Description
These soft, fluffy apple cinnamon rolls are filled with buttery cinnamon sugar and homemade spiced apple pie filling, then topped with rich brown butter cream cheese icing. They are a cozy fall breakfast or brunch treat that combines the flavors of classic cinnamon rolls and apple pie.
Ingredients
For the Yeast Dough
Milk
Active dry yeast
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Salt
Butter
For the Apple Pie Filling
Apples
Granulated sugar
Lemon juice
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground nutmeg
Cornstarch
Water
For the Cinnamon Filling
Butter
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Butter
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the milk until lukewarm, stir in the active dry yeast, and let it stand until foamy.
- Add the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, salt, and softened butter. Mix until a dough forms, then knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the apple filling by combining diced apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and water in a saucepan. Cook until the apples begin to soften.
- Mix the cornstarch with a little water to make a slurry, stir it into the apples, and cook until the filling thickens. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a smooth paste for the cinnamon filling.
- Punch down the risen dough and roll it into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border. Spoon a portion of the cooled apple filling evenly over the top.
- Roll the dough tightly into a log, slice into 12 equal rolls, and place them in a greased baking dish.
- Cover and let the rolls rise again until puffy.
- Bake in a preheated oven until lightly golden and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Brown the butter in a saucepan until golden and fragrant, then cool slightly. Beat with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Spread the icing over the warm rolls and spoon the remaining apple filling over the top before serving.
Notes
Cool the apple filling completely before assembling to prevent the dough from becoming sticky.
Use firm apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Fuji for the best texture.
For extra flavor, drizzle with caramel sauce or add chopped pecans to the filling.
Assemble the rolls the night before, refrigerate, then let them come to room temperature and rise before baking.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days because of the cream cheese icing.
Freeze baked rolls without icing for up to 2 months and frost after reheating.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 490 kcal
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
