Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

3 hours 45 mins Prep Time

50 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

If you want to put a little twist on cinnamon buns, check this recipe out. This recipe calls for a bit of roasted sweet potato puree, which adds a nice golden yellow colour to your dough and makes the cinnamon buns extra doughy and soft. I love to leave my cinnamon rolls overnight in the fridge after I have rolled them up to help develop flavour. These cinnamon buns are surprisingly easy to make and absolutely delicious. They are perfect for a Sunday morning extravagant brunch or a tasty dessert. They are warm, welcoming and don't get me started on the smell in your house when you bake these bad boys. They are topped with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting! I like putting the frosting on the cinnamon buns when they are piping hot, so it becomes more of a glaze but if you want smooth heaps of frosting on your cinnamon rolls, ice your cinnamon buns after they have cooled. They are filled with classic cinnamon filling, but I also sprinkle a bit of candied pecans in these buns. I add some rosemary to these pecans, which adds an extra pop of flavour that complements the dough and icing very well. Of course, if you like to keep things more traditional, you can always omit the rosemary. Check this recipe out; it may become your new favourite fall/winter dessert.

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup roasted and mashed sweet potato flesh
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon Filling

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Rosemary Pecan Filling

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2/3 cup pecans
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon finely minced rosemary (optional)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

Frosting

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 ounces plain cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
2-4 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature

Directions

Dough

5 Steps

Step 1

Heat milk in microwave in 10 second intervals until warm but not boiling. Milk should be about 110°F to 115°F. Put your warm milk in a bowl and add egg and mashed sweet potato.
Step 2

Using a stand mixer, add your flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt and your warm milk and egg mixture.
Step 3

Mix until combined and switch to dough hook and knead on low for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Step 4

Form your dough into a ball, and transfer to a greased bowl, cover and place in a warm area for about 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
Step 5

In the meantime, prepare your candied pecans and cinnamon filling.

Cinnamon Filling

1 Steps

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until dough is ready to be rolled.

Candied Pecans

2 Steps

Step 1

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan add butter, sugar, rosemary and salt and heat on medium heat until butter melts. Add your pecans and stir to coat nuts in butter sugar rosemary mixture.
Step 2

Let cool on parchment paper.

Assembly

8 Steps

Step 1

Butter a cast iron pan. Take your risen dough and place onto floured surface.
Step 2

Flour your rolling pin and roll dough into a 12 x 11-inch rectangle.
Step 3

Spread your cinnamon filling over dough and sprinkle the candied pecans onto filling. Roll up the dough and pinch to close at seam.
Step 4

Using a serrated knife, cut cinnamon rolls into 10 smaller pieces and arrange in skillet.
Step 5

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled (for about 1 hour or overnight in fridge for 8 hours).
Step 6

If resting overnight, let sit at room temperature for 1- 2 hours before baking.
Step 7

While cinnamon rolls are resting, preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 8

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes. The cinnamon buns should be ever so slightly golden brown on some parts.

Glaze

2 Steps

Step 1

Add butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until you achieve desired thickness.
Step 2

Glaze cinnamon buns while they are hot or wait until they have cooled down a bit more so glaze doesn't spread/melt as much.