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Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apple cinnamon rolls made with a yeasted dough, filled with caramelized apple bites, and baked until golden with a tangy cream cheese glaze. Each roll is tightly swirled for a soft, pillowy center and sticky cinnamon-sugar edges.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
rising 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 0.75 cup warm milk 110F
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
For the apple filling
  • 3 apples medium, peeled and finely diced
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For cream cheese glaze
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Combine warm milk and active dry yeast in a bowl, then let sit 5 minutes until foamy with visible bubbles on top.
  2. Mix granulated sugar, melted unsalted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract into the yeast mixture, then add all-purpose flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, then place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
Cook the apple filling
  1. In a skillet, cook finely diced apples with unsalted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for 5-7 minutes until softened and caramelized.
  2. Cool the caramelized apple filling completely before assembling the rolls.
Assemble and rise
  1. Roll the risen dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle, then spread the apple filling evenly over the surface.
  2. Roll tightly from the long side, then cut into 12 equal rolls with even spacing.
  3. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13 baking dish, cover, and let rise 45 minutes until puffy.
Bake and glaze
  1. Bake at 375F for 22-25 minutes until the rolls are golden.
  2. Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the warm rolls so the glaze melts slightly into the swirls.

Notes

For best swirls, cool the apple filling completely so it doesn’t soften the dough before baking. After baking, store airtight in the fridge up to 4 days and reheat briefly in the microwave. Freeze baked rolls (glaze after thawing for best texture) up to 2 months. If you want a lighter option, use half the butter in the dough and replace with neutral oil by weight, keeping the dough texture otherwise similar.