Up your breakfast game with these fabulous Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling. The perfect home baked treat for any morning.
There really is nothing better than a warm cinnamon roll in the morning, homemade cinnamon rolls are always better than store bought. With the weather getting cooler and fall in full force it occurred to me how amazing it would be to add fall flavors to these breakfast treats.
Here is my Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Pie Filling, these delectable buns are stuffed full of apple flavor then topped off with the most amazing caramel glaze. This will be your new favorite breakfast bun, guaranteed!
If you love these breakfast rolls why not try my Homemade Cinnamon Rolls or Classic Sticky Buns.
Why This Recipe Works
- The easy method for this recipe is perfect for making ahead, a no brainer when baking for breakfast.
- Using a mixture of brown and white sugar in the filling cuts the sweetness and adds a rich caramel taste.
- The combination of apples and a caramel glaze gives these cinnamon rolls a fall flavor profile that can’t be beat!
How To Make Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Pie Filling
- Make the dough
- Roll the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Sprinkle chopped apples on top.
- Roll the dough and cut into rounds.
- Bake in the oven.
- Make the caramel glaze, drizzle over baked buns.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter for this recipe, if you like the idea of salted butter, but don’t have any, simply add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dough.
- Flour: All purpose flour is used in this recipe, cake flour would change the consistency and is not recommended.
- Yeast: Always make sure your yeast is fresh and in date, old yeast won’t work as well and your dough may not rise.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar, but superfine/caster sugar works just as well. Brown sugar is essential for the filling as it adds a caramel element that works perfectly with the cinnamon.
- Eggs: Your eggs should be room temperature, if they are from the fridge leave them out for an hour before making this recipe.
- Milk: Full fat milk is best for cinnamon rolls, however half fat should work just as well.
- Apples:I use golden delicious apples, but you can use any apples you like such as Honeycrisp, or Fuji. For a more tart flavor, Granny Smith Apples are best.
Step By Step Instructions
Dissolve yeast in warm milk.
Mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.
Add flour and form a dough.
Knead the dough, allow to rise and roll.
Tips For Using A Mixer
- Attach the dough hook and add the 2 cups of flour to the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low for 5 minutes. Then check the consistency and add more flour if necessary (the dough should feel soft and moist, not sticky).
- Knead on low for five more minutes or until it cleans the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for another 30 seconds.
Roll the dough into a rectangle.
Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon onto the dough.
Place the chopped apple over the cinnamon sugar coated dough.
Roll and slice into rounds.
Bake and drizzle with caramel glaze for more information on making it see my post for Caramel Icing Glaze.
Serve and enjoy
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions ❄
To make ahead: Prepare the buns as directed. Then after cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover the pan and put it in the fridge for up to 12 hours (instead of letting them rise a second time).
When ready to use, take the buns from the fridge and place them in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. By the time the oven gets to baking temperature, the buns will have their second rise.
To Store: Keep these buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
To freeze: these cinnamon buns, do so without the glaze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven to serve.
Tips & Variations
- To use Quick Rise Yeast, just skip adding the yeast to the warm milk and add the yeast directly to the bowl instead.
- Use warm milk ,not hot (it should be about 110°F/43°C). If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate.
- Be sure to use a room temperature egg: Using cold eggs in yeast dough could affect the yeast activating.
- Flour your kneading and rolling surface as well as the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Sprinkle the finished rolls with chopped nuts.
- Add raisins to the apple for extra flavor.
- If you don’t want to cover these buns in caramel glaze why not try a cream cheese glaze instead?
FAQs
There is no need to pre cook the apple in this cinnamon bun with apple pie filling recipe.
There really isn’t a difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns, some believe it’s whether they’re frosted or glazed. They still taste good whatever they’re called, don’t they?
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1¼ cups hot milk about 110°F/43°C
- 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 oz butter ¼ cup/4 tablespoons/½ stick, melted
- 3 to 4 cups all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 1.5 oz melted butter plus more for pan (3 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups chopped apples about 2 medium apples, peeled or unpeeled
For the glaze:
- 6 oz butter 1½ sticks/¾ cup/12 Tbsp
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in a ¼ cup of the hot milk and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.
- Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in more flour as needed until dough is formed but still a bit sticky (this isn’t as easy to work with, but makes a lovely soft bun)
- Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 hours.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 12 inch round or 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
- When doubled in size, punch down dough.
- Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.
- Spread the melted butter all over the dough.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough then top evenly with chopped apples.
- Beginning at the 15-inch side, roll up the dough and pinch the edge together to seal. Cut into 12 slices.
- Place the buns into a 13×9 pan about 2 inches apart. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place to rise until dough is doubled (about 45 minutes to an hour).
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20 – 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. About halfway through, you may want to cover the rolls loosely with aluminum foil so the tops don’t brown too much.
- Meanwhile make the glaze so it cools enough to use when the buns are ready to eat.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute (be sure the butter and sugar are completely combined and you can’t see any separated butter in the mixture). Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the milk and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool. The longer it cools, the thicker it becomes. When it’s at your desired consistency, drizzle over the cooled buns and serve.
Tips + Notes
- To use Quick Rise Yeast, just skip adding the yeast to the warm milk and add the yeast directly to the bowl instead.
- Use warm milk not hot (it should be about 110°F/43°C). If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate.
- Be sure to use a room temperature egg: Using cold eggs in yeast dough could affect the yeast activating.
- Flour your kneading and rolling surface as well as the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Sprinkle the finished rolls with chopped nuts.
- Add raisins with the apple for extra flavor.
- If you don’t want to cover these buns in caramel glaze why not try a cream cheese glaze instead?
Anna Halton says
I made these over the weekend. The bread dough is amazing! Not too sweet and perfectly fluffy. It was also easy to make and the filling was to die for!
Erren Hart says
So great to hear and thank you for taking the time to comment! 🙂
Penny says
I made these for brunch on Sunday. They were outrageous! Everyone raved about them!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Penny, so glad they were such a hit! 🙂
Sara says
Literally heavenly!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Sara 🙂