Table of Contents

1

Make the apple filling. The heart of these apple cinnamon rolls lies in their incredible spiced apple pie filling. This rich, flavorful concoction is cooked until it has a sticky, jam-like texture, with the perfect blend of apples, apple butter, and warm spices. This concentrated filling creates an irresistible core for each roll.

2

Make the tangzhong. The secret to an extra soft and pillowy cinnamon roll dough often comes from this simple flour-and-water paste. Just cook them together until the mixture thickens like mashed potatoes. This Japanese technique helps the dough retain more moisture, making your rolls incredibly tender and airy.

3

Mix the wet and dry ingredients and knead into a dough ball in a stand mixer bowl. Combine all your dry ingredients with the cooled tangzhong, milk, cream, egg, and vanilla. Knead until a rough dough forms, then gradually add the softened butter. While it might seem a little messy at first, just keep kneading. After a few minutes, you’ll have a beautifully smooth, elastic dough that’s soft to the touch.

4

Let the dough rest. After kneading, shape the dough into a smooth ball and return it to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax, making the dough much easier to roll out and work with in the next stages.

Pro Tip: Elevate Your Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter! If you’re seeking to deepen the flavor profile of your cinnamon rolls, I highly recommend exploring the magic of brown butter. The nutty, caramelized notes of browned butter add an unparalleled richness and complexity. My brown butter cinnamon rolls are a testament to this, offering an even cozier and more sophisticated flavor experience than the classic. It’s a small change that yields incredible results!

5

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. On a lightly floured surface, roll the rested dough into a generous 15×21-inch rectangle. Keep the long side closest to you; this orientation is key to making the filling and rolling process in the subsequent steps much simpler and more efficient, ensuring beautifully shaped rolls.

6

Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture. Generously spread the creamy cinnamon sugar filling across the entire rolled-out dough, going edge to edge. However, it’s important to leave a 1/2-inch strip along the top edge clean. This unfilled border is crucial for helping the dough seal properly when you roll it up, ensuring your filling stays perfectly tucked inside.

7

Spread the apples on top. Carefully spoon the delicious, cooled apple pie filling over the cinnamon sugar layer. Spread it out as evenly as possible with a spatula or the back of a spoon. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, but try to ensure a little apple goodness makes its way into every single bite for maximum flavor enjoyment.

8

Cut the dough into strips, then roll them up and place them into a 9×13 baking pan. Using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife, cut the filled dough into 12 even strips, approximately 1 3/4-inches each. Carefully roll each strip from the long side, creating a beautiful spiral. Arrange these rolls, seam-side down, into your prepared 9×13-inch baking pan, leaving a little space between them.

9

Let the rolls rise until doubled in size. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free spot. Allow the rolls to rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until they are visibly puffy and have doubled in size. This crucial second proofing ensures a light, fluffy texture in your baked rolls.

10

While the rolls are still warm, spread on the cream cheese frosting so it melts into all the swirls. This is the ultimate finishing touch! As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, generously slather them with the prepared cream cheese frosting. The warmth of the rolls will allow the frosting to melt beautifully, seeping into every swirl and creating an incredibly gooey, decadent topping. Finish with an extra spoonful of apple butter on top for an added burst of apple-spice goodness!

For the Apple Pie Filling

• ▢ 1 2/3 cups diced Gala apple
• ▢ 1/4 cup apple butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Tangzhong

• ▢ 3/4 cup water
• ▢ 1/4 cup bread flour

For the Cinnamon Roll Dough

• ▢ 3 2/3 cups bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
• ▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
• ▢ 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• ▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ Tangzhong, from recipe above
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple butter

Make the Apple Filling

• In a pot, cook diced apples, apple butter, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt over medium heat. After 12-13 minutes, mash the mixture to create a jammy consistency (with some apple chunks remaining). Combine water and cornstarch, stir it in, and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool.
  1 2/3 cups (200 g) diced Gala apple, 1/4 cup (65 g) apple butter, 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Make the Cinnamon Rolls

• In a small pot, whisk the water and all-purpose flour together. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is thick and paste-like. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside.
  3/4 cup (155 g) water, 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour
• In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the cream, milk, egg, vanilla, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2-3 minutes until it forms a rough dough ball.
  3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Tangzhong, 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream
• With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Then, continue kneading for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the dough appears smooth and elastic.
  6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter
• Remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides into the bottom to create a smooth round ball. Place it seam-side down back into the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the cinnamon sugar filling. In a medium bowl with a spoon or in a mixer bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until smooth. Set aside.
  1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2/3 cup (133 g) brown sugar, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Then, line a metal 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Place the rested dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 15×21 rectangle, with the longest side closest to you. Spread the brown sugar filling across the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border clean at the top. Then spread the apple pie filling on top in the same way.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then place each one into the prepared baking pan.
• Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set it aside to rise for 1-2 hours, or until the rolls have doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (162 °C).
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the center rolls reaches 185°F. Once baked, let the rolls cool while you make the frosting.
• Mix together the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar with a spoon until smooth. Then whisk in the heavy cream and apple butter. Spoon the glaze over the warm rolls and swirl with more apple butter if desired!
  4 tablespoon (56 g) unsalted butter, 2 ounces (2 oz) cream cheese, 1 cup (115 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons apple butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or oven until warmed through!

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.