Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Apple Filling

Two beloved desserts just got married, and the wedding was delicious. These apple pie cinnamon rolls combine a soft, fluffy yeasted dough with a homemade brown sugar apple filling that is genuinely easy to make. The result?

Gooey, soft, sticky rolls with layers you can peel off without them breaking. Trust me, once you pull these out of the oven, you will wonder why you ever settled for plain cinnamon rolls.

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Apple Filling

Wondering how hard this is going to be? It is easier than it looks. The process starts with a yeasted dough, the same style as a classic cinnamon roll dough, made by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl with minimal kneading.

While the dough proofs, you cook the filling: peeled and cut apples simmered with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch until the sauce thickens and the apples soften.

After the filling cools to room temperature, you spread it over the rolled out dough, roll everything into a tight spiral, and cut it into individual buns. A short second rise, a trip through the oven, and you are done.

(If you want to make these overnight, the recipe card notes cover that, and it is a wonderful idea for Christmas morning.)

This recipe makes 10 cinnamon rolls, with about 30 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cook time, for a total of 1 hour 10 minutes. Keep in mind that proofing and cooling add extra time, so plan your morning accordingly.

How to make apple pie cinnamon rolls

What makes these rolls so soft and fluffy? It all comes down to the dough. This is an enriched dough, which simply means it contains fat from milk, melted butter, and an egg. That fat is the secret to a tender, gooey crumb instead of something bread like and tough.

Here is what each ingredient does:

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• All purpose flour: This recipe uses all purpose flour instead of bread flour on purpose. Bread flour has more gluten, which creates more structure and a harder crust. All purpose flour keeps the rolls soft and gooey, which is exactly what we want.
• Salt: It balances the sweetness of the apple pie filling so the rolls do not taste flat.
• Sugar: Sugar adds flavor and feeds the yeast. The yeast produces CO2 as it eats, and that is what makes the dough rise.
• Instant yeast or active dry yeast: Either works. These yeasts are preferred over fresh yeast because they keep longer and do not need activating before use.
• Milk: Whole milk, non fat milk, or dairy free milk all give similar results. The important part is that the milk is warm, because warm milk wakes up the yeast and makes it more active.
• Melted butter: The butter softens the texture, keeps the dough from drying out, and adds flavor.
• Egg: The egg helps the dough puff up during baking, and the fat in the yolk adds moisture.
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla essence can be used interchangeably. Extract is preferred because it comes from natural vanilla pods, while essence is a mix of artificial flavorings. (You can even make your own homemade vanilla extract if you are feeling ambitious.)

One more thing about texture: this dough is meant to be sticky. Do not panic and start adding cup after cup of flour. That stickiness is exactly what makes the finished rolls gooey instead of dry and bready.

Cinnamon roll dough

How much kneading does this dough need? Barely any, and that is the whole point. Start by mixing all the dough ingredients in a large bowl until they are completely incorporated.

Then transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead it only until it comes together. Stop there! Kneading longer develops gluten, and extra gluten means tougher rolls instead of fluffy ones.

If you have a stand mixer, even better. Place all the ingredients in the mixer bowl and knead on medium speed with the dough hook until the dough is homogeneous, then stop. That is it.

Once mixed, cover the sticky dough with plastic wrap and let it proof for 1 hour in a warm place, or until it doubles in size. If your kitchen runs cold, a trick I love is placing the covered bowl in the oven with only the light on and no temperature setting. It creates a cozy little proofing box.

Mixing and kneading the dough

Can you use canned apple pie filling? Technically yes, but I strongly recommend making this easy filling at home. It takes a bit longer, and it is absolutely worth it. You control the sweetness, the spice, and the apple texture, and there are no mystery ingredients involved.

Here is how it works. Cook all the filling ingredients in a large saucepan until the mixture thickens and the apples soften, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Then let the filling cool completely to room temperature before spreading it on the dough.

(Warm filling on dough is a mess you do not want.) Reserve one quarter of the filling to top the rolls at the end, and use the rest as the filling.

Now, the ingredients:

• Apples: Pink Lady is my preferred variety, though Fuji or Royal Gala also work beautifully. Peel them and cut them into small pieces before adding them to the pan so they cook evenly.
• Brown sugar: This is what gives the filling its warm caramel taste.
• Ground cinnamon: Essential to both apple pie and cinnamon rolls, so it is doing double duty here. If you like, add an apple pie spice mix with ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, or cardamom for extra depth.
• Butter: Just a small amount gives the filling a velvety texture.
• Salt: A bit of salt balances all that sweetness.
• Cornstarch: The thickening agent. It turns the juices into a glossy sauce and gives the filling a shiny look.

For the full batch you will need 900 g of apples, 60 g of unsalted butter, 170 g of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water.

The apple pie filling

Confused about the difference? Fair question. There is another, much simpler apple cinnamon roll recipe out there where the apples are cooked briefly in butter and spread over a classic cinnamon roll recipe.

These Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls go further: they have a proper apple pie filling at the center, thick and caramelized like what you would find inside a real pie.

Which one is better? Honestly, it is hard to say. I will admit to a current bias toward these, mostly because I just ate three of them. If you want an easier option, the simpler Apple Cinnamon Rolls recipe is a great choice. If you want the full apple pie experience wrapped in dough, this is your recipe.

Apple pie vs. apple cinnamon rolls

Ready to shape? This is the fun part, but the dough is very sticky, so go slow. Roll out the dough on a clean, lightly floured surface with a rolling pin.

Roll a bit, then check whether more flour is needed underneath and on top. Keep going until you have a 40×30 centimeter or 12×16 inch rectangle, keeping the edges as square as you can.

Spread the room temperature filling evenly over the dough with a spatula. Then roll the dough starting from the long side, rolling tightly. Be careful with the first couple of turns so the spiral stays snug, then you can push it along to the end.

Cut individual buns with a sharp knife. Mine were about 3 fingers thick, which gave a nice generous roll. Carefully lift each one and place it in a square pan or baking dish lined with parchment paper, leaving a couple of fingers of space between them so they can rise without turning square.

Let the rolls rise a second time for 30 minutes in a warm spot. Then bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are light golden brown on top. That golden color is your signal, so keep an eye on them near the end.

Shaping and baking

Cinnamon rolls are generally straightforward, but a few key points deserve your attention if you want the best apple pie cinnamon rolls possible.

• Do not over knead. Kneading too long develops gluten in the all purpose flour, which gives you a tougher exterior instead of fluffy rolls. Knead only until the dough comes completely together and is homogeneous, usually about 2 minutes.
• Do not overbake. Overbaking dries out the dough, and dry cinnamon rolls are a tragedy. Remove the rolls from the oven as soon as a light golden brown color appears on top.
• Use homemade apple filling. The best apple pie cinnamon rolls use homemade apple pie filling. It has only natural ingredients, lets you control the flavor and spices, and is genuinely satisfying to make.

One bonus tip: during apple season, make a double batch of filling and freeze the extra for up to 3 months. Future you will be very grateful.

Remember: sticky dough, short knead, and an early exit from the oven. That is the whole secret to gooey, fluffy rolls.

Tips for great cinnamon rolls

Made a big batch and worried about leftovers? Do not be. Baked apple pie cinnamon rolls stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They also freeze well: once baked, portion them, put them in an airtight container or bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to eat, reheat them in a low temperature oven or in an air fryer on low heat. A few minutes of gentle warming brings back that fresh baked softness.

How to keep apple pie cinnamon rolls

Do these rolls need frosting? Here is my honest answer: no. The extra apple pie filling serves that role perfectly, spooned over the warm rolls like a glossy apple topping. It keeps the focus on the caramelized apples and the soft dough.

That said, if you love frosting (and who could blame you), spread some homemade cream cheese frosting for cinnamon rolls on each roll and place the extra apples on top. And because these rolls are a hybrid of bread and dessert, they can also be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Warm rolls, cold ice cream, pure happiness.

Frosting vs. ice cream

Here is the full recipe in one place so you can bake along.

Ingredients

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 (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

Instructions

Make the dough:

1. Mix the lukewarm milk, egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, make a hole in the center, and add the wet ingredients to the center.
3. Mix everything until you have a uniform dough. It will be really sticky, and that is exactly right. Stickiness means gooey rolls instead of bready, hard ones.
4. Cover the dough with cling film and let it proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. If the room is cold, place it in the oven with the light on and no temperature setting.

Make the apple pie filling:

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into small cubes.
2. Cook the apples with the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan until the apples are soft and the sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Let the filling cool completely to room temperature, and reserve one quarter of it for topping the baked rolls.

Assemble and bake:

1. Dust flour on a clean surface and roll the dough, adding more flour underneath and on top as needed so it does not stick. Roll it into a 40×30 cm (12×16 inch) rectangle.
2. Spread the apple pie filling over the dough with a spatula.
3. Roll the dough from the long side, carefully at first so it is nice and tight, then push it along once you have the first two complete rolls.
4. Cut the rolls (about 3 fingers thick) and place them on a baking pan lined with baking paper, leaving a couple of fingers of space between them so they can rise.
5. Let them sit for 30 minutes in a warm environment, then bake at 180C/350F for 20 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown on top.

Overnight option: For baking the next morning, reduce the yeast to 1¾ tsp and proof the shaped rolls in the fridge for 12 hours (no more than 14 hours), then bake directly from the fridge. This is a lovely trick for Christmas morning.

And that is it! Soft, gooey, cinnamon spiced rolls with a real apple pie heart. Bake them once and I promise they will end up in your regular rotation.

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Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

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Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Easy Apple Filling Two beloved desserts just got married, and the wedding was delicious. These apple pie cinnamon rolls combine a soft, fluffy yeasted dough with a homemade brown sugar apple filling that is genuinely easy to make.

• 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.

Last Step:

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• Author: Sage Martinez
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Method: mixed