Sweet potatoes have long been stars of desserts across the South (a friend of mine is famous for saying that his favorite kind of pumpkin pie is sweet potato). They’re often found under a cloud of marshmallows at Thanksgiving, but they really deserve to be as ubiquitous as pumpkin in the fall. Bright orange, easy to make, and full of vitamins: What’s not to love? MORE: These candy corn stuffed cookies will knock your socks off These sweet potato pecan rolls have all the ooey-gooey deliciousness of a traditional cinnamon roll, but with the mellow smoothness of sweet potato and crunch of pecan in every bite. Usually, cinnamon rolls are made with a milk-based brioche dough, but I went with a challah base instead to leave room for the natural sugars in the sweet potato. The result is a golden-hued dough that is sweet but not too sweet, and plenty sturdy enough to hold all the tasty goodness inside.
If you’ve never made cinnamon rolls before, the process can seem a bit complicated, but none of the steps are all that difficult. You’ll start off by making the dough (I used a mixer, but you can do this by hand if you want an arm workout) and then rolling out big, flat rectangles to fill with brown sugar, sweet potato and tons of pecans. Then, you’ll roll them up and slice them to reveal those gorgeous golden swirls inside. Nestle them into baking dishes and pop them in the oven. While they cook, get to work on your frosting if you feel so inclined. Just make sure you let the sweet potato buns cool before frosting them, or it’ll slide right off. To enjoy these sweet potato pecan rolls for breakfast, make them the night before. (Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, will be to make sure some are actually left in the morning.) They’re a wonderful way to welcome out-of-town guests, a perfect treat to finish off brunch, or even a great way to perk up a Monday. MORE: Cozy up with this CBD pumpkin spice latte recipe This recipe makes a dozen large rolls that keep for up to four days in an airtight container. The sweet potato in the dough and filling helps keep the rolls moist. Just make sure to hold off on frosting until you’re ready to serve (or devour) them.
Pair these sweet potato pecan rolls with our healthier pumpkin spice latte. Find the recipe in the video below. Yield 12 rolls
1-1/4 cups warm water1 tablespoon active dry yeast1/2 cup honey2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola1 egg + 2 egg yolks2 teaspoons salt1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (room temperature)6-8 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato1-1/3 cups brown sugar4 tablespoons cinnamon3 cups pecans (or to taste)
Finishing:
1 stick butter
Cream cheese frosting:
1 stick room temperature butter8 ounces cream cheese3 cups powdered sugar1 teaspoon vanilla1 teaspoon cinnamon
