Apple season means more to me than pumpkin spice season. There I said it. These Apple Cinnamon Rolls might even make you a convert. Not only is the bread dough filled with warm spices, but it also has a healthy dose of apple butter baked right in. Thinly sliced crisp apples get enveloped in a cinnamon-sugar filling before the whole ensemble is drizzled in a sweet apple butter cream cheese glaze.
Pumpkin really can’t touch these. Let me show you how to make them.
What are Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
Apple cinnamon rolls are enriched bread dough that is flavored with the warm spices of fall. Think cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In addition to these warm spices, I fold in a healthy dose of thick apple butter. Unlike the rolls you may be used to, I’m folding fresh apples into their center along with a brown sugar and cinnamon schmear.
After allowing the rolls to rise, they are baked until bubbly and golden brown. The final touch is a healthy slathering of sweet and tangy apple butter glaze with a cream cheese base.
What’s the difference between Apple Cinnamon Rolls and regular cinnamon rolls?
Apple cinnamon rolls and regular cinnamon rolls are prepared using the same dough techniques, but the difference between the two is pretty massive.
Basic cinnamon rolls are made with plain dough, whereas these apple cinnamon rolls are flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and apple butter. Apple cinnamon rolls also have those same spices mixed into the cinnamon-sugar schmear, whereas regular cinnamon rolls only incorporate cinnamon. Because I’m so extra all the time, I decided to fold thinly sliced honey crisp apples (my favorite) into the center of these rolls.
I think all cinnamon rolls are best served under a cream cheese glaze, so I’m sticking with that theme, but I’m adding a unique twist in the form of more apple butter. So, basically, the difference between apple cinnamon rolls and regular cinnamon rolls is nearly everything. Basic cinnamon rolls have empty, hollow souls. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic.
Just consider these rolls the fall favorite of cinnamon rolls.
What do I need to make Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
The ingredients to make apple cinnamon rolls are unsalted butter, whole milk, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, a large egg, active dry yeast, sugar, and apple butter.
You can use this Apple Butter recipe, or use your favorite store-bought, jarred apple butter.
We’ll go through the ingredients needed for the filling and glaze later on.
What is the difference between Apple Butter and applesauce?
Apple butter is more concentrated than applesauce. Apple butter cooks down to remove most of the water from the apples. This cooking process fortifies the apple flavor and thickens the texture of the apple butter.
I recommend using apple butter instead of applesauce in this recipe because of how thick it is. If you can’t get apple butter, and you can’t make it, you can simmer jarred or homemade applesauce in a saucepan over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes. This will help thicken it to the consistency of apple butter.
Using applesauce for this recipe may change the consistency of the dough and the consistency of the apple butter glaze, which we’ll get to later on in the recipe.
Can I use instant yeast for this recipe?
The yeast in this recipe is an active dry yeast. Active dry yeast requires a short period of hydrating to “wake it up,” so to speak. Hence the name “active dry” yeast. Once you add the yeast to warm liquid, like the milk in this recipe, the yeast, which has been dormant in the jar, awakens and starts to do its thing.
Instant yeast is not the same as active dry yeast. Instead of adding it to warm milk, you can add instant yeast directly to the flour in this recipe. So, yes, you can use instant yeast, but you do not need to warm it or bloom it in the milk as you would active dry yeast. Just add it to the mixing bowl with the first quantity of flour.
How do I prepare the yeast for the dough?
If you are using active dry yeast, add it and a pinch of granulated sugar to milk warmed to 110°F (43°C).
Stir the yeast and sugar into that warm milk and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Within this time, the yeast will bubble and foam and emit a smell that’s something between baked bread and beer.
If, after 5 minutes, the yeast hasn’t moved or foamed up in the container, the yeast is probably dead. You need to dump this mixture and begin again with new yeast.
While you wait for the yeast to bloom, combine the flour, spices, and salt together in a mixing bowl.
How long do I mix the Apple Cinnamon dough?
Once the yeast begins to foam in the container, you can prepare the apple cinnamon dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the unsalted butter and sugar on medium-high speed or until the mixture is fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Once the sugar and butter mixture takes on a lemon-yellow color, add the egg and ¾ cup of apple butter to the bowl. Blend them into the sugar and butter mixture for two minutes at medium speed. The mixture will look curdled because the higher percentage of water in the apple butter does not want to mix with the fat in the butter and egg. This is normal. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl.
How do I know the dough is mixed properly?
Once the mixture looks slightly curdled, begin adding the flour mixture you combined earlier. Add this mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer, two cups at a time. Once the mixture becomes thick like cookie dough– usually after the fourth cup of flour has been added – switch to the dough hook attachment to finish kneading the dough.
At this point, the dough is firm but supple. If a lot of dough is sticking to the bottom of the bowl, add more flour, a 1/2 cup at a time. This will help to thicken the dough to the proper consistency. The dough should wrap itself around the dough hook, and no dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add additional flour as needed, and only 1/2 cup at a time until it forms the proper consistency. Avoid making the dough too stiff. It’s better to have a soft dough than one that is too hard.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes at second speed.
How long does the dough have to rise?
After 10 minutes of kneading, remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Take the dough out of the bowl and lightly grease the bowl with a neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or even melted unsalted butter. Return the ball of dough to the bowl and flip it, so its surface is lightly greased. This will keep the top of the dough from drying out as it rises.
Cover the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel, tea towel, or plastic wrap, and set the bowl in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen. I usually stick my mixing bowl in a microwave or in an oven that’s turned off.
Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume, in this warm environment.
What do I need to make the Apple Cinnamon Roll filling?
Now is a good time to prepare the apple cinnamon roll filling. To make this filling, you need unsalted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger. You also need one or two honey crisp apples.
If you have small apples as I did, you will need two. If your apples are really big, you only need one.
How do I make the Cinnamon-Sugar Schmear?
To a mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and spices. Use an electric hand mixer to blend these ingredients together at low speed.
Once the ingredients are combined, stop the mixer and scrape down both the bowl and the beater. Next, increase the mixing speed to medium-high. Whip the butter-sugar mixture for two to three minutes or until the mixture looks light and airy and is a nutty brown color.
Scrape the bowl down once more and set this schmear to the side while the dough finishes rising.
Can I make this filling ahead?
If you want to get a head start on this recipe, you can whip the cinnamon sugar schmear two to three days ahead. Prepare it as instructed, then transfer the schmear to a covered container and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Remove the schmear from the refrigerator when you begin proofing the apple cinnamon roll dough. This will give the schmear time to warm and soften so that it is easily spreadable when you’re ready to fill the dough.
Do I have to use Honey Crisp apples, or can I use my favorite variety?
I like to use Honeycrisp apples in this recipe because they have a sweet-tart flavor. If you have a preferred type of apple, feel free to replace the Honeycrisp with it. Avoid using mealy apples like Red or Golden Delicious. These tend to break down too much during baking. I would also avoid super tart apples like Granny Smiths.
You want to use an apple with firm flesh, is not too sweet but not too tart either. Gala, Fuji, Jazz, Opal, or Sweetie apples work best in this recipe.
Cut off the rounded top and bottom with a sharp chef’s knife to prepare the apples for slicing. Next, use an apple corer to remove the center of the apple. If you don’t have an apple corer, you can cut the apples into quarters and use a paring knife to carve out the core. Don’t forget to remove the dried areas where the stalk and calyx of the apple are.
How thin should I slice the apples?
Because the apples are rolled in a soft dough, make sure that you don’t cut them too thick, or they will puncture the dough. If you have a mandolin, that is probably the easiest way to thinly slice your apples. Though I have a mandolin, I prefer to hand-cut the apples with my chef’s knife. Mainly because I’m lazy and I don’t feel like doing the dishes. But also because I’ve had a few run-ins with my mandolin lately, so we’re on a break.
Cut the cored apples in half from top to bottom. Thinly slice the apples an eighth of an inch thick. You want the apples to be so thin that you can see through them. I leave the skin on the apple because it adds color contrast to the baked cinnamon roll. Plus, it’s too much effort to peel them.
Wait until just before you plan to roll out and fill the dough to slice the apples. This way, they won’t turn brown while you’re waiting for the dough to finish rising.
How do I fill the Apple Cinnamon Rolls dough?
Once the dough finishes rising, roll it into a rectangle that is roughly 18×15-inches in size. This doesn’t need to be exact, but you do want a fairly large rectangle. The dough needs to be less than a ¼-inch thick.
Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of the cinnamon schmear over the surface of the rectangle. Be sure to leave a one-inch margin along the far, long edge of the rectangle of dough. This is how we seal the log after we roll the dough.
Arrange the thinly sliced apples in rows on top of the cinnamon schmear. Overlap the apples ever-so-slightly as you form the rows. Begin a new row about ½-inch away from the previous row of apples. You may or may not use up all of the apple slices. Save any remaining apple slices to snack on later. Once the apples have been arranged on the schmear, press them slightly into it to help them stick better.
Beginning with the covered long edge of the rectangle, fold the dough over a ¼-inch to start your log. The apple slices may snap as you begin to roll. Continue rolling the dough into a log shape, pulling back slightly on the dough often to tighten the log. Once you get to the long uncovered edge of the dough, pinch it to the body of the log to seal it.
Position the log so that the seam is pressed between the body of the log and the countertop. This will seal the seam even better.
How long do the rolls need to rise before I can bake them?
Use a very sharp knife to cut the log of dough into 12 pieces of equal width.
Arrange the cut rolls in a large (15×10-inches) baking dish that’s been lightly greased with baking spray, spacing them ½-inch apart.
Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and put it in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen. Allow the rolls to rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until slightly puffy. The rolls will not double in size as the ball of dough did earlier.
Fifteen minutes before the end of the second rising time, preheat your oven to 350°F (177° C).
Can I freeze the raw Apple Cinnamon Rolls before I bake them?
You can freeze the apple cinnamon rolls after forming them. Arrange the cut rolls in a lightly greased freezer-safe dish. Wrap the dish well to prevent freezer burn and freeze the rolls for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to bake the rolls, you’ll need to thaw them in the refrigerator for 24 hours or until completely thawed. Once thawed, remove the rolls from the fridge and allow them to proof or rise a second time for 1-1 1/2 hours in a warm area.
Rolls that have been frozen before baking will not rise as high as freshly made rolls.
How long do I bake the Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown and bubbly. If you find that the rolls are browning too fast, rotate the pan or lightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
The fully baked apple cinnamon rolls should not look wet or doughy when you remove them from the oven.
Once the rolls are finished baking, remove them from the oven and cool in the pan slightly.
What ingredients do I need to make the Apple Butter Cream Cheese Glaze?
To make the Apple Butter Cream Cheese Glaze, you need ground cinnamon, cream cheese, apple butter, powdered sugar, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, and kosher salt. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and soft before beginning this glaze. Cream cheese that is still cold will leave lumps in the glaze.
The apple cider vinegar may be a surprising ingredient, but it cuts through the glaze’s sweetness and brightens its flavor. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can replace it with lemon juice.
Add the room temperature cream cheese, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to a small mixing bowl.
Use a hand mixer at low speed to blend the cream cheese and spices together in the bowl until combined.
After these ingredients are combined, add the sifted powdered sugar to the bowl. Blend the sugar together with the cream cheese on low speed until combined. Once combined, increase the mixer’s speed to medium-high and beat the cream cheese and sugar until thick.
My glaze turned grainy after I added the apple butter. Is it okay?
Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater. Next, add the remaining apple butter to the bowl.
With the mixer at low speed, blend the apple butter into the cream cheese sugar mixture until smooth.
The water in and the texture of the apple butter might cause the glaze to appear slightly grainy. This is normal and will not affect the texture or taste of the apple butter glaze.
How far ahead can I make the Apple Butter Glaze?
The apple butter glaze can be prepared a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You need to remove the apple butter glaze from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before spreading it on the apple cinnamon rolls. This gives it time to warm up and soften, which makes spreading easier. Alternatively, you can warm the apple butter glaze slightly in a microwave for 20-30 seconds. Be sure to stir any glaze made ahead of time to smooth it out before using.
You can also freeze this apple butter glaze. Transfer the prepared glaze to a freezer storage bag and freeze the glaze for up to 2 months. You can thaw it in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use the glaze, though it probably will not have frozen solid. Be sure to stir the glaze thoroughly before using it.
How long do I cool the rolls before glazing them?
After the apple cinnamon rolls are baked, allow them to cool on the counter for 15 minutes before topping them with the apple butter glaze.
If you top the apple cinnamon rolls too soon, the glaze will be runny. That’s not a bad thing, but if you prefer a thicker glaze like I, wait at least 15 minutes before topping them.
Do I have to glaze these Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
You don’t have to top the apple cinnamon rolls with the apple butter glaze if you don’t want to. The cinnamon rolls taste amazing on their own.
You can also glaze them with one of these toppings if you prefer:
How do I serve them?
If you’re not sure about your diner’s glaze preferences, simply leave the rolls unglazed. Just transfer the apple butter glaze to a clean serving bowl and serve it alongside the baked apple cinnamon rolls. Your guests can drizzle (or not) to their liking.
If you know that your guests or family prefer glazed rolls, transfer the apple butter glaze to a piping bag and squeeze a drizzle over each apple cinnamon roll. Alternatively, you can use a rubber spatula or an offset spatula to spread the apple butter glaze over the surface of the panned apple cinnamon rolls.
This recipe makes enough glaze to top the rolls liberally. If you have less of a sweet tooth, you can top the apple cinnamon rolls with half of the glaze and freeze the rest glaze for another time.
My family eats these apple cinnamon rolls for breakfast with fresh fruit, yogurt, or crispy bacon. I always eat my roll while drinking a warm mug of coffee.
How long can I store Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
These rolls are safe to store at room temperature for 2 days. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil to protect the rolls from drying out.
You can also store them in a covered baking dish in the refrigerator for 3 days. However, I don’t recommend storing baked goods in the refrigerator because the cold air causes the rolls to stale faster.
Don’t glaze all of them if you feel iffy about storing the glazed apple cinnamon rolls at room temperature. Instead, glaze only the amount of apple cinnamon rolls you plan to consume, then wrap the remaining rolls to protect them against drying out. Store the rolls at room temperature and the apple butter glaze in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat the apple cinnamon rolls, you can top them with the glaze just before serving.
How do I reheat them?
Reheat leftover apple cinnamon rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds on high.
You can also reheat leftover rolls in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (149°C) on the toaster oven setting. Add the apple cinnamon rolls to the rack and heat them until warmed through. This usually takes a minute or less. It’s best to use the air fryer only if you have un-glazed rolls.
Can I freeze baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
Yes, you can freeze the baked apple cinnamon rolls. In fact, I prefer to freeze the baked rolls more than freeze the raw rolls.
Wrap the rolls in a freezer-safe dish or transfer them to a gallon-size freezer storage bag and freeze the rolls glazed or unglazed for up to two months.
Thaw the frozen rolls at room temperature before reheating slightly in the microwave just before serving.
This is my delicious introduction to the apple and fall season. After one taste, I’m sure you will agree that this rivals even the best pumpkin recipes.
Be sure to pin this Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Butter Glaze recipe to your breakfast boards, and whip up a batch to celebrate autumn’s arrival. Don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Butter Glaze
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- rolling pin
- stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Apple Cinnamon Dough
- 1 cup (250 milliliters) whole milk warmed to 110°F (43°C)
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) active dry yeast
- pinch sugar
- 5 1/2-6 cups (720-780 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (2 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (210 grams) apple butter at room temperature
For the Apple Cinnamon Filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup, packed (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground nutmeg
- 2 small Honeycrisp apples
For the Apple Butter Cream Cheese Glaze
- 8 ounces (1 package or 226 grams) cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch kosher salt optional
- 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup (70 grams) apple butter
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Bloom the Yeast
- Add the active dry yeast and the pinch of granulated sugar to the warm milk in a measuring glass or bowl. Stir the yeast and sugar into the milk and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Within this time, the yeast will bubble and foam and emit a smell that's something between baked bread and beer.
- If, after 5 minutes, the yeast hasn't foamed up in the container, the yeast is probably dead. You need to dump this mixture and begin again with new yeast.While you wait for the yeast to bloom, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl. Set this bowl aside.
Mix the Apple Cinnamon Bread Dough After the Yeast has Bloomed
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the unsalted butter and sugar on medium-high speed or until the mixture is fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Once the sugar and butter mixture takes on a lemon-yellow color, add the egg and apple butter to the bowl. Blend them into the sugar and butter mixture for 2 minutes at medium speed, then add the yeast mixture. Blend on low for another minute.
- Once the mixture looks slightly curdled, begin adding the flour mixture to the bowl, two cups at a time. After adding the fourth cup of the flour the mixture, the dough will resemble a thick cookie dough. Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook, after scraping the paddle attachment and bowl down.
- Continue mixing the dough on second speed, and add the remaining flour until a firm, but supple dough forms. If a lot of dough is sticking to the bottom of the bowl, add more flour, a 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should wrap itself around the dough hook, and no dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add additional flour as needed, and only 1/2 cup at a time until it forms the proper consistency. Avoid making the dough too stiff. It's better to have a soft dough than one that is too hard. Once all the flour is added, knead the dough for 10 minutes at second speed.
Allow the Dough to Rise for 1 Hour
- After 10 minutes of kneading, remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly grease the bowl with vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter. Return the ball of dough to the bowl and flip it, so its surface is lightly greased. This will keep the top of the dough from drying out as it rises.
- Cover the mixing bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
Prepare the Cinnamon Schmear and Slice the Apples
- Add the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to a mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to blend these ingredients together at low speed.
- Once the ingredients are combined, stop the mixer and scrape down both the bowl and the beater. Next, increase the mixing speed to medium-high to whip the butter-sugar mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture looks light and airy and is a nutty brown color.Scrape the bowl down once more and set this schmear to the side while the dough finishes rising.
- Fifteen minutes before the dough finishes its first rise, cut off the rounded top and bottom of the apple with a sharp chef's knife. Use an apple corer to remove the center of the apple, then cut the cored apples in half from top to bottom and thinly slice the apples 1/8-inch thick.
- Lightly grease a 15x10-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
Roll Out, then Form the Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Once the dough finishes rising, roll it into a rectangle that is roughly 18x15-inches in size. The dough needs to be less than a ¼-inch thick.Use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of the cinnamon schmear over the surface of the rectangle leaving a 1-inch margin along the far, long edge of the rectangle of dough.
- Arrange the thinly sliced apples in rows on top of the cinnamon schmear. Overlap the apples slightly as you form the rows. Begin a new row about ½-inch away from the previous row of apples. Once the apples have been arranged on the schmear, press them slightly into it to help them stick better.
- Beginning with the covered long edge of the rectangle, fold the dough over a ¼-inch to start your log. Continue rolling the dough into a log shape, pulling back slightly on the dough often to tighten the log. Once you get to the long uncovered edge of the dough, pinch it to the body of the log to seal it.Position the log so that the seam is pressed between the body of the log and the countertop.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut the log of dough into 12 pieces of equal width.Arrange the cut rolls in the prepared baking dish spacing them ½-inch apart.
Give the Rolls a Second Rise
- Cover the baking dish with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and put it in a warm, draft-free area of your kitchen. Allow the rolls to rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until slightly puffy. The rolls will not double in size as the ball of dough did earlier.
Bake the Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Fifteen minutes before the end of the second rising time, preheat your oven to 350°F (177° C).Uncover, then bake the cinnamon rolls for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown and bubbly. If you find that the rolls are browning too fast, rotate the pan or lightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. The fully baked apple cinnamon rolls should not look wet or doughy when you remove them from the oven.Once the rolls are finished baking, remove them from the oven and cool in the pan slightly.
Make the Apple Butter Glaze
- Add the cream cheese, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to a small mixing bowl.Use a hand mixer at low speed to blend the cream cheese and spices together in the bowl until combined.
- After the ingredients are combined, add the powdered sugar to the bowl. Blend the sugar together with the cream cheese on low speed until combined. Once combined, increase the mixer’s speed to medium-high and beat the cream cheese and sugar until thick.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater. Next, add the apple butter to the bowl.With the mixer at low speed, blend the apple butter into the cream cheese sugar mixture until smooth. If the glaze is too runny, chill it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to thicken the cream cheese up a bit.The water in and the texture of the apple butter might cause the glaze to appear slightly grainy. This is normal and will not affect the texture or taste of the apple butter glaze.
Cool, then Glaze the Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- After the apple cinnamon rolls are baked, allow them to cool on the counter for 15 minutes before topping them with the apple butter glaze.
- If you prefer a thin glaze, after 15 minutes use an offset spatula to spread the glaze over the apple cinnamon rolls. For a slightly thicker glaze, wait 20 minutes or until the rolls are completely cool before spreading the glaze over them.
- Enjoy the baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls within 2 days.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- If you can't get or make apple butter, simmer jarred or homemade applesauce in a saucepan over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes. This will help thicken it to the consistency of apple butter.
- You replace the active dry yeast in this recipe with instant yeast, but you do not need to warm it or bloom it in the milk. Just add it to the mixing bowl with the first quantity of flour.
- If you don't have an apple corer, cut the apples into quarters and use a paring knife to carve out the core. Don't forget to remove the dried areas where the stalk and calyx of the apple are.
- If you don't want to top the rolls with the Apple Butter Glaze, try these recipes instead:
Make Ahead Instructions:
-
For the Cinnamon Schmear:
- Prepare the cinnamon sugar schmear 2-3 days ahead.
- Transfer the schmear to a covered container and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- Remove the schmear from the refrigerator when you begin proofing the apple cinnamon roll dough to give it time to warm and soften. This makes spreading easier.
- To Freeze Unbaked Rolls:
- Arrange the cut rolls in a lightly greased freezer-safe dish.
- Wrap the dish well to prevent freezer burn and freeze the rolls for up to 2 months.
- When you're ready to bake the rolls, thaw them in the refrigerator for 24 hours or until completely thawed.
- Once thawed, remove the rolls from the fridge and allow them to proof or rise a second time for 1-1 1/2 hours in a warm area. Rolls that have been frozen before baking will not rise as high as freshly made rolls.
- Make Ahead Apple Butter Glaze:
- The apple butter glaze can be prepared a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Remove the apple butter glaze from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before spreading it on the apple cinnamon rolls to give it time to warm up and soften, which makes spreading easier. Alternatively, you can warm the apple butter glaze slightly in a microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Be sure to stir any glaze made ahead of time to smooth it out before using.
- To Freeze Apple Butter Glaze:
- Transfer the prepared glaze to a freezer storage bag.
- Freeze the glaze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw the apple butter glaze in the refrigerator when you're ready to use the glaze (it probably will not have frozen solid).
- Stir the glaze thoroughly before using it.
- To Freeze Baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls:
- Wrap the rolls in a freezer-safe dish or transfer them to a gallon-size freezer storage bag.
- Freeze the rolls glazed or unglazed for up to two months.
- Thaw the frozen rolls at room temperature before reheating slightly in the microwave just before serving.
Storage Instructions:
- Store the baked rolls at room temperature for 2 days. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil to protect the rolls from drying out.
- You can also store the apple cinnamon rolls in a covered baking dish in the refrigerator for 3 days. However, I don't recommend storing baked goods in the refrigerator because the cold air causes the rolls to stale faster.
- Reheat leftover apple cinnamon rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds on high.
- You can also reheat leftover rolls in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (149°C) on the toaster oven setting. Add the apple cinnamon rolls to the rack and heat them until warmed through or for 1 minute or less. It's best to use the air fryer only if you have un-glazed rolls.
The little bits of apple in every bite were so delightful. I also love changing it up from a cinnamon roll to something with more fall flavors. Apple is such a great idea, and it works wonderfully!
I loved the extra apple bites too, Mila. Thanks!
WOW those fresh apple slices really pushed cinnamon rolls to the next level. And the glaze left me speechless. Will definitely be making this again for my planned New Years Day brunch!
Your New Year’s brunch sounds awesome.
Your thorough directions always help me to make the best desserts!! I love being able to see how to do each step! My cinnamon rolls came out perfect and the glaze was my fav part!
Awesome Lilly. Thanks for stopping by.
I loved this recipe! The combination of spices make these the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made! I also love it that you went all the way and addressed so many issues in the post; all my questions were answered, thank you!
You’re welcome, Kate, Thanks for the feedback.
Apple butter brings back fond memories of my childhood – these rolls were exceptional!
Thank you, Robin!
I love anything apple, and apples added that fall comfy flavors to the cinnamon rolls which I enjoy most! I’m definitely making these again for my holiday brunches.
That is awesome, Dee. Thank you.