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Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Waking up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls is a special treat. When they are homemade, from scratch, they are even more special. The mashed sweet potatoes gives extra tenderness and moisture to this dough, and it also adds a pretty color. These are filled with a buttery cinnamon filling, and then iced with a cream cheese frosting, while piping hot. Bet you can't eat just one!
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 53 minutes
Servings 12
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Equipment

  • Helpful equipment: Silicone mat, for shaping the dough. Unscented dental floss (unused, obviously!) for slicing the dough.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato about 2 sweet potato, baked
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 packets active dry yeast or 4-1/2 teaspoons; I prefer SAF Instant yeast
  • 4 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice plus
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom

For the filling:

  • NOTE: I buy Baker's Cinnamon Filling from www.kingarthurflour.com because it makes the BEST cinnamon filling To make your own you will need:
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp butter very soft
  • For the icing:

For the icing:

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 4 Tbsp. butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Pure Maple Syrup optional (not pancake syrup)

Instructions

  • Bake the yams at 375F for about 45 minutes, on a foil-lined baking sheet, until soft. Carefully cut open and scrape out the flesh. Set aside to cool.

For the dough:

  • Heat the milk and the 4 tbsp butter together in a small pan on the stove over low/medium heat until the butter melts and the milk is warm to the touch. Remove from heat, let cool about 10 minutes (temperature should be around 100 degrees—like warm bath water. If it’s hotter than that, the yeast will die and the rolls won’t rise!) sprinkle in the yeast and stir so yeast will dissolve. Let yeast mixture sit for five minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine the mashed sweet potato and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
  • In another bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice (or spices of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice).
  • Add flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture. With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the yeast and milk.
  • Knead for about six minutes on medium speed with the dough or paddle attachment. The dough should be smooth and elastic when you’re done.
  • Flour your hands (you'll thank me, as the dough is a bit sticky), and push the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm area to rise for 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • NOTE: I turn my oven on WARM for 3 minutes, then shut it off. Place the dough into this warm draft-free zone and your dough will rise super fast-- like in an hour...maybe less.
  • If you took my advice, and bought the King Arthyr Flour Cinnamon Baker's Filling, mix 1 cup of filling mix, with 4 Tablespoons water and whisk until smooth, set aside.
  • Otherwise, make your filling:

Otherwise, make the filling:

  • Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  • Remove dough by dumping it onto a lightly floured surface. (I use a silicone mat, so that I need less flour). Roll out to a large rectangle and spread soft butter on top. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture on top keeping an inch bare around the sides.
    IF using the KAF Cinnamon Filling, using an off-set spatula, spread leaving about a 1" border.
  • Gently roll up dough so it resembles a log. Slice dough into 1 inch slices and place in a greased 9 x 13″ dish. Cover with a dishcloth and let rise for another 45 minutes.
  • NOTES: I use a long piece of unscented (obviously unused) dental floss. to make perfect slices. Once again, I use that quick WARM method in the oven to make for a warm and draft-free place for the second proof. The rolls are ready to bake in 30 minutes!
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls for 22-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

For the glaze:

  • Whisk together the softened cream cheese and butter, then add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. You want the glaze to be thick, but not like cement.
  • Once the rolls are removed from the oven, immediately add a large spoonful of frosting over each roll, and then spread with the back of the spoon. The glaze will ooze over each roll.
  • Enjoy while still warm.

Notes

NOTES: I am so thankful to have a stand mixer that can do all the hard work of kneading dough. The majority of the directions are adapted for using a stand mixer. If you don't own a stand mixer, you can mix this, by hand, though it will take a bit more elbow grease. If you have a bread machine, then by all means, mix up the dough and then shape the dough, by hand!