During the pandemic of summer 2021 I signed up for a farmbox/CSA (community supported agriculture) and also experimented with a lot of baking. From that came… beet cinnamon rolls!
After being extremely sedentary while working from home, I decided to focus my diet on more whole foods and vegetables. Now that I’ve joined the CSA, I look forward to going to pick up my vegetables every week and it’s continued even through the winter! Each week I find something I don’t typically buy for myself (like beets!), so it’s fun to come up with a new application for the vegetables I get in my box. It’s amazing to know the farmer, see the land, and know exactly how your food gets to you.
I love beets, but I really have only had them cold, unseasoned, and tossed in a salad. I wanted something completely different and really wanted to showcase their beautiful color.
These cinnamon rolls stayed moist and weren’t too sweet. Perfect for breakfast or for dessert. There’s a little earthy, beet-y aroma that balances well with the cinnamon and the sweetness. They keep well in the fridge for up to a week and taste best reheated in a toaster oven or in the microwave.
When making the beet puree, the vibrant color stays if you blend raw beets. It’s definitely a lot harder to blend raw beets, but with some time and patience, you’ll have beautiful, bright cinnamon rolls. You can use cooked beets, but the cinnamon rolls will come out a more dark brown color. Let me know what you think!
Beet Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer optional
- Rolling Pin or other cylindrical object
Ingredients
Dough
- 4.5 tsp dry active yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 cup beets cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 cup all purpose flour
Filling
- 6 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix together yeast, warm water, and sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow yeast to bloom.
- Blend raw beets with milk. Try to get this mixture as smooth as possible. You may need to stop the blend to get the beets pulsed through.
- Combine yeast mixture and beet blend with egg, sugar, cinnamon, vegetable oil, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Add flour, cover, and rest until doubled in size. You can also let this rest overnight covered in the fridge.
- To make the filling, mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- After dough has risen, split in half. Each half will make 12 cinnamon rolls.
- Roll half the dough mixture into a large rectangle, approximately 9" x 13". hot tip: if you don't have a rolling pin, it's perfectly acceptable to use any other cylindrically shaped item (wine bottle, water bottle, etc)
- Spread half the mixture evenly onto the rolled dough.
- Roll the longest end of the dough forward, creating a long log.
- Cut your log into 12 cinnamon rolls and place in a 9" x 13" pan or put 6 in a 9" x 5". Leave some space as they will rise again.
- Repeat with the other half of the dough to create 12 more rolls. hot tip: freeze one pan of cinnamon rolls for another day
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise covered in a warm place.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until cinnamon rolls are fluffy and lightly browned.
Check out my other recipes here!
4 thoughts on “Beet Cinnamon Rolls”