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Soft-Baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Soft-Baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Delicious soft-baked apple cinnamon rolls filled with a gooey cinnamon brown sugar filling and topped with cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rising Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cinnamon buns
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand mixer
  • baking dish
  • parchment paper
  • skillet
  • measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
  

Brioche Dough

  • 250 g Whole milk, lukewarm
  • 50 g Granulated Sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dried yeast
  • 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 565 g All-Purpose Flour
  • 100 g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

Apple Pie Filling

  • 850 g Medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced small
  • 30 g Unsalted Butter
  • 80 g Granulated Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon or Apple Pie Spice
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Corn starch

Toasted Pecans

  • 125 g Pecan Halves

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling

  • 190 g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 280 g Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon Kosher salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 115 g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 225 g Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • 250 g Powdered Sugar, sifted
  • 1-2 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions
 

Brioche Dough

  • Make the Brioche Dough. Place the lukewarm milk, 25g of the sugar, and the yeast in a medium sized bowl, and stir to combine. Leave for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, place the flour, salt, and remaining sugar, and mix briefly to combine.
  • Add the milk mixture and egg to the dry ingredients, and mix on low for 2-3 minutes. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes. Add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is incorporated until adding the next piece. Mix for a further 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, until doubled in size. Alternatively you can place it in a warm spot until doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour.

Apple Filling

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and cook, stirring often, until the apples are tender, 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the corn starch and mix well to incorporate, then continue to cook until the mixture has thickened and the apples are coated.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and chill until ready to use.

Toasted Pecans

  • Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper and place the pecans on it.
  • Toast the pecans for about 10 minutes, shaking occasionally, until lightly browned and toasted throughout. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use and store at room temperature.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling

  • Make the cinnamon filling. Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well to combine.

Assembly

  • Assemble the cinnamon rolls. Grease a baking dish (9”x13” or 23cm x 33cm) or line with parchment paper.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a rectangle that is 24” x 16” (60cm x 40cm), squaring off the edges often as you roll. Spread with the brown sugar cinnamon mixture, ensuring the filling is spread evenly over the surface.
  • Top with the prepared apple pie filling. Spread the apple pie filling out evenly. Roughly chop the toasted pecans, and spread over the apple filling.
  • Roll up the cinnamon rolls. Starting with a long side, roll up into a tight spiral. Cut the log into two pieces and place them side by side on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly cover the dough logs with plastic wrap, and transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes in order to firm up slightly (this step is optional but helps give a neater cut).
  • Cut the cinnamon rolls. Once the dough logs have chilled, remove from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into 6 equal pieces, and arrange on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish, evenly spacing between.
  • Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, and leave to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until puffy, and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
  • While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
  • Bake the rolls for 35 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes or so before icing with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Make the cream cheese frosting. Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and salt, and whip until light and fluffy.
  • Spread onto the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm.
  • Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. Rewarm in the microwave before serving.

Notes

Components for these rolls can be made ahead of time, allowing for easy assembly in the morning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cinnamon bunCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Apple, baking, Cinnamon Rolls, dessert, Soft-Baked, thanksgiving
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