Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These apple cinnamon rolls take the classic base you love and give it an orchard-inspired twist with layers of thinly sliced apples baked right into the gooey cinnamon-sugar filling. Soft, fluffy, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect mix of cozy flavors and fresh apple sweetness.

Instructions

ROLL DOUGH

Spray a baking dish² with non-stick spray. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, combine the flour and the graham cracker crumbs. Set this mixture aside.
2 and ¼ cups (270g) all purpose flour
Place warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water. Whisk with a fork, wooden spoon, or spatula and allow to rest and activate for 10 minutes.
¼ cup (60mL) warm water, 1 and ⅛ teaspoons (4g) dry active yeast
Once the yeast mixture is active and bubbly, add the milk, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg. Whisk to combine.
¼ cup (60mL) warm milk, 2 and ½ Tablespoons (32g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
Gradually stir in the flour/graham mixture. If using a stand mixer, use your dough hook. If mixing by hand, continue to use a wooden spoon. Add about 1 and ½ cups of the flour/graham mixture, allow dough to come together, then add the softened butter and continue to blend. When butter is mostly incorporated, add the remaining flour/graham mixture and blend until dough has mostly come together. It may still be shaggy, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl fairly easily.
3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
Turn out dough on a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes, adding flour about 1 Tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky, until smooth and elastic. Your dough should resemble the surface texture of PlayDoh when it is done. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

APPLE CINNAMON FILLING

In a medium size bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk or stir until well-blended. Set aside.
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 1 and ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 9" x 12" in size. Dough will be very elastic, so be patient and keep rolling. There is no need to rush this step.
When you have your rectangle, brush the melted butter evenly over the dough, leaving about ½" border around the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the melted butter, then scatter the chopped apple pieces until the whole rectangle of dough is covered in a single layer of apples. Gently press down on all of the filling to help it stick while you're rolling.
2 Tablespoons (29g) unsalted butter, 1 medium size apple1

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE DOUGH

Starting with one of the long sides, roll the dough up into a tight 12" log. Use your fingers or palms on either end of the log to gently squeeze the log to "contain" the uneven ends. Using a sharp serrated knife and taking care to keep the seam side down, cut the log into 6 even slices. Don't worry if filling spills out.
Place the slices cut side down in the prepared pan, gather any cinnamon-sugar that fell out, sprinkle over the rolls, then press down gently to flatten slightly. Cover loosely with foil or a kitchen towel. Allow rolls to rise for 1 and ½ hours.
When roll dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Bake the rolls for 28-32 minutes or until rolls just start to brown on top. You can cover the rolls with foil to prevent browning, if desired. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes while you prepare the meringue topping.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth.
2 ounces (57g) full fat block cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
Turn the mixer speed down to low and add the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla extract and the salt and continue mixing until smooth.
¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Spread cream cheese frosting onto slightly cooled rolls and serve rolls immediately. Leftover apple cinnamon rolls stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 8-10 seconds before serving. See notes section below for other storage and preparation suggestions.

Ingredients

ROLL DOUGH

APPLE CINNAMON FILLING

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Instructions

ROLL DOUGH

APPLE CINNAMON FILLING

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE DOUGH

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Notes

Nutrition Disclosure