Apple cinnamon rolls 🍎🍏
What you’ll need
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup of warm 2% milk
1/2 cup butter melted
1 large egg
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp sugar (for the dough)
1 tsp. Salt
3-3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-2 tart apples peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon (I usually sprinkle in extra because I love cinnamon)
1) dissolve yeast in milk, add butter, egg, 2 tbsp. Sugar, salt and 3 cups of flour. Combine until smooth
2) knead until smooth and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour
3) combine the apples cinnamon and sugar. Set aside
4) punch down dough flip onto a floured surface and divide into balls. While making the dough balls add the apple mixture into the dough and roll it up. Place into a greased circle pan.
5) add any extra apple mixture to the top of the rolls. Cover and let them rise for about 35-45 minutes
6) bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool
If you’d like to add icing to the top of them here is a simple icing you can make by just combining these ingredients!
1 cup powder sugar
3-4 1/2 tsp. Hot water
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
One of the things I love most about making apple cinnamon rolls at home is the fresh aroma that fills the kitchen. The combination of tart apples and warm cinnamon creates a comforting scent that’s hard to beat. When making the dough, I find that using warm 2% milk really helps the yeast activate quickly, giving the rolls a light and fluffy texture. A tip I’ve learned is to sprinkle extra ground cinnamon inside the rolls for a more intense flavor. Also, adding the apple mixture inside the dough balls before rolling them up adds juicy fruitiness to every bite, rather than just having it as a topping. Letting the dough rise twice—once before shaping and once after placing in the pan—ensures the rolls are soft and rise to the perfect size. For the icing, I prefer to whisk the powdered sugar and vanilla extract first before adding hot water slowly. This helps avoid lumps and gives a smooth, glossy finish. Drizzling the icing while the rolls are slightly warm makes it melt into the crevices, creating an indulgent glaze. If you’re looking for variations, you can experiment by swapping tart apples for sweet varieties like Fuji or Gala, or adding chopped nuts for some crunch. These apple cinnamon rolls are great for a cozy breakfast or an afternoon treat with tea or coffee, and baking them yourself lets you customize sweetness and spice levels to your liking.
