Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling

4.89 from 17 votes

Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling have a rich, warm, and gooey center, golden brown edges, and cream cheese frosting on top. Start your morning with these apple cinnamon buns or serve them as an after-meal dessert. They are one of the best apple recipes you can make this fall and holiday season.

Prep Time2

Cook Time30

Course: Breakfast, Desserts, Snack

Cuisine: American, North America

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Rolls

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Kushi

Equipment

1 Baking pan
1 Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

For the cinnamon roll dough

⅔ cup Warm milk
¼ cup Sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
¼ cup Butter, melted
2 ½ cups All-purpose flour or Maida (more or less as needed)
½ teaspoon Salt

For apple pie filling

4 Apples, grated
¼ cup Butter
½ cup Brown sugar
1 tablespoon Cinnamon powder

For unbaked cinnamon rolls (optional)

¼ cup Heavy cream

For the frosting

4 oz Softened cream cheese
¾ cup Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
½ cup Butter (softened)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare Cinnamon Rolls Dough

In a bowl, add warm milk, sugar, and mix. Sprinkle yeast. Let this sit for 5 minutes till yeast activates.
⅔ cup Warm milk, ¼ cup Sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
Add butter, salt, and flour in increments as needed and knead it to form soft and elastic dough.
¼ cup Butter, melted, 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour or Maida (more or less as needed), ½ teaspoon Salt
But see that you don't add too much flour while making the dough. When kneading, if you feel it is a little sticky, that's ok. Slightly sticky dough is what makes your rolls softer and lighter.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Prepare Apple Pie Filling

Add butter to a pan on medium heat. Once melted, add grated apples and saute them till the apple turns soft.
4 Apples, grated, ¼ cup Butter
Add sugar, cinnamon powder, mix and continue sauteing on medium flame till it bubbles and all the water evaporates. Keep this aside to cool down.
½ cup Brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Cinnamon powder

Shape them into rolls

Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a well-floured working surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle shape. The size may vary. It need not be exact.
Add dollops of prepared filling and nicely spread the filling using the back of a spoon or spatula.
Starting at the longer side, tightly roll the dough.
Cut the roll into 6 slices and place them in a round 8 or 9-inch cake pan
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let this sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Baking cinnamon rolls

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
You will have to warm the cream just until you are able to touch but not too hot or also don't use cold heavy cream
¼ cup Heavy cream
Pour the cream on top of the rolls and bake.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it is caramelized golden brown on top and cooked through the center.
The baking time may vary depending on the oven, size of the pan, the thickness of rolls, etc. Keep a close look at 20 minutes mark.

Prepare Cream cheese frosting

While the rolls are cooling down, prepare the frosting.
In a bowl, add softened cream cheese, butter and blend using a handheld mixer.
4 oz Softened cream cheese, ½ cup Butter (softened)
To the softened cream cheese blend, add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
¾ cup Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar), 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
You can spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon-apple pie rolls so that the rolls soak up some frosting. But if you want to make it look prettier, wait till the rolls come down to room temperature and then spread the frosting.
Serve with a cup of coffee and enjoy.
You can store the cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

After the cinnamon rolls are done with the second rise, preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F. Transfer around 5 to 6 rolls depending on the size and air fry for 5 minutes. Turn the rolls over and fry again for another 4 minutes.

Notes

Cinnamon rolls can be made vegan with proper substitutes. The taste and texture will vary slightly. Substitute milk with non-dairy milk, butter with vegan butter or coconut oil, and cream cheese with vegan cream cheese.
Makes 6 big rolls, serves 12

Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls (Overnight Cinnamon Rolls)

Yes. Cinnamon rolls are one of the best make-ahead breakfast recipes. Just make the dough, filling, and when the rolls are ready for the second rise in the baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
By this time, the dough should have doubled in size. If this is the case, keep it on the counter for 30 minutes and then bake it as instructed above.
If rolls did not rise after the second rise in the refrigerator, keep it out for at least 1 hour. Then pour heavy cream and bake.
You can also check tips for frozen cinnamon rolls here.

Storage Suggestions

Baked cinnamon rolls remain fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Placing cinnamon rolls in an airtight container will even keep them moist and prevent them from drying out.

Best way to reheat cinnamon rolls without drying

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the rolls in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition