Imagine waking up to the aroma of warm cinnamon and apples wafting through your kitchen, promising a delicious treat to start your day. That’s exactly what you’ll get with these Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. Packed with all the flavors of a classic cinnamon roll, but with a delightful twist of apple pie seasoning, this recipe is a game-changer for your breakfast or brunch spread.

Why You’ll Love Apple Cinnamon Rolls

A Fusion of Classic and Orchard Freshness: These rolls marry the timeless appeal of cinnamon rolls with the fruity goodness of applesauce and diced apples, giving you a delightful balance of flavors and textures in every bite.
Soft, Gooey, and Utterly Comforting: The dough is carefully crafted to yield soft, pillowy rolls that practically melt in your mouth. With a gooey filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, and diced apples, every bite is an indulgent, comforting experience.
Cream Cheese Frosting Perfection: The crowning glory of these rolls is the luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s sweet, tangy, and oh-so-creamy, providing the perfect contrast to the warm, spiced rolls.

Ingredients You Need To Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls

For the Dough:

Butter
Milk
Honey
Sugar
Warm Water
Salt
Instant Active Yeast
Applesauce
Sour Cream
Apple Pie Seasoning (Substitute: Cinnamon)
Gluten-Free Flour

For the Filling:

Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Butter
Apple (Finely Diced)

For the Frosting:

Cream Cheese
Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar
Peanut butter

How To Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Lightly oil a bowl and set it aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine applesauce, apple pie seasoning (or cinnamon), and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
In a separate bowl, add half of the sugar, yeast, honey, and warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it bubbles.
In a stockpot, combine butter, the rest of the sugar, salt, and milk. Scald the milk mixture (be careful not to boil) and set it aside to cool partially.
Add the yeast mixture to the apple mixture while the mixer is running, and slowly add the milk mixture.
Gradually add the flour, half a cup at a time. Once incorporated, the dough will be sticky.
Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface, lightly flour the rolling pin, and gently roll it out to approximately 9×12 inches. Avoid pressing out the air from the dough.

Filling:

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and finely diced apples together.
Spread the mixture evenly over the dough.
Roll up the dough, cut it into 9 slices, and place them in a buttered 9×13 baking dish. You can use floss for a clean cut.
Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let it rise to 1 1/2 times its original size.
For an extra gooey texture, pour 1 cup of heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 30 minutes.

Frosting:

Mix cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Generously spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I make these rolls in advance?

Absolutely! You can prepare the rolls up to the point of placing them in the baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise before baking.

Can I use regular flour instead of gluten-free flour?

Yes, you can. Simply use the same quantity of all-purpose flour instead of the gluten-free variant.

Can I freeze these cinnamon rolls?

Certainly! After baking, allow them to cool completely, wrap them tightly, and store them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw and reheat as needed.