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Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

These Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls have all the best parts of apple pie like the flaky pie crust and delicious cinnamon flavored apples, but in cinnamon roll form. Cinnamon is added to the dough and diced apples and pie crust crumbs are added in the center before the dough is rolled up and sliced. They're then baked and topped off with the most delicious cream cheese frosting and more pie crust crumbs. It's the perfect way to enjoy dessert for breakfast.

  • Author: Marisa Guerra
  • Prep Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 227 grams (1 cup) milk
  • 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • 510 grams (4 1/4 cups) flour
  • 53 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 egg

Pie Dough

  • 37 grams (1/4 cup, 1 tbsp) flour
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 28 grams (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 1/2-1 tbsp ice water

Filling

  • 213 grams (1 cup) brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 pink lady apple, peeled and diced

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 113 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  1. Warm milk in a small bowl until it reaches 105-110.º Sprinkle yeast on top and whisk together. Set aside for 10 minutes until it starts to look foamy. If the mixture does not foam, start over with a new packet of yeast.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.
  3. Slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, followed by the melted butter and egg.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix on low-medium speed until the dough starts to stick together and pull away from the sides of the bowl. You may need to add a little more flour at this point.
  5. Once dough starts to stick to the paddle, switch out the paddle for the hook attachment and mix on medium for 8 minutes. Dough should be tacky but not sticky.
  6. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Shape the dough into a ball and gently place in bowl, flipping the dough over to coat the top of it as well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise for about an hour and a half, until it has doubled in size.

Pie Dough

  1. While the cinnamon roll dough rises, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Blend the chilled butter into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until the butter is about pea sized.
  3. Pour the water over the flour mixture and stir together until it begins to form into a dough.
  4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4? thick. Use pastry cutter or knife to cut the dough into small pieces.
  6. Place pie dough pieces a few inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make the egg wash.
  8. Carefully brush the top of each pie dough piece with egg wash and sprinkle each with turbinado sugar.
  9. Bake for 11-12 minutes until golden brown.
  10. Let cool completely before transferring to a bowl and setting aside.

Assembly

  1. Coat a 13 x 9 inch pan or a 9" round pan with cooking spray and line with parchment.
  2. To prepare the filling, whisk the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a flat rectangle that’s about 12 x 18 inches. Using a pastry brush, carefully coat the top of the dough with melted butter, except for an inch border at the top.
  4. Spoon cinnamon sugar onto dough and spread around evenly, except for that same inch border at the top.
  5. Sprinkle diced pieces of the apple on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  6. Next, carefully crumble up pieces of the pie crumbs onto the cinnamon sugar mixture, leaving about a third for the topping.
  7. With the long side of the dough closest to you, carefully roll up the dough into a tight log. When you have reached the other end, pinch the seam of the roll by pressing down to ensure that it is sealed.
  8. Gently cut the log into 12 large rolls with a serrated knife. Do your best not to flatten them as you cut down by cutting them in a sawing motion.
  9. Arrange rolls in pan, cover in plastic wrap, and let them rise for another 30 minutes. While the rolls rise, preheat oven to 350º F and remove cream cheese from the fridge for it to soften.
  10. Once rolls have risen, bake them for 30-35 minutes.
  11. Let rolls cool completely on a cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Icing

  1. While the rolls bake, mix the cream cheese on low in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until it is smooth.
  2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar and milk, mixing on medium low until it is smooth.
  3. Drizzle the icing over the rolls and top with remaining pie crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Rolls are best served fresh. Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for several days. Rolls can be reheated slightly in the microwave or oven.
  • I recommend only frosting the rolls as you eat them. If you have leftover rolls, keep the rest of the icing in an airtight container in the fridge and add to the rolls once you heat them up as leftovers.

Keywords: apple pie, cinnamon rolls, fall