You thought you had to pick between apple pie or cinnamon rolls for dessert? How happily wrong you were! These two favourites become one in these delicious Apple Cinnamon Rolls…and as if that isn’t mouthwatering enough already, it’s topped off by a yummy cream cheese drizzle.
My mom is always asking me to make cinnamon rolls, and I thought it was time to spice it up a bit – and so the Apple Cinnamon Roll was born!
These light, fluffy rolls do require yeast and rising time, but it’s well worth the effort. Don’t be scared off by the prospect of kneading, it really is quite simple. If you really, really can simply not stand that idea, there is also an option to use a stand mixer. Seriously though- it’s not that hard, and once you’ve tasted the beautifully airy result you’ll understand the fuss.
Making the Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Now that we’ve got all that out the way, I’ll give you a quick run through on how to make these gorgeous Apple Cinnamon Rolls.
You’ll start out by making the Cinnamon Roll dough. For this you’ll need milk that is about the temperature of semi-warm bathwater. It’s very important that it’s not too hot, or you’ll kill the yeast; but you also don’t want it too cold, because then it’ll take really long for the yeast to get into digesting mode – getting that dough nice and airy. This ‘Goldilocks temperature’ is anywhere around 40°C.
Stir the milk, yeast and sugar together in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. I like to let this mixture sit for a minute or two, just to activate the yeast. Now add in the eggs and butter and stir. Ideally, they should both be at room temperature to provide the best possible environment for the yeast (it won’t rise to the occasion if it feels chilly!).
Lastly, sift in the bread flour and add in the salt (you don’t need to use salt if your butter is salted). Using a large spoon, mix everything together until combined. You’ll have a very rough dough…which is not how you want it. Kneading time!
If you have never kneaded before, you ‘knead’ to learn! YouTube is your friend for this. Here’s a very useful video that shows you how to knead, step by step. In effect, you’re just grabbing the side furthest away from you, folding it over itself, then pressing it down with your hands. After each repetition turn the dough 90°.
Otherwise, it is also entirely possible to knead using a stand mixer, but it won’t yield the best results. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be slightly sticky, but if it’s too sticky to handle, you can add a smidgen more flour.
Pop that stunning dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl (so it doesn’t stick), cover it with a kitchen towel, place it in a warm place, and let that yeast do it’s thing. This rising stage will probably take about 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, really just depending on how warm it is. It’s ready once the dough has doubled in size (mine almost tripled in size, amazingly!) and giving it a little poke leaves an indent.
Whilst you wait for your dough to grow you can start on the filling. I cooked the apples first to soften them and give them a bit more taste. To do this place peeled, cored and sliced apples into a small pot over medium heat along with some water and lemon juice. Let that cook for two minutes before sprinkling over the sugar and giving it a quick stir.
Cover with a lid and stir that every minute or so for about 15 minutes, or until the apples are soft and have no more of a rubber-like texture to them. Take the pot off the heat and allow those to cool.
Once your dough has at least doubled in size, punch it to deflate it. I know, really quite sad, but that trapped air will be back soon enough! Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Roll it into a large rectangle with a rolling pin, about 5mm thick.
Rub the softened butter into the dough, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges, so each bite is tasty and delicious.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle over the buttered dough. You might need to get some hand action in there to ensure that the cinnamon sugar mixture is evenly distributed and well rubbed in. Lastly, spread the cooled apple slices evenly over the dough.
Now begin rolling up the dough, starting on the longest edge and using your hands to push it into a log shape.
Using a sharp knife, cut across the log, dividing it up into 8-10 pieces. You can divide it into more or less depending on how big you want your rolls to be. The thinner your log is, the more you will also be able to make, although they’ll obviously be smaller.
Place the apple cinnamon rolls cut sides facing up into a greased dish or tray, cover with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 20-30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C. In this stage don’t worry if they don’t get very big, the real magic will happen in the oven.
Sprinkle with chopped almonds if that’s to your taste, then place the rolls in the second-to-bottom oven tray for about 20 minutes. If you can, have a look on the sides or bottom before taking them out. They should be a light brown colour. When properly cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese drizzle. Stir the cream cheese vigorously by itself in a bowl until smooth. Spoon in the icing sugar and mix well. Lastly, stir in the milk and mix until well combined.
Drizzle the cream cheese icing over the cooled buns and enjoy!
Once the buns are cool, store them in an airtight container so that they don’t go stale. They’re definitely best fresh, but can also be had the next day. I wouldn’t keep them much longer as they go stale and won’t taste nearly as good.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Drizzle
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...These apple cinnamon rolls are apple pie and airy cinnamon rolls - all in one glorious bite! They require kneading for their light airiness, but they are quite easy to make.
Ingredients
- Dough
- ¾ cup warm whole milk (around 40°C)
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (10g sachet)
- 3 T brown sugar
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 3 cups bread flour, and extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt (leave out if using salted butter)
- ¼ chopped almonds to top (optional)
- Apple Filling
- 400g apples - 300g once peeled and cored (about 4 small apples)
- 2 tsp water
- 1T lemon juice
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- Cinnamon Filling
- 2T softened butter
- 1T ground cinnamon
- 2T brown sugar
- Cream Cheese Icing
- 2T cream cheese
- 2T icing sugar
- 1 ½ T milk
Instructions
Dough
Stir together warm milk*, instant yeast and brown sugar in a large bowl and let it sit for a minute or two.
Stir in eggs and melted butter, then sift in bread flour and add in salt if using.
Stir well using a large spoon. You should have a rough dough.
Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes on a floured surface, or alternatively use a stand mixer. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (see image above).
Place the ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on how warm it is.
Apple Filling
In the meantime, prepare your filling. Slice the peeled and chopped apples thinly, then add to a small pot over medium heat along with water and lemon juice.
Allow to cook for 2 minutes before sprinkling sugar over and stirring. Cover and let simmer, stirring every minute or so.
After about 10 minutes they should start to soften up. They are done when they are soft and not at all rubbery, about 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat.
Assembling and Baking
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and punch to deflate. Roll dough in a large rectangle using a rolling pin, about 5mm thick.
Rub softened butter into the dough, making sure to reach the edges. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle over. Use your hands to ensure that it is well rubbed in.
Spread the apples evenly over the dough. Begin rolling up the dough, starting on the longest side and using your hands to push it into a log shape.
Using a sharp knife, cut across the log, dividing it up into 8-10 pieces (depending on how big you want your cinnamon buns).
Place into a greased dish or tray, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 20-30 minutes** while you preheat the oven to 180°C.
Sprinkle with chopped almonds if using then place the rolls in the second-to-bottom oven tray for about 20 minutes. If you can, have a look on the sides or bottom. They should be a light brown colour.*** Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese drizzle. Stir the cream cheese vigorously by itself in a bowl until smooth. Spoon in the icing sugar and mix well. Lastly, stir in the milk and mix until well combined.
Drizzle the cream cheese icing over the cooled buns and enjoy!
Storage
Keep in an airtight container once cooled. These are best enjoyed on the day of baking, or the following day. Any longer and they’ll get stale, and won’t be nearly as good.
Notes
*It’s important that your milk is not too hot, or you’ll kill the yeast. Think warmish bathwater sort of temperature. **They don’t have to rise a whole lot during the second rising stage, the real magic will happen in the oven. ***I really do recommend checking underneath, as it gives you a good indication as to whether they are properly cooked. If they are still white, or very light brown they’ll need more time. Trust me, raw-ish cinnamon rolls are not recommended!
