Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Side view of a frosted apple cinnamon roll cut in half.

Combining two fantastic fall desserts, these Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls are a decadent dessert with a homemade dough, pie filling, and sweet icing!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, apple pie cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Rise Time 1

Total Time 1 50

Servings Rolls

Calories 440kcal

Author Wendie

Equipment

1 Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

For the dough

¾ cup milk
¼ cup apple cider or juice if cider is not available
One package of instant rise yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar divided
¼ cup butter unsalted room temperature
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt table

For the filling

3 cups Granny Smith apples finely chopped
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter unsalted room temperature

For the Frosting

6 tablespoons butter unsalted room temperature
4 oz cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and apple cider to 110 degrees over medium low heat, then pour them into the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment.
Add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and the yeast package. Let the mixture sit until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, and egg and mix at low speed for about 1 minute.
Add the flour and salt to the mixture and mix until the dough comes together for about 2-3 minutes.
Continue to mix/knead for another 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and a bit tacky but not stick to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add one teaspoon of flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Place in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled (no more than 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the bow). Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, which could take 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the weather.
Grease the bottom of a large cast iron pan or 9x13 baking dish.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is about ½” thick and about a 12” x 18” rectangle.
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped apple in a small bowl. Set aside.
Spread the softened butter over the dough, then top it with the apple sugar mixture, leaving a small amount of space along the long edge of the dough to start the roll.
Roll up the dough tightly and then cut into 12 pieces.
Arrange the rolls in the greased cast iron skillet or baking dish, loosely top with plastic, and let rise for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees while the dough is rising.
Bake for 28-30 minutes until they are lightly browned on top.
While baking, mix the icing by placing the butter and cream cheese in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add in the milk, vanilla. Then, slowly add the powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread icing over the rolls and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Pro tip: Cut your rolled dough in half, then cut each half section five times for one dozen cinnamon rolls. If you wish, you can trim the ends off slightly so each roll is clean-cut.
The cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed the day they are baked, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you don't have a stand mixer, stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon and knead for 5 minutes by hand.
To make these the day before, follow the directions up to step 12. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours,s then bake.

Nutrition