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Apple pie cinnamon roll on plate.

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!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls
Author: Jamie

Equipment

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 13x9-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

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.
    • 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.
Storage and Re-heating:
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.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cinnamon roll | Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 316mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg
Calories: 602kcal
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