Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

hand holding fork cutting into a frosted apple pie cinnamon roll with pan of apple filled cinnamon rolls in the corner.

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These Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls are what you get when a thick blanket of sweet, enriched dough wraps itself around your mother's apple pie recipe in a big hug. Take your cinnamon rolls up a notch with apple pie filling, and prep them today to have warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Minimum rising time2

Total Time3 10

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 424kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Equipment

Stand mixer optional but easiest

Ingredients

Cinnamon roll dough

3½ cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for rolling the dough
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast or one packet
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup whole milk scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature and cut into cubes

Apple pie filling

3 medium apples peeled, cored, and finely chopped
½ cup (96 grams) brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Cream cheese frosting

4 tablespoons (57 grams) cream cheese room temperature
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup ((120 grams)) powdered sugar plus more to taste, sifted if lumpy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cinnamon Roll Dough

First, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest.
3½ cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, Zest of 1 orange
Beat in the scalded, cooled milk and vanilla, and then add the egg. You should have a rough, shaggy dough.
½ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
Switch to your dough hook and knead on medium speed, adding the butter a few cubes at a time. Keep kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms,
8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter
Shape the cinnamon roll dough into a ball, place in your bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.

Apple Pie Filling

While the dough is rising, make the apple pie filling. Add the chopped apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt to a medium to large pot over medium heat. Cook until the apples soften, release their juices and start to caramelize and thicken, about 15 minutes.
3 medium apples, ½ cup (96 grams) brown sugar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Assembly and Baking

Punch down the risen dough and roll it into a 12 by 18-inch rectangle on a lightly floured countertop.
Spread the cooled apple pie filling evenly across the dough, leaving a half-inch border along the edges.
Starting from the short side, roll the dough into a log, pinch the seam closed, and cut into 12 rolls using a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss.
Place the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise until puffy, 45 to 60 minutes, or let them rise in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to bake, heat your oven to 375°F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden with an internal temperature of 190 to 200°F.
Let your apple pie cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes while you make the cream cheese frosting.
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth, then the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread the frosting over the pan of cinnamon rolls, or frost them individually if you anticipate having leftovers that you will reheat.
4 tablespoons (57 grams) cream cheese, 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, 1 cup ((120 grams)) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Notes

Scalding the milk - heating it until little bubbles form on the sides of the pot - is done to break down the milk proteins that prevent gluten formation. Doing this will give you a softer cinnamon roll.

Cooking the apple pie filling to thicken it will prevent your filling from oozing out of the rolls.

Use unflavored dental floss to cut your dough cleanly into even rolls.

Nutrition