. 
• Flour- Either all-purpose or bread flour will work for this recipe. 
• Pecans or Walnuts- Adding nuts is optional but it adds to the feel of classic carrot cake.

See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.

How to brown butter

While you can sub regular butter for browned butter in this recipe, the extra flavor takes these rolls to the next level. Browned butter is just butter that is cooked until it is golden brown. It takes on a nutty flavor that adds depth and pairs so well with the warm spices used in this recipe.

Here’s how you do it:

• Place the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently with a spatula. If you have a light colored pan that is helpful to see the color better but dark pans will do the job.
• Once the butter melts it will begin to foam. The butter should begin turning a golden brown color. Continue to stir. You will want to keep an eye on this as it can quickly burn if not attended to.
• Once the color turns a deep bronze color and the foam begins subsiding, usually within 5-8 minutes of starting, the butter is ready. It should smell nutty.
• Once browned to your liking, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter in a heatproof bowl or jar.

You can find more in-depth instructions here. 

Helpful tools:

Stand Mixer– Using a stand mixer makes mixing the dough super easy, although you could also knead the dough by hand. 

Rolling Pin– A good rolling pin makes all the difference when rolling your dough into an even rectangle. 

9×13 pan- I always recommend using metal but you can use a glass pan.

Instructions to make Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

The night before

In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl add the milk, butter, large egg, sugar, salt, shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, active and bubbly sourdough starter, and all-purpose flour.

Option 1- Mix in a stand mixer: Mix the dough with a dough hook attachment on low speed in a stand mixer for 3 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a smooth, soft ball. If the mixture is sticky add a little more flour until it is tacky.

Option 2- Mix in a bowl: Mix the dough with a danish dough whisk or your hands until the dough begins to come together. Once you can no longer mix it in the bowl, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes or until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball. If the mixture is sticky add a little more flour until it is tacky.

Place the dough in a medium-sized bowl or 2-quart straight edge container. Let the dough rise covered overnight in at room temperature (ideally about 70-72℉) for 8-12 hours until doubled in size.

Make the brown butter for the frosting. Cut the butter into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool in the fridge overnight.

The next morning

Once the dough is doubled in size, punch down the dough and then roll it out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

Next, add the softened butter and then top with the brown sugar, spices, and pecans or walnuts. Lightly rub the sugar mixture into the butter to combine. 

Roll up the dough tightly and then cut into 12 equal slices using dental floss or a bench scraper or sharp knife. 

Place in a greased 9×13 pan and then let them rise for another 1-2 hours or until fluffy and doubled in size. 

Bake at 350°F for 25-27 minutes.

While they are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. Cream together the cream cheese and cooled browned butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon, and then add the milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. 

Once baked, remove the Sourdough Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Spread the cream cheese filling over the warm cinnamon rolls with a rubber spatula and top with more nuts if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

Sample Schedule

For this recipe, you need to use a sourdough starter that is active and bubbly. For that reason, you will need to give your sourdough starter time to double before making your Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Roll dough.

Here is an example schedule for your timeline for baking your rolls. The timeline can depend on the temperature and the activity of your starter, so your time may vary. This schedule assumes the dough temperature is around 70-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can these rolls be made ahead of time?

These sourdough strawberry rolls can definitely be made ahead of time which can be especially helpful for a busy holiday morning. Here are a few options but note that if you leave the dough in the fridge overnight the rolls will have more tang as they will ferment for a longer period of time. 

• Bake directly from fridge- This option can work but if your rolls overproof they may not be as light and fluffy when baking. Don’t leave the rolls longer than 12 hours in the fridge. For this method, feed your starter in the evening two nights prior to when you want to eat them. Then make the dough the morning prior. Follow all the instructions for the first and second rise. Once the rolls have almost doubled in size in the pan, place in the fridge overnight. Then, the next morning remove the rolls from the fridge and bake right away (don’t use a glass pan).
• Bake & Reheat– This is a great option because you don’t have to worry about the rolls over proofing in the fridge or even worry about baking the next day. For this method, feed your starter in the evening 2 nights prior and make the dough the morning before you want the rolls. I recommend starting as soon as you get up. Go through the entire process and finish the night by baking the rolls. Cover with foil and leave on the counter. In the morning, preheat the oven to 350F and brush the tops with just a little bit of water to rehydrate them. Cover and bake for 8-10 minutes or until warm and then add your icing.  

How to store the carrot cake sourdough cinnamon rolls:

Store rolls tightly covered either with a lid or plastic wrap. The rolls can be stored at room temperature on the counter for 1-2 days without frosting, or in the fridge for 3-5 days. Pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds to get a warm, gooey roll again!

FAQ