Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy, decadent, and slathered in a simple brown sugar cream cheese frosting, these Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect way to wake up.

I grew up in a family where “making cinnamon rolls” entailed cracking open a can of cinnamon rolls and popping them in the oven. Truly homemade cinnamon rolls were reserved for Christmas and birthdays, but on no other occasions. It wasn’t until I moved to the Netherlands, where there are no canned cinnamon rolls to be found, that I learned just how easy it is to make these from scratch. While the ingredients list may seem a bit long, I promise it’s almost all stuff you already have in your pantry! Ready to get cooking?

TIPS FOR MAKING THESE SWEET POTATO CINNAMON ROLLS:

• Use dental floss to slice without a mess! Check out the simple tutorial for how to slice cinnamon rolls with floss here.
• After you roll up and slice your cinnamon rolls, you can cover them and refrigerate them overnight, so all you have to do in the morning is bake!
• The exact size you roll your dough out to won’t really affect how delicious your cinnamon rolls turn out. Rule of thumb: Roll your dough thinner = more surface area for brown sugar/cinnamon filling, more layers. Roll your dough thicker = more fluffy and doughy.
• Be sure to leave plenty of room between rolls. They like to expand!

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Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy, decadent, and slathered in a simple brown sugar cream cheese frosting, these Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect way to wake up.

Course Baked Goods, Breakfasts, Desserts

Diet Vegetarian

Occasion Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day

Time 60 minutes or more

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 200 kcal

Author Live Eat Learn

Ingredients

Dough

• ¾ cup milk 180 mL
• ¼ cup unsalted butter 56 g
• 1 7-g package instant yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup mashed sweet potato about 1 potato
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided, 300 g
• ¼ tsp each baking soda and baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Filling

• 2 Tbsp butter melted, 28 g
• ½ cup brown sugar 50 g
• ¼ cup white sugar 25 g
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• Pinch of salt

Icing

• ½ cup cream cheese 120 g
• ¼ cup brown sugar 25 g
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Start the dough: Set a medium/large saucepan over medium heat and add milk. Heat until steaming but not boiling. Add the butter, stir, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Once lukewarm, stir in yeast, sugar, cinnamon, sweet potato, and eggs. Add 2 cups of the flour, stirring to combine, then cover with a warm damp cloth. Set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

2. Form the dough: After an hour, add remaining ½ cup of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Transfer to a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky (you can add up to ½ cup more flour if needed). Roll dough out into a large, ¼ inch-thick rectangle.

3. Fill: Combine all filling ingredients and sprinkle evenly over dough, leaving 1 inch on one of the long sides free.

4. Roll: Starting at the long side opposite to the free border, roll the dough tightly, gently pinching to seal. Use dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 to 12 even segments.

5. Bake: Place rolls in a well-greased baking pan, leaving some wiggle room between rolls. Let rolls rise a bit more while oven preheats to 375 degrees F (190 C). Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until tops are golden brown.

6. Serve: Combine all icing ingredients and drizzle over warm rolls.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Amount Per Serving (1 roll)

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 93

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10.3g 16%

Cholesterol 8mg 3%

Sodium 210mg 9%

Potassium 80mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2%

Sugars 14.3g

Protein 3.4g 7%

Calcium 3%

Iron 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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