Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls! These cinnamon rolls are filled with a mouthwatering cinnamon apple filling & come together quickly thanks to the help of store-bought bread dough.
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It's no secret that I love cooking and baking, but you may be surprised to find out that I also love a good kitchen shortcut, especially around the holidays when things are busy and I want to spend more time celebrating and less time in the kitchen.
These easy Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls (formerly known as Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls) can be whipped up in no time thanks to a secret shortcut: Store bought frozen bread dough.
Filled with an aromatic mixture of buttery cinnamon apples that give those sweet apple pie vibes, and topped with an incredible caramel glaze these will quickly become a favorite fall breakfast treat! (And you won't mind making them time and time again.)
Looking for more apple-infused recipes for the fall season? Try my Apple Pie White Hot Chocolate, Spiced Apple Pecan Granola and Apple Bread with Walnuts.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and can be made vegan and dairy-free. (See Variations & Substitutions area below.)
Ingredients
- Frozen Bread Dough. I use Bridgford Ready-Dough and it works great.
- Butter. You'll need butter for the filling as well as the glaze. I typically use unsalted butter for baking but salted butter could add a "salted caramel" type flavor to these if you want to try it.
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Apples. Honeycrisp apples are my favorite for just about any apple recipe but feel free to use any kind you love. I typically shred the apples for this recipe, but you can also chop them into small dice if you prefer more of an apple pie bite.
- All-purpose flour. Just a few tablespoons will help thicken any juices that run from the apples during the baking process.
- Milk or half & half
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Thaw Dough
Before you begin, you'll need to make sure your dough is thawed so you can roll it out. Follow the package directions or simply place it in your refrigerator the night before you plan on using it to let it thaw out.
Roll Out Dough
Lightly flour the surface where you will roll out your dough, as well as your rolling pin.
Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by lightly buttering it or spraying it with non-stick spray. Set it aside.
Carefully roll out the thawed dough to an approximate 10x12 inch rectangle. It doesn't have to be perfect, just a rough rectangular shape will do.
Make "Apple Pie" Filling
Spread about 6 tablespoons of the softened butter all over the dough, going all the way to the edges. I like to use an offset spatula.
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until it is well-combined. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
Scatter the shredded or finely diced apples over the top of the cinnamon and sugar mixture as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top of the apples.
Tip: Some apples can be quite juicy, and you don't want the excess liquid to make the cinnamon rolls soggy. To avoid this, I like to place my shredded or chopped apples on a clean kitchen towel (a nut milk bag is also great for this job), then give it a squeeze over the sink or a bowl to wring out any excess liquid.
Bonus Tip: In a big rush? Omit the filling ingredients (including the butter) and use a can of apple pie filling instead! I find the apple chunks in most apple pie filling are a bit large, so I recommend giving the mixture a quick chop in the food processor or chopping the larger apple chunks by hand before spreading it out over the thawed dough.
Roll Up & Cut Rolls
Once the apple filling is spread evenly over the dough, it's time to roll up your cinnamon rolls! Starting with the end closest to you, carefully roll up the dough as tightly as possible, placing it seam-side down when you've reached the end.
With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the log into 12 rolls. (You can also use the dental floss method.)
Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan -- leave a little space between them as they will grow quite a bit.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush it over the top of each roll, then cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or a piece of foil and set it somewhere warm to rise for about an hour or until about doubled in size.
Make-Ahead Tip: Place the covered pan of cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator overnight to slow the rise. They'll be ready to bake by morning! I like to remove them from the fridge about 30-45 minutes before I bake them to take the chill off.
Bake Cinnamon Rolls
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, bake for about 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
Remove them from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.
Make Glaze
In a small sauce pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a bubble, stirring continuously for about 1 minute. (It will start to look opaque and a bit lighter in color.)
Remove the pan from the heat and add milk and vanilla. Stir it until it is well-combined. Cool the mixture slightly.
Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Keep in mind that the glaze will thicken as it cools.
Drizzle or spread the mixture over the warm cinnamon rolls before serving.
Recipe FAQ's
Absolutely! If you have the time and energy, it's always nice to bake from scratch! Try this recipe for homemade cinnamon roll dough if you want to give it a go.
Yes. The best way to do this is to make the recipe as directed and then cover and immediately refrigerate overnight. Refrigeration will slow the yeast from rising. I suggest refrigerating for up to 12 hours, as leaving them in any longer will cause the and brown sugar and apple mixture to weep and create a lot of liquid.
When ready to bake, remove them from the refrigerator. They may have risen a bit in the fridge, but will likely need to come to room temperature and rise some more depending on how puffy they've gotten overnight. You'll want the rolls to have doubled in size before you put them in the oven.
Yes. You can freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls and then let them thaw overnight in the fridge when you want to make them and allow them to double in size before baking.
You can also bake your cinnamon rolls, cool them completely and then freeze them. Place the individual frozen rolls in a freezer-safe, air-tight bag and then remove as needed, popping them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and glazing just before eating.
Variations & Substitutions
Try these delicious variations:
- Add toasted walnuts or pecans to the filling or sprinkle them over the top once you've glazed the cinnamon rolls. (Technically adding nuts makes them cinnamon buns, but potato, potahto, right?)
- Use a mixture of autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom to make them extra special.
- Use pears instead of apples for a seasonal twist.
- Sprinkle some dried cranberries over the apples before rolling for a festive version.
- Use another type of canned pie filling like blueberry or cherry for a fruity version.
Substitutions
- Vegan or Dairy-Free: Use plant-based butter instead of regular and plant-based milk in the glaze.
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen bread dough thawed
- 8 tablespoons butter divided
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large apples peeled, cored and grated (about 2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons flour
For Caramel Glaze
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or half & half
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Roll Out Dough
- Lightly flour the surface where you will roll out your dough as well as your rolling pin. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by lightly buttering or spraying with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Carefully roll out the thawed dough to an approximate 10x12 inch rectangle.
- Spread about 6 tablespoons of the softened butter all over the dough (don't miss the edges).
Make the Apple Pie Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well-combined. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
- Squeeze the excess juice out of the apples (I use a clean dish towel or nut milk bag), then scatter the shredded or diced apple over the top of the cinnamon and sugar mixture as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top of the apples.
Roll & Cut Cinnamon Rolls
- Starting with the end closest to you, carefully roll up the dough as tightly as possible, placing it seam-side down when you've reached the end.
- With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the log into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan; leave a bit of space between them as they will grow quite a bit.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush over the top of each roll.
- Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or a piece of foil or plastic wrap and set it somewhere warm to rise until about doubled in size. (See Recipe FAQ's for how to make ahead or freeze.)
Bake Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the rolls have doubled, bake for about 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are cooked through. Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.
Make Glaze
- In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a bubble, stirring continuously for about 1 minute. It will start to look opaque and a bit lighter in color.
- Remove from heat and add milk and vanilla. Stir until well-combined. Cool slightly.
- Add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached. (The glaze will thicken as it cools, so keep that in mind.)
- Drizzle or spread the mixture over the warm cinnamon rolls before serving.
Notes
- Add toasted walnuts or pecans to the filling or sprinkle them over the top once you've glazed the cinnamon rolls. (Technically adding nuts makes them cinnamon buns, but potato, potahto, right?)
- Use a mixture of autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom to make them extra special.
- Use pears instead of apples for a seasonal twist.
- Sprinkle some dried cranberries over the apples before rolling for a festive version.
- Use another type of canned pie filling like blueberry or cherry for a fruity version.
- Vegan or Dairy-Free: Use plant-based butter instead of regular and plant-based milk in the glaze.
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