Ohhh, apple cinnamon rolls are pure comfort food 🍎✨
Here’s a soft, gooey, bakery-style recipe with real apple filling and cream cheese icing.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk (110°F / 43°C)
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4–4½ cups all-purpose flour
Apple Cinnamon Filling
- 2 cups apples, peeled and finely diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk (to thin)
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
- In a bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add remaining sugar, melted butter, salt, eggs, and 3½ cups flour.
- Mix and knead (by hand or mixer) for 8–10 minutes, adding flour as needed until soft and slightly tacky.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled.
2. Make the Apple Filling
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch.
- Cook 5–7 minutes until apples soften and mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool.
3. Assemble the Rolls
- Roll dough into a 16×12-inch rectangle.
- Spread apple filling evenly over dough.
- Roll tightly from the long side and cut into 12 rolls.
- Place in a greased 9×13-inch pan.
4. Second Rise
- Cover and let rise 30–45 minutes until puffy.
5. Bake
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
6. Make the Icing
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
7. Frost & Serve
- Spread icing over warm (not hot) rolls so it melts into every swirl 🤍
Pro Tips
- Finely diced apples = better rolling, less leaking.
- For extra gooey rolls, pour ¼ cup warm heavy cream over rolls before baking.
- Make ahead: assemble, refrigerate overnight, bake fresh in the morning.
If you want, I can also give you:
- Quick no-yeast version
- Caramel apple cinnamon rolls
- Air fryer cinnamon rolls
- Or gluten-free option
Just tell me 🍎🌀
