Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Soft apple cinnamon rolls are filled with buttery brown sugar, cinnamon and fresh apples, then finished with a creamy maple icing for the perfect fall breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ¼ cups 310g warm milk , 105-110°F
- 1 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast , about 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 8 Tablespoons granulated sugar , divided
- 1 large egg , at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , melted
- 4 cups 540g all-purpose flour , plus more or less as needed
Filling
- ⅔ cup 125g light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter , softened (do NOT melt), divided
- 2 green apples , diced (about 2 cups) peeling optional
Maple Icing
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter , melted
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Dough
- Soften yeast: In a small bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
- Make dough: In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Whisk in the remaining 7 Tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the 1/2 cup melted butter and the yeast mixture. Add two cups of flour and stir until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons flour, but the dough should be soft. Don't overdo it with flour.
- Rise dough: Once dough is smooth and soft, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. I like to turn my oven to 175°F and then turn it off. Place the bowl in the oven with a small bowl of hot water to help it rise faster. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Filling:
- Mix filling: In a small bowl, mix together 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons cinnamon and 1/2 cup softened butter. It will look like a paste.
- Roll out dough: Once your dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour), punch it down. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 15×20 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Add filling to dough: Spread butter mixture over the dough. Sprinkle chopped apples over the top and press them gently into the cinnamon butter with the back of a spatula.
- Roll dough: Roll the dough up tightly starting at the wide edge. Pinch the sides together at the end.
- Cut into rolls: Using a large, serrated knife or a long piece of floss, cut the dough in half and then in half again, making 4 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 or 4 1-inch pieces, making either 12 big cinnamon rolls or 16 medium rolls. Place dough rolls, swirl-side up, 1 inch apart onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like to put the 12 big ones on a baking sheet and the ends in a small pan. Cover the pan and let the rolls sit for 1 hour, or until rolls have doubled in size.
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350°F
- Bake rolls: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before icing.
Icing
- Make icing: In a large bowl, beat together 3 Tablespoons butter, 2 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 to 3 Tablespoons maple syrup, and 1/8 teaspoon salt with an electric mixer. You can add milk to thin it out or powdered sugar to thicken it until you reach your desired consistency. I like to place a dollop on each roll and let sit a minute and then spread over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Notes
Yeast. Make sure you are starting with fresh yeast. I used active dry yeast, not instant yeast or rapid rise yeast.
Warm milk. Check the milk temperature to make sure it isn’t too hot. It should be at 105-110°F (bath water temp) when you proof the yeast.
Flour. I like to replace 1-2 cups of flour with bread flour or kamut if I have on hand.
Quick rise. To help the dough rise faster, preheat the oven to 175°F and then turn it off. Then place the covered bowl of dough in the oven along with a small bowl of hot water.
Freezing the cinnamon rolls: You can freeze the rolls after they have been baked and cooled. Simply place in a freezer container or zip top bag, then set out to thaw overnight. Warm individual rolls in microwave for 10 to 20 seconds or in the oven at 175°F for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 674kcal, Carbohydrates: 110g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 242mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 708IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
