Weekly Recipe: Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls with Butterscotch Glaze

I couldn't get motivated to post much last week.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and decided to retreat into my shell.  I apologize for my absence but I want to make it up to you with these delicious cinnamon rolls!

If you remember back to Thanksgiving, I had a heavy hand with yeast, trying things never done before in my kitchen.  I had such great success, I've almost been scared to chance fate a second time.  Thankfully both the yeast rolls and these cinnamon rolls freeze well and I've been sampling here and there ever since!

I adapted the original recipe slightly, in that I subbed sweet potato for the pumpkin.  I had baked Sawyer a sweet potato thinking that would be easy on his gums while he was teething but he wanted no part of it, or most any food.  I certainly didn't want you to fear that I was out of pumpkin.  Tisk, tisk.  I have no fewer than 2 cans in my pantry right now (As a side note, don't stray from Libby!  I've tried both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's canned pumpkin and it pales in comparison to Libby.).

These cinnamon rolls come together fairly quickly once they've risen.  I would increase the amount of filling the next time but because of my Thanksgiving timing, I appreciated the calories that were spared!  The butterscotch glaze is delicious but also very sweet, which may be why she decreased the filling.  Either way, these are winners in my book.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls with Butterscotch Glaze
adapted from:  Sugar Plum

1/3 cup warm milk (not hot) (around 100-110 degrees F)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet potato puree
2 T. oil (I used sunflower oil)
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
3 1/2 cups 50/50 blend flour

2 T. unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 T. butterscotch chips
2 T. cream cheese
1 T. sweet potato puree
1 T. milk
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl whisk together 1/3 cup milk, yeast and granulated sugar until well combined. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until yeast is activated and bubbly. Whisk in sweet potato, oil, egg, baking powder, salt, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice until well combined. Stir in flour until combined, and a dough ball forms. Lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. (I used my oven. I preheated it on the lowest temperature, turned it off, then allowed my dough to rise in there.)

On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, into a rectangle. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar and 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon until well combined; evenly spread on top of dough. Roll up dough, jelly-roll style. Slice into 10 equal pieces. Place in a greased 9-inch cake pan. Lightly cover and allow to rise in a warm area for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool pan on a wire rack. To make the glaze, in a medium bowl, stir together butterscotch chips, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sweet potato and 1 tablespoon milk until combined. Microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently until melted (It doesn't take long! Don't scorch your butterscotch!). Whisk in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until well combined and smooth. Drizzle glaze over cinnamon rolls.

Makes 10 cinnamon rolls