Gulerodsbrud (Danish Carrot Rolls)

A recipe for Gulerodsbrud (Danish Carrot Rolls)! These rustic buns are filled with sunflower seeds and grated carrots.

I first came across the inspiration for this Gulerodsbrud recipe over on Sweet Sour Savory and it is such a fun baking project!

Gulerodsbrude are Danish rolls filled with sunflower seeds, grated carrots, and an egg, then cut up and mixed together before arranging into individual rolls. After a short rest, they are baked until puffed and golden.

The result is a light and fluffy roll filled with layers and pockets of the carrots and sunflower seeds.

These carrot rolls are best the day they are baked, especially warm from the oven. If you have leftovers, I like to split them in half, toast the interior until golden, then serve with butter and/or jam.

Forming the Dough

When adding the yeast to the water, make sure the liquid isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate. Allow to rest at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.

Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.

After combining the ingredients, the dough should be smooth and soft. If it is too crumbly, add a little more water. Add a little more flour if too sticky to handle, but be careful not to add too much or it can cause the rolls to become tough.

In a warm kitchen, the first rise should take about one hour to double in size. During the winter or in cooler kitchens, it sometimes takes closer to 2 hours.

Forming the Gulerodsbrude

After the initial rise, place the dough on a floured work surface and form a well in the center. This is where the fun begins!

Add the egg, sunflower seeds, and grated carrots to the center of the well, then fold the dough over and pinch together at the top to seal everything inside.

Use a dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into pieces, mixing everything together to create mismatched pieces of dough and pockets of the filling. It will get very messy, especially as the egg coats everything.

Bring the dough back together and form into a rectangle. Cut the rectangle into 8 individual pieces and arrange on a baking sheet at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart.

After a final rise (30 minutes in a warm kitchen or closer to 1 hour during the winter), the Gulerodsbrud is baked until fluffy and golden brown over the top.

If you want more even, round rolls, you can simply mix the carrots, sunflower seeds, and egg into the other ingredients as you bring together the dough to make Gulerodsboller. After the initial rise, divide into 8 equal pieces, roll into buns, then rest and bake until golden.

Looking for more Danish recipes?

Try my:

• Fødselsdagsboller (Danish Birthday Buns)
• Pandekager (Danish Pancakes)
• Tebirkes (Danish Poppy Seed Pastries)

This recipe was originally posted in November 2016 and updated in May 2025.

Gulerodsbrud (Danish Carrot Rolls) Recipe

Adapted from Sweet Sour Savory

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Gulerodsbrud (Danish Carrot Rolls)

A recipe for Gulerodsbrud (Danish Carrot Rolls)! These rustic buns are filled with sunflower seeds and grated carrots.

Course Bread

Cuisine Danish

Keyword bread, buns, carrot, Danish, Denmark, egg, roll, sunflower seed

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 1/4 cups (300 milliliters) lukewarm water 105-115˚F (40-46˚C), divided
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature

Filling:

• 1 large egg
• 2.5 ounces (71 grams) hulled and unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2 medium carrots peeled and grated, about 100 grams/3.5 ounces

Instructions

To make the dough:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the lukewarm water. Stir and allow to sit until the yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough attachment or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Mix in the frothy yeast with the water. Once incorporated, mix in the butter. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) lukewarm water as needed to create a soft dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until soft and smooth. If it is too sticky to handle, add a little more flour (just enough to remove the stickiness- don't add too much or it will create tougher rolls).
• Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

To assemble:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
• Place the risen dough on a lightly floured surface and form a well in the center. Do not cut all the way through the dough.
• Crack the egg into the well and add the sunflower seeds and carrots.
• Pull the edges of the dough together over the filling and seal to close.
• Use a dough scraper or large knife to cut the ball of dough into small pieces.
• Bring the dough back together and press into a rectangle. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and arrange on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart.
• Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until puffed, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C).
• Bake the rolls in the preheated oven until golden, 14-18 minutes.
• Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving warm or at room temperature.