Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
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These Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls are filled with homemade apple filling and covered in the most delicious cream cheese icing!
If you ever wondered what apple pie tastes like in cinnamon roll form then you’ve come to the right place! These Apple Cinnamon Rolls are so fluffy and soft with the easiest homemade apple filling that tastes exactly like apple pie!
Looking for more apple recipes? Try my Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Brown Butter Apple Blondies or Caramel Apple Crumb Cake!
Ingredient Breakdown
Buttermilk – makes the dough so flavorful and fluffy.
Granulated sugar – sweetens and tenderizes the dough. I originally used less sugar but found that the rolls come out way fluffier after increasing it.
Instant yeast – makes the dough rise.
Butter – adds flavor and tenderizes the dough. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1 teaspoon of salt later on.
Egg & egg yolk – make the dough so soft and fluffy especially with the extra yolk!
Nutmeg – adds extra flavor to the cinnamon roll dough.
All-purpose flour – gives the cinnamon rolls structure. You can substitute some or all of the flour with bread flour.
How To Make Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
1. Make the Apple Filling: place apples, sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and the apples are tender. Add cornstarch and stir until thickened. Allow to cool completely.
2. Make the Cinnamon Roll Dough: Heat the buttermilk until lukewarm (110°F) then whisk with granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top.
3. In a separate small bowl combine the melted butter, egg, egg yolk, salt and nutmeg then whisk into the yeast mixture.
4. Place on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add about 1/2 cup of flour. Mix on low speed until mostly combined then repeat until all the flour is gone. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be slightly tacky but not sticky.
5. Knead dough in the mixer or by hand for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl then cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
6. Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
7. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar filling across the dough then spread the cooled apple filling on top. Tightly roll the dough towards you then cut 12 even rolls and place in a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
8. Bake rolls at 350°F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
9. Make the Cream Cheese Icing: using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Add salt to taste. Spread over slightly warm rolls. Store Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat rolls in the microwave for 15-25 seconds or eat cold!
Pro Tips For Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate; baking is a science after all!
- Use fresh lemon juice in the apple filling, not lemon juice from a bottle!
- Do not overheat the buttermilk or you’ll kill the yeast! Yeast dies at 140°F.
- Make sure the apple pie filling is completely cooled before spreading it on top of the rolled dough. If it’s too warm it will melt the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Once rolls are filled use dental floss or a sharp chef’s knife for the cleanest cuts. If using a knife avoid sawing the dough and instead try to cut in one swift motion.
- After slicing filled rolls make sure to give them enough space to grow.
- Do not over bake. Take out when tops begin to slightly brown to get the softest rolls!
more fall Baking Recipes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
- Apple Crumb Donuts
- Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Apple Hand Pies
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- stand mixer
- 9×13 pan
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 5 apples peeled and diced small
- 50 g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter, cubed
- 15 g (1 tbsp) lemon juice, strained
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 240 g (1 cup) buttermilk, 110°F
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 14 g (1 1/2 tbsp) instant yeast (2 packets)
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 540 g (4 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 20 g (2 tbsp) cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Icing
- 56 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 210 g (1 3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
- 30 g (2 tbsp) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Place apples, sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and the apples are tender.
- Add cornstarch and stir until thickened. Allow to cool completely.
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Heat the buttermilk until lukewarm (110°F) then whisk with granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top.
- In a separate small bowl combine the melted butter, egg, egg yolk, salt and nutmeg then whisk into the yeast mixture.
- Place on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and add about 1/2 cup of flour. Mix on low speed until mostly combined then repeat until all the flour is gone. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Knead dough in the mixer or by hand for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl then cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar filling across the dough then spread the cooled apple filling on top. Tightly roll the dough towards you then cut 12 even rolls and place in a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
- Bake rolls at 350°F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Cream Cheese Icing
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer cream the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. Add salt to taste. Spread over slightly warm rolls.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1 tsp salt.
- Store Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat rolls in the microwave for 15-25 seconds or eat cold!
- Rolls can be made ahead of time: after filling and slicing cover the rolls and place in the fridge overnight. Allow to rise at room temperature for an hour or until doubled in size before baking.
- Apples: Granny Smith is my go-to but you can whatever apples you prefer. Try mixing up different kinds for more variety in flavor and texture!
- Apple filling can be made up to 2 days in advance if refrigerated in an airtight container.
