Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
These apple pie filled cinnamon rolls are filled with a gooey homemade apple pie filling and topped with a caramel cream cheese frosting. These rolls are soft and fluffy, and make the perfect breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
These cinnamon rolls are packed with cinnamon-spiced apple pie filling and topped with the caramel cream cheese frosting.
These cinnamon rolls are perfect for Christmas morning or any other day you’re looking for a cozy treat. Make them the day ahead of time and bake them the next morning!
If you’re looking for more fall-inspired desserts, check out my Turtle Cheesecake, Maple Pecan Blondies, and Spice Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. If you’re looking for another delicious spin on cinnamon rolls, check out these Strawberry Cheesecake Sweet Rolls.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Packed with apple cinnamon flavor – it’s the best of both worlds. Apple pie filling and cinnamon rolls. They pair together beautifully and are such a yummy way to change up the classic cinnamon roll.
- You can make them the day before – We love to have cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning and making them a day ahead of time takes the stress out of thinking about breakfast (one less thing to worry about on a busy morning!). Just take them out of the fridge an hour before baking.
- Soft and fluffy – These cinnamon rolls bake together and are large, fluffy, and so incredibly soft. Packed with apple and cinnamon flavor and topped with caramel cream cheese frosting, they are perfect enjoy in the fall or winter.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- Milk – You’ll need warm milk for this recipe. I use whole milk, but 2% works too. The temperature should be around 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used in this dough.
- Yeast – I use active dry yeast. This is what assists in the dough rising.
- Butter – I use salted butter in most of my baking. You can also use unsalted. Make sure it is room temperature. The softer it is, the easier it is to mix into the dough.
- Brown Sugar – light or dark brown sugar work in this recipe.
- Eggs – These help to keep the dough together.
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
For the filling:
- Apples – I’ve used Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples. A variety will work, too!
- Vanilla Extract
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger
- Water
For the frosting:
- Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the caramel frosting
- Cream Cheese – I love cream cheese frosting with my cinnamon rolls. It adds a depth of flavor and complements them in a beautiful way!
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Caramel Sauce – You can use my homemade caramel sauce recipe, or use store-bought caramel sauce.
- Heavy Cream – You can also use whole milk.
See recipe card for specific quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Pour warm milk, yeast, and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add flour, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and softened butter to your stand mixer with the hook attachment. Turn the speed on medium for 7 minutes. Alternatively, you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon and knead the dough with your hands for 7 minutes.
Step 3: You’ll know the dough is ready when you press it with your finger and none of the dough sticks to your finger. If it does, knead for an extra minute or two!
Step 4: Rub some olive oil or butter on to the inside of the bowl, then set the ball of dough in the bowl.
Step 5: Cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
Step 6: While the dough is rising, make the apple pie filling. First, chop the apples.
Step 7: Heat the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the ingredients together frequently and cook until the apples are softened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 8: Once the dough has risen, flour the surface and roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12 inches by 18 inches. Spread the softened butter onto the surface of the dough.
Step 9: Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the butter. Then, add the apple pie filling. Roll the dough starting from the long side, making sure to keep the roll as tight as possible.
Step 10: With a serrated knife, cut the dough into fourths. Then slice each section into 3 cinnamon rolls, so you have 12 total cinnamon rolls.
Step 11: Add the cinnamon rolls to a 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes. Prepare the frosting.
Step 12: Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
Step 13: Frost the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Helpful Hints
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cinnamon rolls. The apple pie filling is bound to get messy, and it goes a lot smoother using a serrated knife as opposed to floss or string.
- To save time, you can use store-bought frosting instead of making it.
Make Ahead
If you want to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time, follow the instructions until just before baking. Cover the cinnamon rolls in the pan with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge an hour before baking. Then bake according to the instructions.
You can also make the frosting ahead of time. Place it in the fridge in an airtight container until you’re ready to spread on the cinnamon rolls.
Equipment
- Kitchenaid Stand Mixer – this is by far the easiest way to make these cinnamon rolls because you can attach the hook attachment and let it do it’s thing for those 7 minutes of kneading. *But* you can still make these with a wooden spoon and by kneading with your hands as well!
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Mixing Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Hand Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Storage
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To rewarm the cinnamon rolls in the oven, set the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 10-15 minutes. I like to add a baking dish in the oven (on a rack below the cinnamon rolls) with a cup of water in it to help with moisture.
To rewarm in the microwave, microwave one cinnamon roll at a time for about 15-20 seconds.
You can freeze already baked cinnamon rolls for up to 3 months. Place them in a Ziplock bag and then into an airtight container.
Looking for more apple-flavored recipes? Try this apple cinnamon oatmeal or old-fashioned apple crisp.
FAQ
Yes, you can make apple pie cinnamon rolls ahead of time. The dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The apple pie filling can also be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once the dough and filling are ready, you can assemble the rolls and put them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for an hour, then bake the rolls and top them with frosting.
Apple pie cinnamon rolls can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, they can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To make your apple pie cinnamon rolls extra fluffy, make sure to knead the dough well before letting it rise. You should also let the dough rise in a warm place. Finally, be careful not to overbake the rolls, or they will become dry and tough.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk whole or 2% milk
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar dark or light
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter room temperature, salted
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the apple pie filling:
- 3 medium apples Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Tango, Granny Smith
- 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
To spread on the rolled out dough:
- 1/2 cup butter softened, salted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
For the caramel cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature, full fat block
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature, salted
- 1/3 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
For the dough:
- Microwave the milk in 20-second intervals until it is warm but not too hot–about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the milk, yeast, and brown sugar to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Cover with a towel and let sit for 5 minutes. The milk will be bubbly when it's ready.
- Next, add the eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, butter, and flour to the mixer. Knead the dough with the hook attachment of your mixer for 7 minutes. If not using a stand mixer, combine the dough with a wooden spoon. Use your hands to knead the dough on a floured surface for 7 minutes.
- The dough will be ready when you can press your finger onto it and no dough sticks to your finger when you move it off the dough. If the dough still sticks, knead it for an extra minute or two. Grease the inside of the bowl with olive oil or butter, roll the dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let sit at room temperature for about two hours.
Make the apple pie filling:
- While the dough is rising, make the apple pie filling. Chop 3 apples and add them to a saucepan along with the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, water, nutmeg, and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the apples are soft. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Prepare the cinnamon rolls:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the dough has risen to twice its size, roll it out onto a floured surface into a rectangle about 12 inches by 16-18 inches. Spread the butter over the dough, then combine the cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle over the butter.
- Next, spread the apple pie filling evenly over the dough. Roll the dough length-wise tightly until it is one long cylinder.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the dough into fourths. Then, make two marks on each section so they are even slices. Slice each section into 3 rolls. You should have 12 total cinnamon rolls.
- Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish. Add the cinnamon rolls to the dish and bake them for 25-30 minutes. They will be ready when the tops are golden brown and the bottom of the cinnamon rolls are no longer doughy. If you find that the cinnamon rolls are browning too fast, tent some aluminum foil over the pan. Remove from the oven once baked and let cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
Make the caramel frosting:
- With a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and caramel sauce for two minutes or until smooth. Once mixed, add the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!
Notes
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- Use a serrated knife to slice the cinnamon rolls. The apple pie filling is bound to get messy, and it goes a lot smoother using a serrated knife as opposed to floss or string.
-
- To save time, you can use store-bought frosting instead of making it.
-
- You can also make the frosting ahead of time. Place it in the fridge in an airtight container until you’re reading to spread on the cinnamon rolls.
- Make Ahead: If you want to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time, follow the instructions until just before baking. Cover the cinnamon rolls in the pan with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge an hour before baking. Then bake according to the instructions.
This is my new “special occasion” breakfast! The kids asked me to make them again for the first day of school breakfast!