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

Print Recipe

Vibrant, perfectly sweet, and dare I say… healthy? Try these out!

Course Dessert

Keyword beets, cinnamon, rolls

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 24 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!