EASY Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe — Be Greedy Eats

Soft, gooey, and delicious! These cinnamon rolls are filled with a cinnamon brown sugar filling and freshly chopped apples. Topped with a cream cheese glaze, they're the autumn dessert you've been looking for!

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Ooey, gooey, and full of apples!

If you ever wanted to know what love really looked like, just put me next to a cinnamon roll! I don’t know if it’s the warm yeast roll or the rich glaze that goes on top. But there’s nothing like a fresh hot-out-of-the-oven cinnamon roll. Trust me, there’s nothing that can compare to it!

My Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls are easy to make and will put you in a food coma! Each roll is full of brown sugar, cinnamon, and freshly chopped apples. They’re then frosted generously with a delicious cream cheese icing that melts into every layer of each warm yeast roll.

TIPS for making the best Cinnamon Rolls

Here a just a few baking tips and tricks that will make your cinnamon rolls even better!

Make sure all the Ingredients are Room-Temperature. Having all of your ingredients at room temp will allow for easier mixing. The butter will also spread evenly through the dough. Plus, yeast thrives in warm temperatures!
Don’t Kill Your Yeast. When activating your yeast, make sure that the milk’s temperature is no higher than 110°F (115°F is pushing it). Anything over that temp will kill your yeast. Any temp cooler than that can cause the yeast not to activate.
Chill Dough Before Shaping. You’ll want to try this after the dough’s first rise. Chilling the dough slightly before shaping will allow it to easily roll out making your rolls tighter and more uniform.
Try Rising the Dough Overnight. Allowing the dough to rise overnight in a cool environment allows the yeast to release carbon dioxide at a slower rate. It’ll slightly change the flavor of the dough making it more intense.
Try Slicing with Flavorless Dental Floss! Let’s be honest, some of us haven’t sharpened our knives in ages. Using a dull knife will squish the rolls and make them uneven. Dental Floss is a great way of cutting the rolls! Tie the string around the long and pull through to make the perfect rolls.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them. You probably already have some in your pantry and refrigerator. If not, you can find all of them in pretty much any grocery store.

Whole Milk: The milk is used to activate the yeast. Whole milk adds more fat to the cinnamon rolls making them even more delicious. Make sure that the milk is warm and not hot. You definitely don’t want to kill the yeast.
Active Dry Yeast: The yeast is the key in order for the rolls to rise. I used active dry yeast for normal rising. You can also use fast rise. Just make sure to monitor the dough to make sure it doesn’t rise too much initially.
All-Purpose Flour: Make sure that your flour is sifted with the other dry ingredients before adding it to the mixer. You want even mixing and flour disbursement. Make sure to have more on the side for dusting.
Granulated Sugar: You can’t have a cinnamon roll recipe without sugar! I used granulated in the dough for some additional sweetness. You don’t need too much since the filling is made up of mostly brown sugar.
Salt: In most baked goods you’re going to find some sort of salt. It’s not going to be much at all; but, the salt helps to balance the overall sweetness in the dough.
Spices: To add some additional warmth to the dough I added some ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. A little goes a long way, so don’t go crazy with these.

Unsalted Butter: You want to make sure that butter is softened for the dough and the filling. Leave out a few sticks of butter on your counter for 1 - 2 hours to bring it up to room temperature.
Eggs: The eggs act as one of the binding agents for the dough. You’ll want to make sure that they are at room temperature. Try sitting them in some warm water beforehand to bring them up to temp.
Apples: Any type of apple will work for this recipe. I usually go with Granny Smith Apples when baking. They hold their shape when baked and add a bit of tartness to whatever I’m baking.
Light Brown Sugar: I used light brown sugar for the filling. Dark brown sugar will work as well, it will just add some additional molasses flavor to the cinnamon rolls.
Confectioner’s Sugar: Using confectioner’s (a.k.a. powdered) sugar is ideal for making most glazes and frostings. Try sifting the sugar beforehand for a smoother glaze.
Cream Cheese: To make the best glaze, you have to add in some cream cheese! It adds some additional richness to the glaze making it even better.
Pure Vanilla Extract: You’ll need just a splash of pure vanilla extract for the dough and glaze. A little adds just the right amount of flavor. Trust me, 1 tbsp is all you need.

How to make Easy Apple cinnamon rolls:

Cinnamon Rolls are probably one of my favorite things to eat! But the apples I added inside of them take them to the next level! Trust me, one bite will have you addicted. Plus, they’re pretty simple to make!

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview:

STEP 1: Dissolve the Yeast in Warm Milk. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk until it reaches no higher than 110°F. Add the yeast and mix until dissolved. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 - 10 minutes until foamy.
STEP 2: Make the Yeast Dough. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer. Add the milk & yeast mixture, eggs, and pure vanilla extract. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed just until the dough forms making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes. If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step.
STEP 3: Allow the Dough to Rise. Spray a large bowl with non-stick baking spray. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the bowl. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for 1 hour.

STEP 4: Make the Filling. While the dough is rising, begin making the filling. Combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Mix until smooth with a hand mixer or spoon. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
STEP 5: Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured work surface, and punch it down. Roll the dough into a large rectangle until it’s ¼ inch thick. Spread the filling all over the dough. Top evenly with the chopped apples. Tightly roll up the dough to form a large log. Cut into 12 equal rolls.
STEP 6: Allow the Rolls to Rise. Arrange them in the prepared baking pan. Cover the rolls very tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the rolls to rise in a warm environment for about 30 - 35 minutes or until doubled in size.
STEP 7: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Bake rolls for 23 - 25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Whisk all of the icing ingredients together and drizzle over warm rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!

HOW LONG WILL MY Cinnamon ROLLS LAST?

If I’m being honest, these probably won't make it to the next day! They’re just too delicious to have just one. But you can definitely save them for a little while.

I highly suggest storing your cinnamon rolls in an air-tight container once they are fully cooled. Make sure to place them in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 3 - 4 days.

To refresh the cinnamon rolls, throw them into a toaster oven or microwave for 20 - 30 seconds and they’ll be good as new!

I’d love to hear your feedback about these EASY Apple Cinnamon Rolls! Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Ooey, gooey, and full of apples!

TIPS for making the best Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

How to make Easy Apple cinnamon rolls:

HOW LONG WILL MY Cinnamon ROLLS LAST?