Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Homemade Apple Filling

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Apple Filling

If you love cinnamon rolls and you also love apple pie, guess what, you can have both in a single bite.

These apple pie cinnamon rolls start with a soft yeasted dough that bakes up gooey, fluffy, and just a little sticky, and they are filled with a homemade brown sugar apple filling that tastes like the inside of a really good apple pie.

The filling is genuinely easy to make, and it is exactly what makes this recipe different from a plain cinnamon roll.

The recipe makes 10 cinnamon rolls, with about 30 minutes of prep and 40 minutes in the oven. The recipe card lists the total as 1 hour 10 minutes, and that does not count the proofing and rising time, so plan for a relaxed morning or afternoon.

I like to start the dough first and cook the apples while it proofs, so nothing ever feels rushed.

How to make apple pie cinnamon rolls

Here is the whole thing in a nutshell, so you know what you are getting into before you start measuring anything.

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• Make a yeasted dough by mixing everything in a bowl with only minimal kneading. The dough is soft and sticky on purpose.
• Cook peeled and chopped apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a saucepan until the fruit softens and the sauce turns thick and glossy.
• Let the filling cool completely, then spread it over the rolled out dough.
• Roll the dough into a tight spiral and cut it into individual buns.
• Let the rolls rise a second time, then bake them until the tops are light golden brown.

There is also an overnight option in the recipe card notes, which is the version I reach for when I want warm rolls on Christmas morning without waking up at dawn. That version uses a smaller amount of yeast and a slow cold proof in the refrigerator, and the rolls go straight into the oven from there.

Cinnamon roll dough

The dough is the foundation of a fluffy roll, and it should be soft enough that you can peel the layers apart without them tearing. Here is what goes into it.

• 500 g all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
• 120 g sugar
• 240 ml lukewarm milk
• 60 g unsalted melted butter, cooled to room temperature
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or essence

All purpose flour is the right choice here instead of bread flour. Bread flour has more gluten, which builds more structure and gives you a harder crust, and that is the opposite of what we want. All purpose flour keeps the rolls soft and gooey.

Salt is not there to make the dough salty. It balances the sweetness of the apple filling, so the finished roll tastes full instead of flat. Sugar does double duty, because it flavors the dough and feeds the yeast, which produces carbon dioxide and makes the dough rise.

I use instant yeast or active dry yeast rather than fresh yeast. Both last longer on the shelf and neither one needs to be activated in water first, which saves a step.

Whatever milk you have in the fridge works, whole, nonfat, or dairy free, and the results are very similar. The one thing that really matters is temperature. The milk should be lukewarm so the yeast wakes up and works actively. Cold milk slows everything down.

This is an enriched dough, which means it contains fat from the milk, the melted butter, and the egg. The butter softens the texture, keeps the crumb from drying out, and adds flavor.

The egg helps the dough puff up in the oven and adds moisture from the fat in the yolk. Vanilla extract or vanilla essence can be used interchangeably.

I prefer extract because it comes from natural vanilla pods, while essence is a blend of artificial flavorings. If you make your own vanilla extract, this is a great place to use it.

Mixing and kneading the dough

Start by mixing the lukewarm milk, the egg, the vanilla, and the melted butter in a bowl or a jug. In a separate large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, then make a hole in the center and pour the wet mixture into it.

Now mix everything until you have a uniform dough. It will be really sticky, and that is exactly what you want. A sticky dough is what makes these rolls gooey at the end instead of bready and hard, so do not panic and do not start adding extra flour by the handful.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead it only until it comes together. That usually takes about 2 minutes. Kneading longer develops gluten, and gluten is what turns a tender roll into a chewy one.

If you would rather use a stand mixer, put everything in the mixer bowl and knead on medium speed with the dough hook until the dough is homogeneous, then stop right there.

Cover the sticky dough with plastic wrap and let it proof for 1 hour in a warm place, or until it has doubled in size. If your kitchen is cold, put the bowl in the oven with the light on and no temperature setting. The gentle warmth is enough.

The apple pie filling

You can buy canned apple pie filling, but I really recommend making this one at home. It takes a little longer, and it is worth every minute. Here is what you need.

• 900 g apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 170 g brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp water

Pink Lady is my favorite apple for this filling, and Fuji or Royal Gala work beautifully too. Peel them, remove the core, and cut them into small pieces before they go into the pan, so they cook evenly and soften in the time the sauce needs to thicken.

Put the apples and everything else into a large saucepan and cook, stirring now and then, until the apples are soft and the sauce thickens. That usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Then let the filling cool down completely to room temperature before it touches the dough. Hot filling will warm the dough and make it sticky and hard to roll.

Before you set the pan aside, reserve 1/4 of the filling. That portion is not for the inside of the rolls. It goes on top of the baked rolls at the end, and it is the reason these rolls do not need frosting.

A quick word on why each ingredient is there. Brown sugar gives the filling that caramel taste. Ground cinnamon is essential to both apple pie and cinnamon rolls, and if you want to push the spice further, an apple pie spice mix with ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, or cardamom is a lovely addition.

A small amount of butter gives the filling a velvety texture. Salt balances the sweetness. Cornstarch is the thickener, and it also gives the filling that shiny look you see in a really good pie.

Apple pie vs. apple cinnamon rolls

I have another apple cinnamon roll recipe that is much simpler. In that one, the apples are cooked briefly in butter and spread over a classic cinnamon roll. These apple pie cinnamon rolls are a different animal.

They have a proper, thick apple pie filling right at the center, which is why the apple flavor comes through so much more strongly.

Which one do I prefer? Honestly, it is hard to say, and I am probably biased toward these because I just ate two of them. If you want the easier route for a busy morning, go with the simpler apple cinnamon rolls.

If you want the one that tastes like apple pie and a cinnamon roll had a very happy collision, stay right here.

Shaping and baking

With the dough proofed and the filling cooled, dust a clean surface with flour and roll the dough out with a rolling pin. Because this dough is very sticky, roll a couple of strokes, then check whether it is catching on the surface.

Add more flour underneath and on top as needed, and keep checking near the end so the dough does not stick when you lift it.

You are aiming for a rectangle about 40 by 30 centimeters, or roughly 12 by 16 inches. Keep it as rectangular as you can, because a neat rectangle gives you even rolls. Spread the room temperature filling evenly over the dough with a spatula.

Now roll it up, starting from the long side. Begin carefully so the first turns are tight, and once you have a couple of complete rolls, you can push it along firmly so it rolls all the way to the end. A tight roll means no gaps and no empty spirals.

Cut the log into individual buns with a sharp knife. Mine were about 3 fingers thick. Place them in a square pan or baking dish lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between them so they can rise without turning square. Let them sit for 30 minutes for a second rise, ideally somewhere warm.

Then bake in a preheated oven at 180C or 350F for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown.

Tips for great cinnamon rolls

This recipe is pretty forgiving, but a few things decide whether you get fluffy rolls or hockey pucks.

Do not over knead. Knead only until the dough comes completely together and looks homogeneous, usually around 2 minutes. Kneading longer develops gluten in the all purpose flour, and that gives you a tougher exterior instead of a soft, fluffy roll.

Do not overbake. Overbaking dries out the dough faster than anything else. Pull the pan out as soon as you see a light golden brown color on top, even if you are tempted to give them five more minutes.

Use homemade apple filling. The best apple pie cinnamon rolls are made with filling you cooked yourself. It uses only natural ingredients, you control the flavor and the spices, and it is genuinely satisfying to make.

During apple season, make a double batch and freeze the extra filling for up to 3 months. Then a batch of these rolls becomes a very short project.

If you remember only one thing, remember this. Stop kneading early, and pull the rolls out of the oven early. Both of those mistakes are much harder to fix than they are to avoid.

How to keep apple pie cinnamon rolls

Baked rolls keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you want them to last longer than that, freeze them instead of leaving them on the counter.

To freeze, let the rolls cool, portion them, and put them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to eat, reheat them in a low temperature oven or in an air fryer set to low heat. Either way, they come back soft and gooey, which is exactly how you want them.

Frosting vs. ice cream

I do not think these rolls need frosting at all, because that reserved quarter of apple pie filling does the job. It is sweet, spiced, and glossy, and it sits right on top of the warm roll.

If you do want frosting, make a homemade cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls, spread it over the roll, and spoon the extra apples on top of that. And because these are a hybrid of bread and dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is a completely reasonable decision. I have made it more than once.

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Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

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Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Apple Filling If you love cinnamon rolls and you also love apple pie, guess what, you can have both in a single bite. These apple pie cinnamon rolls start with a soft yeasted dough that bakes up gooey, fluffy, and just a little sticky, and they are filled with a homemade brown sugar apple filling that tastes like the inside of a really good apple pie.

• Total Time: 70 min
• Yield: 10 cinnamon rolls 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the dough
500 g all-purpose flour
1½ tsp salt
2¼ tsp instant dry yeast
120 g sugar
240 ml lukewarm milk
60 g unsalted melted butter, cooled to room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract or essence

For the apple pie filling
900 g apples, I like to use Pink Lady, Fuji or Royal Gala
60 g unsalted butter
170 g brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp water

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Instructions

For the dough
1-Mix the lukewarm milk, eggs, vanilla extract: Mix the lukewarm milk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter.
2-Mix all the dry ingredients in a: Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and make a hole in the centre and add all the wet ingredients in the center.
3-Mix everything until you have a uniform: Mix everything until you have a uniform dough. It’s really sticky so don’t worry, that’s just the way this dough is ? That makes them gooey at the end instead of bread-y and hard.
4-Let the dough rest to proof for: Let the dough rest to proof for 1 hour covered in cling film or until it doubles in size. If it’s too cold, place it in the oven with the light on and no temperature setting.

For the apple pie filling
5-Peel the apples and remove the core: Peel the apples and remove the core. Cut the apples into small cubes.
6-Cook the apples with the rest of: Cook the apples with the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan until the apples are soft and the sauce thickens. It should take 10-15 minutes.
7-Let the filling cool down completely to: Let the filling cool down completely to room temperature and reserve ¼ of it which we will use once they’re baked.

Assembly
8-Dust flour on a clean tabletop and: Dust flour on a clean tabletop and roll the dough. Every couple of rolls make sure it’s not sticking and dust more flour underneath and on top. Roll it out until you have a 40×30 cm/12×16-inch rectangle. Try to keep it as rectangular as you can. At the very end make sure it’s not stuck and dust more flour if necessary so you can roll it with ease.
9-Spread the apple pie filling onto the: Spread the apple pie filling onto the dough using a spatula.
10-Start rolling: Start rolling: first, do it carefully so it’s nice and tight and once you have the first 2 complete rolls, you can just push it (still very tightly) so it rolls to the end.
11-Cut the rolls (I did mine 3: Cut the rolls (I did mine 3 fingers thick) and place them on a baking pan lined with baking paper at the bottom (this will help later so the sugar doesn’t stick, you’ll thank me!) and arrange them nicely. Keep a couple of fingers’ distance between them so that they can rise during proofing and after in the oven without becoming square.
12-Let them sit for 30min (again, it: Let them sit for 30min (again, it helps if they’re in a warm environment) and then they go in the oven at 180°C/350°F for 20-30min or until they’re light golden brown on top.

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Method: bake