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zucchini cinnamon roll on white plate
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Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls

Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls - a fluffy cinnamon roll recipe filled with shredded zucchini! Sneak veggies into breakfast and no one will ever know.
Servings 9 -12 rolls
Author Dorothy Kern

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 package active dry yeast about 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • 3/4 cup warm non-fat milk heated to about 120 degrees, about 30-45 seconds in the microwave
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • Paddle attachment & dough hook for your mixer

For the Filling:

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons flour

For the Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 tablespoons butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Dough:

  • Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave, until it’s about 120 degrees. Add yeast and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes.
  • Place sugar, butter, salt, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
  • Add flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl.
  • Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
  • Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise, so plan accordingly!

Prepare your Rolls:

  • Pat your zucchini shreds with paper towels to remove any excess water.
  • Stir together butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until it forms a paste. Stir in zucchini.
  • Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 12” by 9”. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling.
  • Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 9 equal rounds. Place the rolls into a 9” pan or 9 1/2” round pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray. (You can also slice them into 12 rolls and place them in a 9x13" pan.)
  • At this point, you can let them rise for about 30 minutes-1 hour until they are swelling up in the pan and bake as directed. Or you can do what I do: cover with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake.
  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. If the rolls have been in the refrigerator, remove them and let them warm up while the oven is preheating. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Make the frosting:

  • Mix cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until well blended. Mix in powdered sugar until smooth, stir in vanilla. Frost rolls and serve warm.