Irresistible Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls: Your Ultimate Guide to Cozy Fall Baking

Embrace the comforting essence of autumn with these truly irresistible cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling! Imagine sinking your teeth into incredibly soft, tender, and fluffy cinnamon rolls, generously swirled with a homemade, perfectly spiced apple pie filling, and then lovingly draped in a rich, sweet maple syrup icing. This recipe combines the best of two beloved desserts – the warmth of a classic apple pie and the comforting indulgence of a fresh-baked cinnamon roll – into one truly unforgettable treat. They are an absolute dream for breakfast, brunch, or a delightful dessert, especially as the weather turns crisp and cozy.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Crafting these delectable apple pie cinnamon rolls requires a handful of common pantry staples, along with fresh, quality produce. Here’s a closer look at the key ingredients and why they’re so important:

• All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of our wonderfully soft dough. Using all-purpose flour provides the perfect balance of gluten for chewiness and tenderness.
• Unsalted Butter: I consistently opt for unsalted butter in all my baking endeavors. This choice gives you complete control over the total salt content in your recipe, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor profile without any unexpected saltiness. Room temperature butter is crucial for the dough’s texture.
• Warm Spices (Cinnamon & Nutmeg): A delicate pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg incorporated directly into the dough subtly enhances its flavor, adding an extra layer of warmth that perfectly complements the apple filling. These spices infuse the dough with a cozy, inviting aroma.
• Heavy Cream: This ingredient is a true game-changer for achieving super gooey and moist cinnamon rolls. Drizzling warm heavy cream over the rolls just before baking creates a magical effect, resulting in an irresistibly rich, almost caramel-like bottom layer.
• Apples (Granny Smith Recommended): For the filling, I prefer using Granny Smith apples. Their distinct tartness provides a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the dough and icing, creating a more complex and balanced flavor profile. However, if you prefer a sweeter apple pie filling, Honeycrisp or Gala apples are also excellent choices, offering a lovely sweetness and good texture.
• Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch is added to the cooked apple pie filling. Its primary role is to thicken the filling, ensuring it holds its shape beautifully within the rolls and doesn’t become too runny during baking, which could lead to a soggy bottom.
• Active Dry Yeast: This is the leavening agent that makes our brioche dough rise, creating those signature fluffy rolls. Ensure your yeast is fresh and active for the best results.
• Whole Milk: Used to activate the yeast and add richness to the dough. Lukewarm milk is essential to encourage yeast activity without killing it.
• Eggs: The extra egg in this recipe contributes significantly to the dough’s richness, tenderness, and golden color. Room temperature eggs blend more easily into the dough.
• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the dough, while light brown sugar is crucial for the classic cinnamon-sugar swirl and contributes to the caramelized notes in the apple filling.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the dough and filling, balancing the sweetness and making everything taste brighter.
• Lemon Juice: A splash of lemon juice in the apple filling brightens the apple flavor and helps prevent the apples from browning.
• Confectioners’ Sugar & Maple Syrup: These are the stars of the simple yet decadent maple icing, providing sweetness and that distinct maple flavor that pairs so wonderfully with apples and cinnamon.

Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions for Fluffy Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Follow these detailed steps carefully to achieve perfectly soft, flavorful, and irresistible apple pie cinnamon rolls. Taking your time with each stage will ensure the best results.

Part 1: Preparing the Delicious Apple Pie Filling

Step 1: Begin by making your incredible apple pie filling. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add your peeled and diced apples, fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and a generous amount of ground cinnamon. Stir all the ingredients together to ensure the apples are well coated. Cook this mixture gently for approximately 5-8 minutes, or until the apples have softened slightly but still retain a bit of their shape. You want them tender, not mushy.

Step 2: Carefully pour the cooked apple pie filling into a large heatproof bowl. Add the cornstarch and stir it in thoroughly until no lumps remain. The cornstarch will help thicken the filling as it cools. It’s crucial to let this filling cool completely before you add it to the dough. You can even prepare this step a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Part 2: Crafting the Perfect Cinnamon Roll Dough

Step 3: In a small saucepan, gently warm your whole milk over medium-low heat until it is lukewarm to the touch (around 105-115°F or 40-46°C). It’s vital that the milk isn’t too hot, as excessive heat will kill the active dry yeast and prevent your dough from rising. Pour the lukewarm milk into a medium bowl, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top, and give it a gentle stir. Let this mixture sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes. You’ll know the yeast is active and healthy when you see a foamy layer and small bubbles forming on the surface.

Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, a pinch of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Mix these dry ingredients on low speed for about 30 seconds to ensure they’re well combined. Next, add the proofed yeast-milk mixture, the two large room-temperature eggs, and the softened unsalted butter (cut into squares for easier incorporation). Beat these ingredients on low speed for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat for another 3-5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be slightly tacky but not excessively sticky.

Once kneaded, remove the dough from the mixer and lightly oil the mixing bowl to prevent sticking. Place the dough back into the oiled bowl, turning it once to coat all sides lightly. Cover the bowl loosely with clingfilm or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size, which typically takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on your room temperature.

Part 3: Assembling and Baking Your Cinnamon Rolls

Step 5: Once your dough has beautifully doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, aiming for dimensions of approximately 18 inches (46 cm) long by 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide. In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar and a tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Use a pastry brush to evenly brush the softened (not melted) unsalted butter over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough, leaving a small ¼-inch border along one of the long edges. This border will help seal the roll. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered dough.

Now, it’s time for the star of the show: the apple pie filling! Using a spoon, evenly distribute the cooled apple pie filling over the cinnamon sugar layer. Be sure to leave any extra liquid from the filling in the bowl; we only want the apples. Starting from the long side opposite the ¼-inch border, carefully and tightly roll the dough up into a log. It might get a little messy with the filling, but don’t worry – that’s part of the homemade charm!

Step 6: Thoroughly butter a 9×13-inch baking pan, ensuring all sides and the bottom are coated to prevent sticking. To cut the cinnamon roll log into 12 equal pieces, I highly recommend using unflavored dental floss for clean cuts, or a very sharp serrated knife. Gently place each cut cinnamon roll into your prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each roll for them to expand as they rise.

Step 7: Cover the baking pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to undergo their second rise for approximately 1 hour in a warm place. This second rise is crucial for achieving that light, fluffy texture. Around the 45-minute mark of the second rise, preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Step 8: Just before the rolls go into the hot oven, gently warm the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream in the microwave or a small saucepan until it’s comfortably warm but not boiling. Pour this warm heavy cream evenly over the top of all the cinnamon rolls, letting it seep into the spaces between them. This magical step ensures an incredibly moist and gooey texture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are puffed up and cooked through. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbaking.

While the cinnamon rolls are baking or cooling slightly, prepare your delightful maple icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, whole milk, and pure maple syrup until smooth and free of lumps. Once the cinnamon rolls are fresh out of the oven and still warm, generously pour the maple icing over them. The warmth of the rolls will allow the icing to slightly melt and seep into every delicious crevice. Serve immediately and enjoy the comforting aroma and incredible taste!

Expert Tips & Tricks for Perfect Cinnamon Rolls Every Time

Achieving bakery-quality cinnamon rolls at home is totally possible with a few insider tips. Pay attention to these details to ensure your apple pie cinnamon rolls turn out perfectly:

• Invest in a Kitchen Scale: This is perhaps the most important tip for consistent baking results. I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale to measure your flour and other dry ingredients. It makes a significant difference, as it’s incredibly easy to accidentally add too much flour when using volumetric cups, leading to a dense and dry dough rather than the desired soft and pillowy rolls. Precision is key in baking!
• Thoroughly Chill the Apple Pie Filling: For the best results, it is absolutely essential to let your cooked apple pie filling chill completely before spreading it onto the dough. A warm filling will make the dough difficult to handle, potentially making it sticky or causing it to tear. Additionally, when you’re spooning the chilled filling onto the dough, be sure to leave any excess liquid that might have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl behind. Too much liquid can make the rolls soggy and hard to roll.
• Embrace the Mess: Let’s be honest, rolling up dough filled with sticky cinnamon sugar and chunky apple pie filling is going to be a bit messy! Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Embrace the process, and remember that a little mess is a small price to pay for such deliciousness. Just keep a lightly floured surface and a scraper handy.
• The Dental Floss Trick for Clean Cuts: Cutting rolls cleanly can be tricky. For perfectly shaped, uniform slices without squishing the dough, I highly recommend using unflavored dental floss. Simply slide a piece of floss underneath the rolled log, cross the ends over the top, and pull them tight to slice through the dough. It creates beautifully clean cuts every time. A very sharp serrated knife can also work, but floss is often superior.
• Softened vs. Melted Butter: When preparing the cinnamon-sugar filling, I strongly prefer brushing the dough with softened (but not melted) butter. I’ve found that melted butter tends to leak out from the sides of the dough when you roll it up, creating a mess and potentially leading to dry spots in the finished rolls. Softened butter adheres better and stays put within the layers.
• Customize Your Frosting: While the maple icing offers a fantastic complementary flavor to the apple pie filling, don’t hesitate to customize! If you’re a fan of a tangier topping, a classic cream cheese frosting would be absolutely divine. You can find a great cream cheese frosting recipe in my brioche cinnamon roll recipe.
• Don’t Overbake: Keep a close eye on your rolls in the oven. Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with dry cinnamon rolls. Bake them until they’re golden brown on top and the edges are set, but the center still looks slightly soft. They will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once removed from the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Got questions? I’ve got answers! Here are some common queries about making these delicious apple pie cinnamon rolls:

Storing Your Delicious Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

To keep your apple pie cinnamon rolls fresh and delicious, make sure to store them properly. Once they have cooled completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container. They will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. When you’re ready for another delightful bite, simply reheat them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through and soft. This will bring back that fresh-baked tenderness and gooey goodness.

Expand Your Breakfast Menu: Try These Other Delightful Recipes Next!

If you’ve loved baking these apple pie cinnamon rolls and are looking for more ways to elevate your breakfast or brunch, I’ve got you covered! Here are some other fantastic recipes that are sure to become family favorites:

I absolutely love seeing your creations, so don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @alpineella and Pinterest, and tag me so I can share your beautiful bakes!

Recipe