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    Home | Recipes | Breads

    Published: Jun 1, 2022 · Updated: Jun 1, 2022 by Angie Dixon ·

    Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

    jump to recipe Pin
    Cinnamon roll on a plate.

    These cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling are soft, gooey, and delicious. These enriched rolls are filled with the traditional brown sugar cinnamon roll filling, with a cooked apple pie filling, and topped with a cream cheese frosting.

    I love a cinnamon roll and love apple pie filling - so an apple cinnamon roll is the perfect marriage of these two classics. And if you are a fan of blueberries - I have a great blueberry cinnamon roll recipe as well.

    A tray of cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Reduced-Sugar Variation
    • Small-Batch Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
    • Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Pro Tips for this Recipe
    • Other Sweet Roll Recipes to Try
    • Rate & Review!
    • Recipe Card
    • Community Comments

    Ingredients

    Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.

    Cinnamon roll dough ingredients.
    Apple Pie Filling Ingredients.
    Cream cheese frosting ingredients.

    Apples - I like to use an apple with a bit of tartness. My favorite is Pink Lady's or Braebrun apples.

    The filling and bread dough are sweetened with white granulated sugar. You can substitute this with brown sugar if you want.

    Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for the cinnamon filling.

    Corn starch thickens the apple pie filling, making sure it doesn't just sit in the bottom of the baking dish. This is also known as corn flour or maizena.

    Butter adds richness and flavor to the bread dough, the apple pie filling as well as the cinnamon filling. I use New Zealand butter which is similar to European butter.

    Bread flour (high-grade flour or strong flour) is used for the bread dough, but this can be replaced with a good all-purpose flour.

    Active dry yeast gives these sweet yeasted cinnamon rolls their lift. This can be replaced with instant yeast.

    Eggs add richness and flavor to the cinnamon rolls. I use a size 6 egg which is a medium US/Euro egg and a large Aus/SA egg.

    Milk also adds richness to the bread dough. I typically use whole milk or full-fat milk, but you can get away with a lower-fat version. 

    Cream cheese (I use Philadephia block cream cheese, full-fat) for all my cream cheese frostings.

    Ground cinnamon gives the warm flavors to the apple pie filling and the cinnamon sugar. I also like to add a bit of mixed spice (or a pumpkin spice mix) to add a bit of depth to the flavor.

    Icing sugar or powdered sugar for the frosting or icing.

    Salt is a crucial ingredient in all baked goods. I use table salt in all my recipes. One teaspoon of table salt equals 1.5 teaspoons of Morton Kosher Salt equals 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal.

    Reduced-Sugar Variation

    These apple cinnamon rolls do contain a fair amount of sugar. And if you were going to reduce the sugar, I would half the frosting.

    Small-Batch Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

    For 6 apple cinnamon rolls, simply half the recipe using the "½x" button on the recipe card. I usually use a 7"x10" (26cmx 18cm) casserole dish for a half batch of apple pie cinnamon rolls.

    Weighing & Measuring Ingredients

    Weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale is more accurate than using measuring cups. All my recipes are developed and tested using grams only.

    However, I have activated the metric-to-cup conversions. Simply click on "cups" or "metric" for your preferred measurements. For these conversions, cups are equal to 240 millilitres/8 fluid ounces, tablespoons are 15 milliliters and teaspoons are 5mL.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    Step 1 - Warm up the milk until it is lukewarm. Add in the sugar and yeast and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the mixture is foamy, the yeast is alive.

    Step 2 - Combine the flour and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the salt through the flour.

    Step 3 - Add the milk mixture and melted butter to the flour. Mix on a low speed with the dough hook for 10 minutes until the dough passes the window pan test. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it out until the dough is thin and you can see light through it. If the dough tears easily, it needs to be kneaded further.

    Step 4 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and allow to proof for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the dough has risen at least 50% in size.

    Step 6 - For the brown sugar filling, combine the brown sugar, spices, and butter in a heat-proof bowl and microwave until the butter has melted. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Set aside and allow to cool.

    Step 7 - To make the apple pie filling, combine the peeled and diced apples, sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, and mixed spice in a skillet or large frying pan. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender. Add in the cornstarch and stir until combined and the mixture is nice and thick. Set aside to cool.

    Cooked Apple Pie Filling.

    Step 8 - Once the dough has been proofed, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 35cm by 50cm big.

    Step 9 - Spread the brown sugar filling over the dough using a spatula or the back of a spoon. 

    Step 10 - Spread the apple pie filling over the dough.

    Apple pie filling spread over the dough.

    Step 11 - Beginning on the long side of the dough, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the seams together to seal in the filling along the length of the dough. Cut the roll into 12 equal portions using a sharp knife, or bench scraper.

    Step 12 - Place the rolls cut side down into your baking dish (9"x13" -23cm x 33cm- rectangular cake tin) leaving about 2 - 3 cm of space between the rolls to allow them to rise.

    Step 13 - Cover the rolls with a tea towel and allow to proof for 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/355F. Bake the rolls for 25 - 30 minutes.

    Step 14 - While the buns are baking, let the butter and cream cheese come to room temperature, you may need to pop them into the microwave for 10 seconds if they are too cold for creaming.

    Step 15 - Add the icing sugar and lemon juice, and whip until well combined using either a stand mixer, electric mixer, or whisk. If the icing sugar is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk if needed.

    Step 16 - The cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling can be frosted as soon as they come out of the oven or they can be cooled first.

    Step 17 - Serve warm or at room temp! Enjoy.

    Cinnamon roll with apple pie filling sliced in half.

    Pro Tips for this Recipe

    • You can make the apple pie filling, cinnamon sugar filling, and the frosting the day before you make the cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
    • Cover your hands with a touch of vegetable oil before handling the dough, preventing it from sticking to your hands.
    • Rising and proof times depend on how warm the environment of the bread is. If it's chilly, place the bread dough somewhere warm to rise. Keep in mind that using a stand mixer to knead the dough will result in warmer dough overall and will accelerate the first rise.
    • Make sure your oven is fully preheated!

    BTW - this apple pie filling would make a great pancake filling! 

    Kneading bread dough by hand

    No stand mixer? No problem! If kneading by hand - do the following to make life a little easier. Don't add the salt to the flour, salt prohibits gluten formation, so we are going to add this a bit later.

    Combine the flour with the milk, melted butter, and beaten eggs. Stir through until you have a shaggy dough and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate, stimulating gluten formation before you even begin kneading. Then add the salt and knead on a clean surface.

    Ovens

    The temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. For convection, fan-forced, fan-assisted, or air-fryers, the temperature must be reduced by 20°C/25°F.

    For baking, make sure the oven is fully preheated, and that the rack is in the middle of the oven. Open the oven as little as possible. For best baking results use an oven thermometer.

    Remember that all ovens work slightly differently and bake times may need to be adjusted for your specific oven.

    Other Sweet Roll Recipes to Try

    • Blueberry cinnamon rolls with blueberry frosting in a baking dish.
      Homemade Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
    • A Chelsea bun sliced in half on a plate.
      Easy Homemade Chelsea Buns
    • Nutella Star Bread dusted with powdered sugar on a serving platter.
      Nutella Bread
    Cinnamon roll with apple pie filling sliced in half.

    Rate & Review!

    If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating! It gives my readers and me helpful feedback. If you want more recipes, subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    Recipe Card

    A tray of cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.

    Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling

    Angie Dixon
    These cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling are soft, gooey and delicious. These enriched rolls are filled with the traditional brown sugar cinnamon roll filling, with a cooked apple pie filling and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
    4.8 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep time.Prep Time 45 minutes mins
    Cook time.Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    CourseCourse Dessert
    CuisineCuisine Global
    Servings 12 rolls

    Equipment

    • 13"x9"(33cmx23cm) Rectangular Cake Pan
    • Stand Mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    Cinnamon Roll Dough

    • 250 grams milk
    • 50 grams white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
    • 2½ teaspoons yeast
    • 565 grams bread flour (strong/high-grade)
    • 1 teaspoon table salt
    • 2 eggs (medium/large/size 6)
    • 80 grams butter (melted and slightly cooled)

    Brown Sugar Filling

    • 60 grams butter
    • 100 grams light brown sugar
    • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon mixed spice (pumpkin spice)

    Apple Pie Filling

    • 5 medium apples (Peeled and diced into small pieces)
    • 50 grams butter
    • 75 grams white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
    • ½ teaspoon table salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon mixed spice (pumpkin spice)
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 50 grams butter
    • 110 grams cream cheese
    • 300 grams icing sugar (powdered/confectioner's sugar)
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon table salt (if using unsalted butter)
    • 1-2 tablespoons milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Warm up the milk until it is lukewarm. Add in the sugar and yeast and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the mixture is foamy, the yeast is alive.
      250 grams milk, 50 grams white granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons yeast
    • Combine the flour and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. Mix the salt through the flour.
      565 grams bread flour, 1 teaspoon table salt
    • Add the milk mixture, eggs and melted butter to the flour. Mix on a low speed with the dough hook for 10 minutes until the dough passes the window pan test. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it out until the dough is thin and you can see light through it. If the dough tears easily, it needs to be kneaded further.
      2 eggs, 80 grams butter
    • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and allow to proof for an hour to an hour and a half, or until the dough has risen at least 50% in size.
    • For the brown sugar filling, combine the brown sugar, spices and butter in a heat-proof bowl and microwave until the butter has melted. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Set aside and allow to cool.
      60 grams butter, 100 grams light brown sugar, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon mixed spice
    • To make the apple pie filling, combine the peeled and diced apples, sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice into a skillet or large frying pan. Cook over medium heat until the apples are tender. Add in the cornstarch and stir until combined and the mixture is nice and thick. Set aside to cool.
      ½ teaspoon mixed spice, 5 medium apples, 50 grams butter, 75 grams white granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • Once the dough has proofed, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 35cm by 50cm big.
    • Spread the brown sugar filling over the dough using a spatula or the back of a spoon. 
    • Spread the apple pie filling over the dough.
    • Beginning on the long side of the dough, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the seams together to seal in the filling along the length of the dough. Cut the roll into 12 equal portions using a sharp knife, or bench scraper.
    • Place the rolls cut side down into your baking dish (9"x13" -23cm x 33cm- rectangular cake tin) leaving about 2 - 3 cm of space between the rolls to allow them to rise.
    • Cover the rolls with a tea towel and allow to proof for 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/355F. Bake the rolls for 25 - 30 minutes.
    • While the buns are baking, let the butter and cream cheese come to room temperature, you may need to pop them into the microwave for 10 seconds if they are too cold for creaming. Cream the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. About 3 to 4 minutes.
      50 grams butter, 110 grams cream cheese
    • Add the icing sugar, salt and lemon juice, and whip until well combined using either a stand mixer, electric mixer or whisk for about 3 minutes. If the icing sugar is too thick, add in 1-2 tablespoons of milk if needed.
      300 grams icing sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons milk, ¼ teaspoon table salt
    • The cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling can be frosted as soon as they come out of the oven or they can be cooled first.
    • Serve warm or at room temp! Enjoy.

    Notes

    The cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling would also be great with a simple icing glaze.
    If you prefer less icing/frosting, make a half batch - there is a nifty 0.5 button above the ingredients just for this purpose! Just remember the layer of frosting will then be thinner, and I would put a bit of icing on each bun before spreading it out.
    Make the pie filling and brown sugar filling a day or two ahead to cut down on the "day of" tasks. 
    BTW - this apple pie filling would make a great pancake filling! 

    Kneading bread dough by hand

    No stand mixer? No problem! If kneading by hand - do the following to make life a little easier. Don't add salt to the flour, salt prohibits gluten formation so we will add this a bit later.
    Combine the flour with the milk, melted butter and beaten eggs. Stir through until you have a shaggy dough and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate, stimulating gluten formation before you even begin kneading. Then add the salt and knead on a clean surface.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1roll | Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 468mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. Recipes tested in grams and at sea level.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Debbe’ Baker says

      June 12, 2022 at 3:19 am

      5 stars
      These Apple stuffed cinnamon rolls are BEYOND DELICIOUS ‼️They’re my family’s newest Favorite ‼️I have to make these for my Pastor and Church Family 💞♥️❌♥️DEELISH ALL THE WAY 🥰

      Reply
      • Mary-Lou says

        June 12, 2022 at 9:53 am

        Thank you so much, Debbe! Positive feedback like this always puts a smile on my face! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!

        Reply
    2. Ann Taylor says

      June 04, 2022 at 7:02 am

      5 stars
      I love the ease of this recipe and the great taste

      Reply
      • Mary-Lou says

        June 04, 2022 at 3:10 pm

        Thank you so much Ann!

        Reply

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