As the weather becomes colder here in Wisconsin, I have been craving some serious comfort food after running around all day to my classes and school. Plus, with flavors such a pumpkin, sweet potato, and squash being all the rage. I decided to make a batch of these fantastic cinnamon rolls. When I saw the recipe idea over at A Full Measure of Happiness, I fell in love with the idea of incorporating sweet potatoes, using whole wheat flour, and making these cinnamon rolls just a little less unhealthy. They are still so warm and gooey and the hint of sweet potato makes them absolutely fantastic! I also decided on a cream cheese frosting to top them off. This is the perfect breakfast for Fall Brunch, or even a comforting dessert at the end of a crisp day.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup skim milk, warmed (I microwaved it for 1 minute)
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp low-sugar maple syrup
1 cup mashed sweet potato (I microwaved a medium-large sweet potato for 6 minutes then peeled it and mashed it)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp egg whites
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter
cinnamon and sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz low-fat cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Mix warm milk, yeast, and maple syrup together in a small bowl and set to the side until it becomes bubbly, about 7-8 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the sweet potato, egg whites, olive oil, 1 cup of flour, and salt.
Mix in the yeast combination until well combined, and then mix in the rest of the flour until just combined. Switch to a dough hook and knead for about 8 minutes. The mixture will form into a ball, but it will still be sticky. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Place the dough on a clean and lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle about 4 inches wide and 18 inches long. Melt the butter and then drizzle over the dough so that it covers all of it except for about 1/2 inch around the sides. Sprinkle a good about of sugar and then cinnamon over the dough.
Starting with one of the long edges, roll the dough tightly until you get close to the other side. Take the other side and wrap over the top of the rolled dough. Cut into about 12 pieces and place in 2 round pans. Cover the pans and let the rolls rise for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes.
Drizzle with your favorite glaze, or make this fantastic cream cheese frosting to slather on top: mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well combined and creamy. Spread over the warm rolls!