Apple Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 9 reviews

These apple cinnamon rolls are super gooey and soft rolls. They are full of cinnamon filling, apple pie filling, and topped with brown butter cream cheese icing. It also has apple pie filling on top!

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Resting Time1 20

Total Time2 50

Servings: cinnamon rolls

Calories: 490kcal

Author: Stephanie Rutherford

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast or 1 packet
2 Large eggs room temperature
4 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup White granulated sugar
10 TBSP Unsalted butter room temperature and cubed

Apple Pie Filling

2 1/2 Gala apples diced into small cubes
1/4 cup White granulated sugar
2 TBSP Water
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground ginger
1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
2 tsp Cornstarch

Cinnamon Filling

1/2 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
1 TBSP Ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Brown Butter Icing

4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
4 TBSP Unsalted butter browned
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

US - Metric

Instructions

Dough

In a microwave safe bowl, warm the milk to 110°F. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs together. Set aside.
1 cup Milk, 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast, 2 Large eggs
While the yeast is resting, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter, lightly beaten eggs, and milk/yeast mixture.
4 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Salt, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar, 10 TBSP Unsalted butter
Use a stand mixer with a dough hook. (For mix by hand instructions see notes.) Start on low speed until a dough starts to form and some of the flour is incorporated. Then, turn to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a large bowl that is sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover with a kitchen towel. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the bowl in the oven, turn off the oven, and crack open the door. Let it rise for 1 hour.

Apple Pie Filling

In a medium saucepan, add the small cubed apples, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Heat on medium heat until the juice releases. Then, stir occasionally until it thickens. After it starts to bubble this takes about 5 minutes. Cool completely. I placed it in a bowl in the fridge while the dough is rising.

Cinnamon Filling

In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon on high speed for 2 minutes.
1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 1/2 cup Brown sugar, 1 TBSP Ground cinnamon, 2 1/2 Gala apples, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground ginger, 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
Punch the dough down and roll using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle until it is 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough using an offset icing spatula. Then, spread 1 cup of the apple filling over the dough. (the rest is used to top the rolls)
Use a serrated knife to cut off the uneven ends. Then, cut in 12 rolls using a light sawing motion. Spray a 9X13 pan with baking nonstick spray. Place the rolls in the pan.
Cover the pan for a kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake for 28-30 minutes until the tops of the rolls are light golden brown.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing

Start the icing while the rolls are baking. In a frying pan, melt the butter. Then, stir until the milk deposits separate and it turns amber in color. Let it cool until room temperature.
4 TBSP Unsalted butter
Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and brown butter until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and mix until it is pourable consistency.
4 oz Cream cheese, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1 cup Powdered sugar
Pour the icing on top of the rolls once it stops bubbling, use a spoon to spread it. Top each roll with extra apple pie filling.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 TBSP of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Making by hand:

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry by using a rubber spatula. Switch to using your hands to mix until a dough starts to form.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead using your hands for 5-8 minutes.

It is done when your spread the dough apart thinly using your fingers. Hold the dough to the light. If you can see light through it, then it is done.

Brown butter: This is part can be skipped. You can also melt the butter instead of browning it.

Nutrition