Fresh Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 9

Skill level: Moderate

Apple cinnamon rolls are a cozy twist on a classic favorite, combining soft, fluffy dough with a warmly spiced apple filling. Each roll is packed with tender apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting for the perfect finishing touch. Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, these homemade rolls are comforting, indulgent, and well worth the effort.

Ingredients

For the dough

• ½ cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ ounce packet of active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

For the filling

• 3 cups finely diced Autumn Glory apples
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup light brown sugar

For the frosting

• 8 ounces of a package of cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. On the stovetop, warm milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not allow the milk to get hot, just warm it.
2. Immediately remove from heat and combine with yeast in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Let it sit for approximately 7 minutes until the yeast is active and bubbly.
3. Add egg, butter, salt, and sugar. Mix to combine.
4. Slowly add in flour, working with a spatula/your hands as necessary, until you have a ball of dough. Alternatively, you could use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and knead on low speed for several minutes.
5. Cover the dough with cling wrap and allow to rise for at least 25 min. or until doubled in size.
6. While the dough rises, start making your filling. Dice apples and place in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar to a pot. Allow to cook for approximately 7 minutes, stirring often until apples are well coated and cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
7. After allowing the dough to fully rise, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle with a rolling pin. Get dough as close to a 10 x 20 rectangle as possible.
8. Transfer almost all the filling* to the center of your rolled-out dough and spread out as evenly as possible (leaving a small cleared edge all around). *Save a couple of tablespoons of the filling for the post-baking sauce mixture.
9. Carefully roll the dough into a log, pinching as you go to seal as much as possible.
10. Cut the roll into 9 slices (each approximately 2 inches) and place the rolls in a 9 x 9 dish, greased on the bottom and up the sides.
11. Cover the dish with cling wrap and let your rolls rise for another 25 minutes or so. During this time, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Once the rolls have risen and the oven is preheated, bake the rolls for approximately 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you like a deeper browned roll, continue to cook for a couple of extra minutes.
12. While cinnamon rolls bake, make the frosting. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients from above. Mix with a hand mixer at increasing speeds until smooth. Then refrigerate until ready to use.
13. Once cinnamon rolls are done and out of the oven, spoon a bit of the reserved mixture over top (if it gets too thick, simply thin it with a splash of water). Then, frost rolls as shown and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.
14. Serve immediately!

Pro-tip: Have your little ones help with the frosting! So easy and a great way for them to be a part!

Recipe created by Lunches and Littles for Superfresh Growers.