Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

If you love cinnamon rolls be sure to also check out my classic Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls, Sourdough Strawberry Rolls, Cookies and Cream Sourdough Chocolate Rolls, and Sourdough Maple Cinnamon Rolls. For a savory version, don’t miss my Sourdough Ham and Cheese Rolls.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Perfect for Easter & Spring Brunch: This Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Roll recipe is the perfect addition to your Easter brunch or any spring morning. And don’t miss my Carrot Cake Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Carrot Cake Scones and Cadbury Egg Sourdough Cookie Bars.
• Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing: The cream cheese icing is made with brown butter for a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm spices. If you love brown butter, try my sourdough peanut butter cookies too!
• Naturally Leavened with Sourdough: This recipe is naturally leavened with an active sourdough starter, no commercial yeast required.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: 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 skip browning it, but the browned butter gives this recipe a delicious, warm, nutty flavor.
• 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. Use the leftover pineapple in my Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls or Sourdough Carrot Cake.
• 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.
• 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.

Instructions to make Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

The night before

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl add the milk, butter, large egg, brown sugar, salt, shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, active and bubbly sourdough starter, and all-purpose flour.

Step 2: Mix the dough with a dough hook attachment on the lowest speed in a stand mixer for 4-5 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is pliable.

The dough will be a little sticky and may stick to the bottom of the mixer; this is normal. If it is extremely sticky and sticking to the sides of the bowl, slowly add more flour until it comes together.

Alternatively, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes by hand or until the dough forms a soft, smooth dough ball. If it is extremely sticky, slowly add more flour until it comes together.

Step 3: Place the dough in a medium-sized bowl or 2-quart straight edge container. Let the dough rise covered overnight at room temperature (ideally about 68-72℉) for 8-12 hours until doubled in size.

The next morning

Step 4: Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough out into a 12×18-inch rectangle with a rolling pin.

Step 5: Spread the softened butter over the top and then top with the brown sugar, spices, and pecans or walnuts. Lightly rub the sugar mixture into the butter to combine. 

Step 6: Along the long side, slice the dough into 12, 1.5-inch strips using a pizza cutter. Roll each strip up.

Alternatively, you can roll up the dough into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss.

Step 7: Place in a greased 9×13 pan and cover.

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 carrot cake cinnamon 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 let them sit out while the oven preheats before baking.
• 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