Apple Cinnamon Rolls

These easy apple cinnamon rolls are a perfect breakfast or brunch to feed a crowd. Even though they are made from scratch, they are simple to make and perfectly light and fluffy.

Homemade apple cinnamon rolls are better than the ones you buy at your bakery! Plus, the fragrance and flavors of the apples speaks of everything we love about autumn.

It’s like a combination of your favorite cinnamon rolls and apple pie – what’s better than that?

This time of year, I like to incorporate apples into a lot of my cooking and baking – like my apple bread recipe, apple soup, apple pizza, apple ravioli, and, guess what now… apple cinnamon rolls!

With a fresh, fabulous new spin, this recipe is a reboot of some childhood favorite fall sweet rolls. Rather than using frozen dinner rolls, I now make it from scratch – in almost the same amount of time and without having to think ahead the night before.

This apple cinnamon roll recipe is a little twist on my better than the bakery cinnamon rolls. We’ve added a touch more cinnamon, a basic glaze and of course, diced apples!

Don’t skip our incredible pumpkin cinnamon rolls or cookie butter cinnamon rolls if you’re in the mood for a different taste of fall.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

It’s so easy to make these, and they really feel special. Whether you have them for breakfast, dessert or deliver them to friends, they’re sure to bring a lot of smiles!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Milk – Full fat is always best for decadent rolls, but whatever you have on hand will work.
• Butter – Unsalted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt in the dough. Learn how to soften butter quickly.
• All-purpose flour – No sifting required.
• White Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the dough.
• Salt
• Active Quick Rise Yeast – If you need tips for learning about yeast, be sure to read my complete guide to baking with yeast! It’s full of can’t-miss tips and tricks!
• Egg – Unless otherwise indicated, always use large eggs for baking.
• Brown Sugar – Light brown, packed. You can sub with dark brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand!
• Cinnamon – Choose a high quality ground cinnamon here.
• Apples – Any kind of apples, chopped fine.
• Powdered Sugar – Learn how to make powdered sugar if you don’t have any on hand.
• Heavy cream – You can substitute milk in a pinch, but heavy whipping cream is best.

Variations

• Frost with a lighter Cinnamon Roll Icing
• Use Cream Cheese Icing
• Apple Glaze
• Apple Butter Icing

If you want to take a no yeast shortcut, you can make my cinnamon rolls made with crescent rolls and use this filling and glaze – along with a touch of heavy cream, of course! If a touch of heavy cream is ever wrong, I don’t want to be right.

How to Make

An overview, visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and butter. Stir until melted and remove from heat.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add warm milk mixture and egg. Sprinkle yeast over the top of this mixture.
3. Knead while gradually adding more flour until the dough forms.
4. While the dough is resting (we like to cover with a clean dish cloth), preheat oven as directed and prepare baking dish.
5. Roll out dough into a rectangle.
6. Spread melted butter on top. Sprinkle cinnamon, sugars and apples on top. Cut strips. Roll and place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
7. OPTIONAL: allow rolls to rise again.
8. Cover rolls in heavy cream. Bake as directed, until slightly golden.
9. Combine all ingredients for frosting until smooth. Pour over the warm apple cinnamon rolls to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead

• These rolls are perfect for making ahead. You make the rolls the day before, but don’t add the cream. You can then cover the rolls tightly, unbaked, and keep them in the fridge overnight.
• The next morning, just pour the cream over, pop them in a pre heated oven and finish with the glaze.
• Or, to reheat after they’ve been baked and iced, place them individually in the microwave for 20 seconds or in the casserole dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for five minutes.

How to Store

• Room Temperature – Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to two days.
• Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container up to five days.
• Freeze – You can also freeze cinnamon rolls, storing in an airtight container covered in plastic wrap to avoid any freezer odor up to three months.

Dietary Considerations

• Vegetarian
• Nut Free
• To make Gluten Free, simply use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour in this recipe.