Apple Cinnamon Rolls

This is a delicious apple cinnamon roll recipe that will have you running to the kitchen for seconds. These cinnamon rolls are irresistible and perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients

Don't let this intimidate you but there are three components to this recipe; the rolls, cinnamon filling, and the maple cream cheese frosting. None of them are hard, it just requires patience.

For the yeasted dough you will need:

• Rapid Dry Yeast. Your rolls will not work out unless your yeast is fresh and activated properly. You can use instant yeast or active dry yeast for this recipe. The active dry yeast will take a bit longer during the rise times so just keep that in mind.
• Warm Water. Make sure to check the temperature of your yeast mine is 120F-130F for it to be activated.
• Sugar. Just a little bit of sugar gives the rolls a nice rounded, balanced flavor.
• Unsalted Butter. I love having butter in my dough for a bit of richness.
• Dry Milk Powder. This is the key ingredient. I have tried subbing milk instead of the water and not using the milk powder but I prefer the taste of milk powder.
• Salt. Just a smidge!
• Flour. You will only need all-purpose flour also known as plain flour. The amount you will need will vary depending on the moisture in the air and the protein content in your flour.

For the filling you will need:

• Unsalted Butter. You will need softened butter.
• Light Brown Sugar. You could use dark brown sugar if you wanted but I prefer light.
• Ground Cinnamon. You can't have cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
• Apples. The star of this recipe. I like to do one grated apple to ensure the apple is in every bite but then one apple diced to get some nice chunks of apple too! I do this in my apple cake too! I opted for just using small pieces of fresh apples instead of making an apple pie filling to fill the rolls. I suggest using Granny Smith Apples or Honeycrisp Apples, you can peel them or leave the skin on. You can use any of these Cooking Apples: Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Cortland
• Heavy Cream. You will pour the heavy cream on just before baking the rolls, it creates even softer rolls with an extra gooey filling.

Some don't want cream cheese frosting on their cinnamon rolls, my family? We love the frosting, so if you want to make a glorious frosting to top the rolls you will need:

• Cream Cheese. It is key that the cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature.
• Unsalted Butter. It is also crucial that the butter is softened to room temperature
• Maple Extract. A little bit goes along way so make sure to measure properly and not over do it! If maple extract is not your jam then you can switch in vanilla extract for a normal cream cheese icing flavor!
• Heavy Whipping Cream. This really helps make the frosting extra creamy.
• Confectioners Sugar. Just make sure you have sifted the powdered sugar so there are no lumps. I don't like to add too much sugar to keep the sweetness at bay!

I promise the work is not hard to make these apple cinnamon rolls, just time-consuming with the two rises but you can easily do one of those rises overnight!

Check out my sticky pecan rolls next or cinnamon bread or cinnamon roll pound cake!

For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

Instructions

In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment dissolve yeast in warm water, make sure you use the recommended temperature of water your brand of yeast recommends, you don't want to burn the yeast and kill it with too hot water. Leave it for five minutes, the yeast should have dissolved and go sort of foamy. If your yeast doesn’t foam up then your yeast is dead and the rolls will not turn out.

Add sugar, butter, milk powder, salt, and two cups of flour. Mix until smooth. Slowly add in the remaining flour to form a soft (not super sticky) dough.

If using a dough hook, switch out the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead for 5-6 minutes in the electric mixer. I take the dough out of the mixer every minute or so and knead it by hand. If not using a dough hook put the dough on a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200F/93C and then turn the oven OFF. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside and move the dough around so it's oiled on all surfaces, this helps prevent a skin from forming. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the bowl and place the bowl in a warm but not turned on oven to proof. Please keep in mind this may take more or less time depending on the temperature and humidity of the space in which you prove the dough. 

You can make the cinnamon roll filling during the dough rising time. In a small bowl combine the softened butter, ground cinnamon, and brown sugar and mix until fully combined, this will take a couple minutes, set aside while you wait for the dough to finish rising.

Check the dough after an hour it should have doubled in size, punch down and place on a floured work surface. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and set it aside. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread the cinnamon butter mixture in an even layer, I use an offset spatula and my clean hands.

Take one apple and grate it all over the dough then take the other apple and dice it then sprinkle it over the dough.

Roll the dough lengthwise tightly and cut with a serrated sharp knife into 12 pieces. I prefer to cut the dough in half then cut each half into half and cut those sections into 3's.  Place rolls into prepared pan, at this point, you can lightly cover with a clean kitchen linen and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour OR  cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight.

If you put them in the refrigerator overnight then the next day take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and set them on the counter, ideally in a warm place, to rise/thaw for 45 ish minutes, they should rise and have doubled in size.

Slightly warm the heavy cream in the microwave or stovetop then gently and evenly pour the cream over the top of the unbaked rolls just before placing the rolls in the oven. Preheat oven to 350F/180C and bake for 22-28 minutes.

In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes. Pour in maple extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Beat all together for 4 minutes, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure everything is evenly combined.

The rolls should be lightly golden brown, I use a thermometer to check the temperature has reached 190F/87C. Let the rolls sit for 5-10 minutes before putting maple cream cheese frosting on.

Slather on top of cinnamon rolls. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge, best eaten the same day they are made.

These are so light, fluffy, and downright delicious. I hope you love this fall-inspired breakfast idea- perfect for Thanksgiving morning!

FAQ and Tips for Success

• Make sure you use the right temperature water to activate your yeast, I use my Thermapen One to make sure its the right temperature.
• Room temperature butter is needed for the filling, I usually pull it out when I am getting the dough ready then it comes to room temperature while the dough rises.

More apple recipes

• French Apple Cake
• Apple Bread Pudding
• Puff Pastry Apple Tart
• Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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