Name: Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.5 cup milk; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast; 1.5 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 tsp salt; 1 egg yolk; 2 granny smith apples; 1 tbsp sugar; 0.5 cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 3 tablespoons butter; 0.75 cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons cream or milk

I decided that I wanted these cinnamon rolls to be a bit quicker than usual. I simply don’t have time (or nearly enough patience) to wait for the dough to rise for 90 minutes. Who has time for that at 7 in the morning when you’re hungry and determined to pack lots of fun things into your Saturday?

Dessert

1 h 15 m

American

Food with Feeling

April 30, 2026

Foodwithfeeling.com

From the Cook

1/15

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Food with Feeling Verified

Foodwithfeeling.com

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

For dough:

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

1 ½ cups all-purpose flourplus a bit more if necessary

¼ tsp salt

1 egg yolk

For the filling:

2 granny smith applesdiced into small pieces

1 tbsp sugaroptional, see instructions below

½ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons buttersoftened but not completely melted

For the glaze:

¾ cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cream or milk

Instructions

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Instructions

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, mix together the milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and sugar. Stir frequently until everything is dissolved and combined which will only take a couple minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Once cooled for about 5 minutes, add the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

Using the dough hook of your stand mixer of hand mixer, gently stir in the flour, salt, and egg yolk to the yeast mixture. Beat until full combined. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time.

Knead the dough a few times. This can be done with a stand mixer (knead for just about 30 seconds) or by hand. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.

**OPTIONAL (see note above): While the dough sits, prepare the apples by combining them in a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of white sugar. Heat over medium low heat, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes. Take off of the heat and set aside to cool.

*Alternatively, the apples can be added the the cinnamon rolls as is and baked raw.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

Roll the dough out to a rectangle that is about 12 inches by 9 inches, though it doesn't need to be exact.

Making sure to leave about 1/2 an inch of dough around the edges uncovered by any of the filling, cover the dough with the 3 tablespoons of softened butter and then evenly sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over top. Top with the apples.

Very gently, yet firmly, roll the dough long ways until it's tightly rolled all the way up. Cut the dough into 6 rolls (I recommend starting in the center so your rolls are even).

Place the rolls in a greased pan or skillet leaving about 1/2 an inch in between each one. Cover and let sit for about 30 minutes to rise a bit more.

Near the end of the rising, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover the rolls and bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes checking towards the 18 minute mark for doneness. They're done with the dough has a nice golden brown color. Once done, let cool slightly.

Make your glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the cream/ milk. Only add more cream if the glaze is too thick.

Top the warm cinnamon rolls with the glaze and ENJOY!!! These are definitely best served warm!

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

0
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Tips & Tricks (5)

Speed Up Rise with Warm Milk 🥛
Warm your milk to 110°F before mixing with yeast to activate it faster, potentially cutting rise time in half compared to room temperature liquid.
Pre-Cook Apples for Texture Control 🍎
Sauté your diced Granny Smith apples in butter for 2-3 minutes before adding to the filling to remove excess moisture and prevent soggy rolls.
Use Instant Yeast for Quicker Rising ⏱️
Substitute instant yeast for active dry yeast in a 1:1 ratio—it dissolves faster and can reduce your first rise time from 90 minutes to just 45-60 minutes.
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Paste Trick 🤎
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon with melted butter into a paste before spreading on dough—this prevents uneven distribution and ensures every roll has consistent spice flavor.
Egg Wash for Golden, Tender Rolls ✨
Brush rolls with beaten egg yolk before baking for a beautiful golden finish and softer exterior, plus it helps the rolls brown evenly at higher temperatures for faster baking.