We’ve already posted the world’s best cinnamon rolls recipe! My goodness, they are perfection! Imagine those with an apple filling and caramel-y sticky sauce drizzling down the sides. Yes, you have reached the peak of the apple dessert mountain. The pinnacle of perfection. Get your buns in that kitchen and make these!
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We usually associate apple desserts with fall, as we should! It is when apple are harvested and the cheapest at the grocery store. I live for this season when I can get honeycrisp apples for a somewhat reasonable price. Why are they so dang heavenly?!
But you don’t have to wait for fall to make these apple cinnamon rolls! They are 100% appropriate any time of year! Christmas or Easter breakfast, baby shower, Mother’s Day, family reunion, or just a random Saturday…these apple sweet rolls are a sure hit!
What Ingredients Do You Need for Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
Don’t get overwhelmed with the size of this ingredients list! There are 4 different components to this recipe, and many of the ingredients are repeated between components so it’s not really as long as it looks. Here is what you will need:
Rolls
- Water
- Whole Milk – activates the yeast, we recommend whole milk
- Instant Yeast – I almost always use instant yeast. It just gives me the best results every time.
- Sugar – feeds the yeast and makes the dough more tender
- Salt – enhances the flavor and sweetness of the dough
- Egg – adds structure to the dough
- Canola Oil
- Butter
- Flour – all purpose flour works great
- Soy Lecithin – emulsifier
Sticky Sauce
- Brown Sugar – sweetness
- Butter – give the caramel its richness
- Corn Syrup – thickness
Apple Filling
- Brown Sugar – sweetness and flavor
- Apples – half honeycrisp and half granny smith
- Cinnamon – flavor
- Nutmeg – flavor
- Cloves – flavor
- Butter
Icing
- Powdered Sugar – sweetness
- Butter –
- Vanilla –
- Heavy Cream – allows you to choose your desired consistency
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls
You will start by making the dough, then while the dough is rising, you can make the other components. Here are the basic steps for the dough:
For the Dough
- Heat the milk and water in the microwave until warm.
- Add sugar and yeast and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to activate.
- In a standing mixer, add the rest of the sugar and the salt, oil, butter and egg and mix everything to combine.
- Add the yeast mixture and mix on low.
- With the mixer still on low, add the flour and soy lecithin.
- Once the flour is incorporated, turn the speed up to medium and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rise.
- While the rough is rising, make the sticky sauce, filling and icing (see section below).
Three Important Apple Rolls Components
Sticky Sauce
- Prepare your baking dish.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and then add in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Whisk thoroughly until it looks like caramel. Bring to a simmer.
- Spread the caramel all over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Apple Filling
- Peel, core and finely chop the apples. Place them in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, add the brown sugar, cornstarch and spices. Stir to combine.
- Pour half of the brown sugar/spice mixture on top of the apples and stir to coat the apples.
Icing
- Brown the butter. Allow it to cool.
- Once the butter is cool, combine it with the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix with a hand mixer until its smooth. Add cream as needed to reach the consistency you desire. Set aside until rolls are baked.
How to Assemble Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Now it is time to create the cinnamon rolls! This is my favorite part! They are so beautiful with that tight spiral and little chunks of apple sticking out. Here are the steps:
- Roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter all over it and sprinkle it with the brown sugar/spice mixture (the half without the apples).
- Then spread the coated apples evenly all over the dough.
- Starting on the long side of the dough, roll the dough into a tight spiral. Seal the dough at the seam by pinching it shut.
Slice the rolled up dough with unflavored floss 1-1 1/2 inches thick. Place the rolls on top of the sticky sauce in the baking dish.
Allow the cinnamon rolls to rest and rise.
- While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven.
- Bake until the tops start to get golden. You don’t want to over bake them! Cover with foil if they start to brown too much.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the rolls to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes.
- Give the icing a stir and add to the rolls while they are still warm.
- Serve while warm with extra sticky sauce!
All these instructions in full detail can be found in the recipe card below.
Other Options
If you want to add more to the filling, feel free to add in a couple of handfuls of these:
- Raisins
- Pecans
- Walnuts
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This probably doesn’t even need to be discussed, but just in case you need to see the reasons listed out, here you go…
- Combines two of your favorite desserts into one…cinnamon rolls and apple pie
- Can be enjoyed for breakfast or dessert
- That browned butter icing is a dream
- The sticky caramel sauce takes the gooey-ness factor over the top! Just like our pecan sticky buns!
- Fluffy homemade bread dough is tender, with golden crunchy edges and chewy in the middle
Can this Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Be Made Ahead?
You can make these apple rolls ahead of time by baking them completely, allowing them to cool and then wrapping them without the icing in plastic wrap and then foil. When you’re ready to eat them, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat at 375° for 15 minutes. Make the icing while they are warming up and add to the warm rolls.
What is Soy Lecithin?
Soy lecithin acts as an emulsifier so your bread will turn out softer and hold together well. I use it in everyone cinnamon rolls recipe! It really takes the rolls to the next level, but you can skip it if you don’t have any. You can keep it in the pantry and it has a shelf life of up to 2 years (even longer if you keep it in the fridge).
Cinnamon rolls are all about those golden edges and the warm gooey centers! Add in chunks of tart apple, a sticky caramel sauce and some browned butter icing and you have an apple cinnamon rolls recipe worth throwing an elbow for!
More Easy Apple Desserts:
- Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Apple Brown Betty
- Easy Apple Dumplings with Sprite
- Apple Pie Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
- Mini Dutch Apple Cheesecakes
- Apple Pie Bombs al la Mode
- Caramel Apple Sweet Rolls
- Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread
- Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce
- Best Apple Crisp
- Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
- Apple Pie Fried Ice Cream
Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rolls
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5 from 2 votes
Servings: 12 rolls
Prep Time: 3 hours hrs
Additional Time: 25 minutes mins
Total Time: 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/2 Cup Warm Water
- 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 Cup Sugar , plus 1 teaspoon
- 21/4 Teaspoons Instant Yeast
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 3/4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 2 3/4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 1 Large Egg
- 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 Dime Sized Soy Lecithin , optional
Sticky Sauce
- 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Butter, melted
- 1/4 Cup Light Karo Syrup
Filling:
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed, plus 1 Tablespoon
- 1/4 Cup White Sugar
- 1 3/4 Cups Granny or Honeycrisp Apples, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/8 Teaspoon Cloves
- 6 Tablespoons Butter, softened
Icing
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 1 to 1½ Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
Instructions
For the Dough
Heat milk and water in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm.
Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar and all the yeast and stir to combine. Allow to foam for 5 minutes.
In a standing mixer, add the remaining sugar, salt, oil, butter and egg, stirring to combine. Add the yeast mixture and mix on low.
On low speed, slowly add the flour and soy lecithin.
When it's incorporated, beat turn up to medium speed until a soft dough forms, about 2 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover loosely with plastic or a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2-2 hours.
While dough is rising, make the sticky sauce.
For the Sticky Sauce
In a saucepan, begin to melt the butter and then mix in brown sugar and the corn syrup. Whisk thoroughly until all the butter is mixed in and it looks like caramel.
Bring to a simmer for about 30 seconds. Spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick spray. Spread the mixture in the pan bottom.Set aside.
For the Filling
In a bowl, prepare the filling. Add brown sugar, cornstarch and spices, stirring to combine.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12x18” rectangle. Spread the softened butter all over. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the the cinnamon filling. Toss the remaining filling with the apples and spread it all over the dough. Roll, starting on the long side and pinch the dough shut at the seams.
Slice using unflavored floss by sliding it under the rolls, pulling each end up and crossing to slice through. Arrange in a pan over the sticky sauce. Allow to rest until doubled, about 45 minutes to 2 hours if the house is cool
Once the rolls have risen...
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 minutes, watching the tops because as soon as they are golden the rolls are done and you DO NOT want to over bake.
Begin the Icing
Place the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to turn nutty in color with browned bits on the bottom. Pour off into a bowl to cool and go back to the rolls.
Cover rolls with aluminum foil in the oven if they begin to brown too much.
Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and meanwhile finish the icing.
Finishing the Icing
Once the butter is cool, using a hand mixer, add the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla to a bowl and beat to combine. Add cream as needed.
Pour and spread glaze over warm cinnamon rolls immediately! Serve with any extra sticky sauce.
Notes
Make ahead: baked cinnamon rolls (without the glaze) can be stored in the freezer for 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until warm. Spread glaze on top and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1rollCalories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 394mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 2gSugar: 66gVitamin A: 697IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: Yeast Bread Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes
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