Soft and fluffy apple cinnamon rolls made from scratch. These cinnamon rolls have delicious apples in every bite and they're great for snacking.
Love apples as much as we do? Then you're going to love today's recipe! We love having apples for breakfast such as apple cinnamon french toast bake or apple pie crepes. They're also perfect for desserts like cinnamon apply monkey bread or caramel apple cobbler served with so much bubbling caramel.
Soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls with a tasty filling
These fluffy and soft cinnamon rolls are made with a delicious apple filling. This is a combination of two favorite desserts in one. Apple pie meets cinnamon rolls to make a tasty dessert that feels like heaven in every bite.
These easy cinnamon apple rolls are perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee or some tea. It's a great after school snack and if you'd like to make it for a party or gathering, I'm sure everyone will love it.
Ingredients for cinnamon rolls recipe with apple
To make a delicious and fluffy apple cinnamon roll recipe, you need a few ingredients:
- Apple, brown sugar and cinnamon
- Flour, sugar and instant yeast
- Milk, water, butter and an egg
Easy and simple, this recipe for apple cinnamon rolls is going to be your favorite. It's all very simple and straightforward. The only thing that you should keep in mind is to keep all the ingredients at room temperature and not use them straight from the fridge.
How to make apple cinnamon rolls
Start by making the cinnamon roll filling. In a bowl, mix chopped apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside and start making the dough. Mix flour, sugar and instant active dry yeast in a large bowl. In a sauce pan, pour milk and water and add chunks of butter. Place the sauce pan over medium heat and stir gently until the butter is almost melted. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and add it to the milk and butter mixture while whisking it constantly.
If the mixture is too hot, let it sit for a few minutes and then add it to the flour mixture. Mix using a wooden spoon until it comes together and then start kneading. If the dough is too sticky then add more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Make sure not to add too much flour. It's okay if the dough sticks a bit.
Cover the dough with a clean towel and place it in a warm place to rise for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, transfer the dough to your working surface that you've already sprinkled some flour on and roll it out using a rolling pin into a 12x19 inch rectangle. Place a few chunks of butter on the dough and spread it using a butter knife or a spatula.
Spread the apples on the dough evenly and in a single layer. Make sure you're not adding the liquid that the apples released. I like using a lot of apples for this recipe but you can easily use half of this apple mixture and sprinkle some more brown sugar. Roll the dough from the side closest to you and pinch and seal the dough. Using a knife, cut the dough into 12-16 pieces and place each piece in a baking pan coasted with non stick spray or lined with parchment paper. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 45 minutes.
After 30 minutes, preheat the dough to 350°F and once 45 minutes is up, bake the apple cinnamon rolls in the oven for 30 minutes until fully cooked and golden.
You can serve cinnamon rolls with a delicious cream cheese glaze. Let the rolls cool completely before glazing them.
How long do cinnamon rolls keep?
These cinnamon rolls keep for up to two days at room temperature. You can refrigerate them for up to five days. I like to heat them briefly in the oven before serving them.
Can I freeze apple cinnamon rolls?
You can freeze the apple cinnamon rolls if they're not frosted. Cover the pan completely using plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month. To serve, thaw in the fridge and heat in the oven for a few minutes for them to be nice and warm and then frost if needed.
Notes and tips to make cinnamon rolls with apple
- Have the milk, butter and egg at the room temperature before you start baking. Having every ingredient at room temperature will help them combine better.
- You can make the dough either in a stand mixer using the dough hook or in a bowl using a spoon and then your hands.
- Knead the dough for about 7 minutes to make sure it's in a good shape before the fist rise.
- When covering the dough will apple and brown sugar, make sure not to use the liquid the apples released as they will make the dough soggy.
- You can use melted butter instead of soft butter for the filling.
- As for the dough to rise, I usually put the bowl with the dough in the oven when it's off and let it sit there for the time. You can also place it in an off microwave or just on the counter.
Step-by-Step Recipe
Apple cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 3-3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 packet instant active dry yeast
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Filling:
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 granny smith apples peeled and chopped into small chunks
- 2 tbsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and in a big mixing bowl.
- Microwave milk, water and butter (4 tbsp.) until it’s almost melted. About 1:30 minutes)
- Mix the egg into the milk mixture.
- Add the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Add one more cup of flour and a bit more so the dough forms into a ball.
- Knead for 7 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let the dough rise for 25 minutes.
- Coat one big baking pan or 2-3 smaller ones with non-stick spray.
- After 25 minutes, roll out the dough into a big rectangle, not so thick and not so thin.
- Spread the butter all over the dough up to the edges.
- Mix apples with cinnamon.
- Spread brown sugar, apples and more cinnamon if desired.
- Roll the dough and cut it in half, and each half into half and again into half. You will have 16 pieces.
- Place the rolls in the pan/pans.
- Cover loosely with a towel and let the rolls rise for 45 minutes.
- After 30 minutes preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.
- Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Have the milk, butter and egg at the room temperature before you start baking. Having every ingredient at room temperature will help them combine better.
- You can make the dough either in a stand mixer using the dough hook or in a bowl using a spoon and then your hands.
- Knead the dough for about 7 minutes to make sure it's in a good shape before the fist rise.
- When covering the dough will apple and brown sugar, make sure not to use the liquid the apples released as they will make the dough soggy.
- You can use melted butter instead of soft butter for the filling.
- As for the dough to rise, I usually put the bowl with the dough in the oven when it's off and let it sit there for the time. You can also place it in an off microwave or just on the counter.
Nutrition
Colleen Berge
Simply a gorgeous dessert! My family would be thrilled if I could pull these off...I am not a good baker but maybe practice will improve me?:)
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Hi Colleen! Thank you for your comment! 🙂 Hey these are just so easy, that's how I'm trying to post in my blog, everything simple and easy 🙂 These rolls are so simple and turn out great every single time if you just follow the steps 🙂 Let me know if you make them!
KIm
Those look amazing...I don't think I want to even attempt making them because yours are so pretty, I don't think I could ever measure up:)
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Oh of course you can! These are so easy to make. Just follow the steps, that's all 🙂
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I learned to make these in East Tennessee from a cousin of Dolly Parton. 🙂 She does what you do and then she pours a syrup over them like an apple dumpling would have. My absolute favorite dessert. Yours looks too good for the waistline but I'll throw caution to the wind!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Wow that's awesome! I love it when they get a bit moist! well mine do have some butter and well yes they are total carbs! To be honest with all the baking and cooking, I really try to just taste stuff 😀
Claudia | Gourmet Project
perfect for winter brunches, can't wait!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
I actually made them again today!!
Cymone | The Block is Haute
Oh these look amazing. I bet they taste amazing as well!
xo, c. // The Block is Haute
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thanks! 🙂
Mark
Yes your description of being a combined apple pie and cinnamon roll is very apt. Looks scrumptious. Thanks for sharing.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thanks for visiting Mark! The combination is indeed a good one!
Brenda Pace
Oh my gosh, this looks so easy and delicious! I'm pinning and sharing the yumminess!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Brenda!They really are easy!
Essence
Saving this! Book Club Meeting next month and I'm. Bringing these! Thanks!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Oh I love book clubs though I haven't been a part of any! Let me know if they like it!
Leah
Oh, these look divine! Yum!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thanks!
Fabiola
I love cinnamon rolls! But I haven't had one in ages. The smell and the flavor just came back to me. Sharing this!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
I still love anything Mexican better, but yea these really are delicious!!
Monica Bruno
Yummy! This looks delicious!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thanks Monica!
Kam Kay
Apples and cinnamon. Nom nom. One of my favorite fall combos. I will have to try it this weekend, it looks so yummy!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Kam for your kind comment! I'm quite sure you will like it! 🙂
Pavani
Wow, what an awesome idea to combine the flavors of apple pie into cinnamon rolls. They look just amazing.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thanks! They are really delicious too!