Go Back

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apple cinnamon rolls with a soft, pillowy dough and caramelized apple filling, baked until golden and sticky at the edges. Finished with a quick cream cheese glaze drizzle for a tender swirl in every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 0.75 cup warm milk (110F)
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar divided, plus 1 tbsp for blooming
  • 0.33 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
For the apple filling
  • 3 medium apples, peeled and finely diced
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For cream cheese glaze
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bloom the yeast
  1. Combine warm milk (110F), active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar, then rest 5 minutes until foamy.
Make the dough
  1. Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, then mix in the flour and salt to form a soft dough.
  2. Knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, using a controlled push-and-fold motion to build structure.
  3. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and rise for 1 hour until doubled in size and puffy.
Cook the apple filling
  1. Cook the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for 5-7 minutes until caramelized and glossy.
  2. Cool the apple filling until no longer hot so it won’t melt the dough when you spread it.
Assemble and proof
  1. Roll the dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle and spread the apple filling evenly over the surface.
  2. Roll tightly into a log, keeping the seam down so the layers stay intact when sliced.
  3. Cut the log into 12 rolls, then arrange them in a greased 9x13 dish with the cut sides facing up.
  4. Cover and rise for 45 minutes until visibly puffy and touching each other in the baking dish.
Bake and glaze
  1. Bake at 375F for 22-25 minutes until golden with set centers and lightly sticky edges.
  2. Beat the cream cheese glaze ingredients, then drizzle over the warm rolls so it melts into the swirls.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the apple filling fully before spreading so the dough stays soft and the swirls don’t get soggy. Store baked rolls covered in the fridge up to 4 days; rewarm in the oven at 300F for 8-10 minutes. Freezing is yes: freeze unfrosted rolls after baking (cool completely) up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge, then glaze. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and milk in the glaze.