• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • No-Bake Cheesecakes
  • Recipe Index
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • eBook
  • Español

El Mundo Eats

menu icon
go to homepage
  • No-Bake Cheesecakes
  • Recipe Index
  • Newsletter
  • About Us
  • eBook
  • Español
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • No-Bake Cheesecakes
    • Recipe Index
    • Newsletter
    • About Us
    • eBook
    • Español
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Two bowls of mini chicken pot pies.
      Mini Chicken Pot Pies
    • Easy peach cobbler with cake mix in a tray with ice cream.
      Peach Cobbler With Cake Mix
    • A bowl of peanut butter stir-fry noodles.
      Peanut Sauce Stir-Fry Noodles
    • Hazelnut ice cream on a cone.
      The Best Hazelnut Ice Cream
    • A serving plate with glasses of mousse.
      3-Ingredient Lemon Mousse (Eggless)
    • Brazilian cheese bread.
      Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo)
    • A whole no-bake lemon cheesecake with a missing portion.
      No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake With Condensed Milk
    • A bowl of pesto.
      Walnut Basil Pesto
    • Cooked rice in a plate.
      How To Cook Jasmine Rice
    • A bowl of beef rendang.
      Beef Rendang
    • A slice of cake in a plate.
      Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • A whole piece of pie with some portions missing on a wooden plate.
      Spinach Ricotta Pie (Pascualina)
    El Mundo Eats » Bun

    Published: Sep 9, 2023 · Updated: Sep 9, 2023 by Bea & Marco · This post may contain affiliate links · 19 Comments

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy apple cinnamon rolls with generous goey apple filling bursting with cinnamon flavor. These soft and fluffy rolls are topped with delicious cream cheese frosting and are simply irresistible. They can be made the night before so you can bake them in the morning.

    Taking out one apple cinnamon roll from the tray.
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • What Apple To Use For Apple Cinnamon Rolls
    • Ingredients For This Recipe
    • Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Can I Make The Cinnamon Rolls The Night Before
    • Recipe Expert Tips
    • How To Serve And Store
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Bun Recipes
    • Watch The Video
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why This Recipe Works

    There are so many recipes out there but being biased, of course, we just love our apple cinnamon roll recipe the best. Here's why we keep making these delicious rolls over and over again in the cold weather, feeling all cozy while enjoying every bite.

    • Soft and fluffy rolls - These rolls are buttery and delicious even without being a brioche type of dough that typically uses more eggs and butter. These are soft and fluffy rolls, as in our cinnamon rolls with walnuts and our clementine pecan sticky buns!
    • Basic ingredients - The ingredients are the ones that you most probably already have in your pantry. We like to keep things easy and simple.
    • Lots of apples - By cooking the apples first so they get tender, we get to use more apples for the filling! We're using 4 cups of raw diced apples, which is around 3-4 apples. Imagine all the flavor. It takes just a few minutes to cook and the tender apples also make rolling the dough way easier.
    • Fresh touch - Our secret is using orange zest to the remarkably delicious smell of dough! Don't knock it until you try it. It gives a hint of citrus and freshness to the rolls, you'll love it.

    What Apple To Use For Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    A tray of baked apple cinnamon rolls.

    Apples in general are divided into two categories, sweet and tart. For these apple cinnamon rolls that are deliciously sweet, some people like to combine both types of apples to balance the sweetness. Of course, some just use whatever they have in their house at the moment, like we do when we make our delicious apple-stuffed buns!

    For these apple cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, you can use whichever you prefer. This brief list can give of an idea of more or less what to expect in flavorwise with the apples you're using.

    Sweet - Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Kiku, Ambriosa, Sweetie, Jazz, Dazzle, Opal

    Tart - Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Braeburn, Empire, Cortland

    A mix of sweet and tart - Honeycrisp, SweeTango, Evy, Kanzi, Jonagold

    Ingredients For This Recipe

    Ingredients to make apple cinnamon rolls.

    Bread flour - Or high protein flour, usually around 11-13%. The protein content is important as when we knead the dough, it'll develop strong gluten that'll make the rolls rise beautifully with a soft and fluffy texture like in our Swedish cardamom pistachio buns and our Nutella babka buns.

    Apple - I've used Gala and Granny Smith for these and we liked them both. It's a matter of preference at the end. Use tart apples if you're looking to balance out the sweetness of the rolls. Use a combo of sweet and tart, or simply use what you have in the house.

    Instant dry yeast - It doesn't need rehydration, you simply add it directly with the rest of the ingredients. If using active dry yeast and fresh yeast, rehydrate it with warm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar for 5 minutes until it's foamy. For the fresh yeast amount, multiply by 3.3, which for this recipe will be around 36g.

    Honey - Helps the rolls to get that soft texture. Baking bread with honey is a game changer, trust me. It also adds a touch of delicate sweetness.

    Orange - I love to use orange zest in my apple cinnamon rolls because it gives an amazing smell and a delicate citrus hint lingering with every bite. It's optional but I highly recommend it!

    ⭐ See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    Process one.

    1. Make the dough - Add bread flour, salt, honey, egg, melted butter, warm milk, and instant yeast into the standing mixer bowl. Knead for 10 minutes using speed 2, using a dough hook.

    Process two.

    2. Rise the dough - Make the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl that's lightly greased. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Let the dough rise to double its size. It'll take around 1-2 hours.

    Process three.

    3. Make apple filling - While the dough is rising, cook the diced apples with butter in a pan, on medium-high heat, for 5-10 minutes or until they get soft, but not mushy. Cool completely before using.

    Process four.

    4. Assemble - Roll the dough on a lightly floured kitchen top, to an 18x12-inch rectangle (45x30cm). Spread ⅓ cup butter on top, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, followed with the apple filling. Roll into a somewhat tight log from the longest end, and cut it into 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife.

    Process five.

    5. Bake - Arrange the rolls in a buttered 13x9-inch pan (33x23cm). Cover loosely with a cling film and let the rolls rise to double their size, for around 30-45 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 400℉ (200℃) for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

    Process six.

    6. Make frosting - While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes until well combined, using a paddle attachment. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix well after each addition. Chill in the fridge while not using. Frost the apple cinnamon rolls either while they're still warm or completely cool. Enjoy!

    Can I Make The Cinnamon Rolls The Night Before

    Yes, you can! If you want to bake these apple cinnamon rolls fresh in the morning, this is what I recommend you do in advance so your morning is with the least amount of work.

    1. Slow rise the dough in the fridge - Knead the dough, cover it tightly with cling film, and chill it in the fridge. The next morning, bring it out to room temperature and continue with the steps to assemble and bake.
    2. Cook the filling - Dice and cook the apples, and keep them in an air-tight container in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before using.
    3. Make the frosting - Prepare the frosting, and keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge. Take it out 10-15 minutes before frosting the apple cinnamon rolls. Give it a quick mix before using it.

    I don't recommend assembling the rolls together with the filling the night before to avoid the dough getting soggy from the liquid released from the apple filling, throughout the night.

    Recipe Expert Tips

    1. Use the spoon and level method. If using cup measurement, don't scoop the flour with the cup. Instead, spoon the flour into the cup, without pressing it, and then level it with the back of a knife. This will avoid using too much flour, which will make the rolls dense and hard.
    2. Check your yeast. Expired yeast will prevent the dough from rising beautifully, and you'll get dense and hard rolls.
    3. Place the dough in a warm, draft-free place. This will ensure the dough rises beautifully. Depending on your kitchen's temperature, the time might vary. The warmer it is, the faster the dough will rise, and vice versa.
    4. Don't roll the dough too tightly. This will make the filling come out, and the center pops up in the oven (not a beautiful sight!) and is not properly cooked.

    How To Serve And Store

    Serve - These apple cinnamon rolls are the best when served warm! I even warm up the balance in a microwave for a few seconds, with frosting on top and all. They're soft, fluffy, and irresistible.

    Store - Store in an air-tight container, in the fridge since the frosting has dairy in it. They last up to 1 week. I highly recommend you warm them in the microwave for a few seconds to bring them back to their delicious glory!

    Freeze - I like to fast-freeze them in portions for 1 hour, and then place them in an air-tight container. This way it's easier to grab the amount that I want. They last up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw them in the fridge and don't forget to warm them up before enjoying them!

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I make the cinnamon rolls the night before?

    Yes, definitely. Knead the dough, cook the filling, and make the frosting the night before. Assemble and bake the next morning. I've written in detail on how to achieve this in the post above.

    Is bread flour or all-purpose flour better for cinnamon rolls?

    Bread flour, without a doubt. It has higher protein content which means it'll able to produce more gluten during the kneading process. This will give us beautifully risen rolls with amazing structure and soft and fluffy texture.

    Do you roll cinnamon rolls tight or loose?

    Somewhat tight but not too tightly until the filling comes out. Too tight will also make the center of the rolls pop up (not beautiful!) and not properly cooked. You want to give some room for the dough to expand in the oven. Too loose will result in the rolls and the filling falling apart.

    Half-eaten cinnamon rolls.

    More Bun Recipes

    • Apple Stuffed Buns
      Apple Stuffed Buns
    • Cinnamon Rolls
      Cinnamon Rolls with Walnuts
    • Clementine pecans sticky buns
      Clementine & Pecan Sticky Buns
    • Swedish Cardamom Pistachio Buns
      Swedish Cardamom Pistachio Buns

    If you tried these Apple Cinnamon Rolls or any other recipe on our website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the comments below!

    Watch The Video

    📖 Recipe

    Taking out a piece of apple cinnamon rolls.

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Easy apple cinnamon rolls with generous goey apple filling that's bursting with cinnamon flavor. These soft and fluffy rolls are topped with delicious cream cheese frosting and are simply irresistible. They can be made the night before so you can bake them in the morning.
    Author: Bea & Marco
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Servings: 12 rolls
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Proof Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

    Equipment

    • Measuring cups
    • Kitchen scale
    • Stand mixer
    • 9x13-inch pan

    Ingredients 
     

    Dough

    • 4 ½ cup bread flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 large egg , room temperature
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter , melted
    • 2 tablespoon honey
    • 1 cup whole milk , warm
    • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
    • zest of 1 orange , optional but highly recommended

    Apple Filling

    • 4 Gala or Granny Smith apples , cut into small cubes of 4 cups
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

    Cinnamon Sugar

    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter ,softened for spreading
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 4 oz full-fat cream cheese , room temperature
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter , room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar , sifted

    Other

    • some melted butter , for brushing the rolls before baking
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Dough

    • Add bread flour, salt, honey, egg, melted butter, warm milk, and instant yeast into the standing mixer bowl. Knead for 10 minutes using speed 2, using a dough hook.
    • Make the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl that's lightly greased. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Let the dough rise to double its size. It'll take around 1-2 hours.

    Apple Filling

    • While the dough is rising, cook the diced apples with butter in a pan, on medium-high heat, for 5-10 minutes or until they get soft, but not mushy. Cool completely before using.

    Cinnamon Sugar

    • Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon powder in a bowl. Set aside.

    Assemble

    • Roll the dough on a lightly floured kitchen top, to an 18x12-inch rectangle (45x30cm). Spread ⅓ cup softened butter on top, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, followed with the apple filling. Roll into a somewhat tight log from the longest end, and cut it into 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife.
    • Arrange the rolls in a buttered 13x9-inch pan (33x23cm). Cover loosely with a cling film and let the rolls rise to double their size, for around 30-45 minutes.

    Bake

    • Brush the top with melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 400℉ (200℃), on the middle rack, for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract with a stand mixer for 1-2 minutes until well combined, using a paddle attachment. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix well after each addition. Chill in the fridge while not using. Frost the apple cinnamon rolls either while they're still warm or completely cool. Enjoy!

    Notes

    1. Use the spoon and level method for cup measurements. This will prevent the use of excessive flour that'll make the rolls hard and dense.
    2. A kitchen scale is a more precise tool in baking. I use it all the time for dry ingredients like flour and sugar.
    3. Use a portable oven thermometer to get the accurate oven temperature. I use it every single time I bake.
    4. Add more powdered sugar if you prefer the frosting to be thicker.
    5. These rolls are the best when they're warm, so remember to warm the balance for a few seconds in the microwave.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 513.9kcal, Carbohydrates: 75.8g, Protein: 7.9g, Fat: 20.8g, Saturated Fat: 12.4g, Cholesterol: 67.1mg, Sodium: 253.4mg, Potassium: 185.8mg, Fiber: 3.1g, Sugar: 38.5g, Calcium: 67.4mg, Iron: 0.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @elmundoeats and tag #elmundoeats!

    Originally published on Oct 20, 2018. Updated with improved text, recipe, and pictures on Sep 9, 2023.

    More Bun Recipes

    • Softest Tuna Cheese Rolls in Air Fryer
    • Skillet pull apart whole wheat buns
      Skillet Pull Apart Whole Wheat Buns (With Cheese Dip)
    • raspberry twisted buns view from top.
      Raspberry Twisted Buns
    • Pan-fried meat buns on a plate
      Quick Pan-Fried Meat Buns (No Yeast And No Knead)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment and rate it, thanks!




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Adriana says

      September 12, 2023 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      Happy Bday, Marco! Be happy, healthy and wealthy! 😊🍀
      Now. About the recipe:what can I say, Dearest Bea? It is perfect! Many thanks for sharing, for your efforts and for your inspiring passion for cooking! And as you rightely said, fall is coming-the oven is hot! 🍪🥧🍗🍞
      So, let's do it, let's bake some goodies!!
      I wish you two a lovely, flavoured golden fall,
      joy and light souls!
      Sincerely yours, Adriana (Romania) 🤗🍀

      Reply
      • Bea & Marco says

        September 14, 2023 at 12:27 pm

        Hi Adriana! I hope you're doing well. Thank you so much for your lovely and kind words! Yes, let's get our baking game on! Marco extended his huge thanks for the birthday wishes. We both wish you a cosy fall filled with warm cosy food, take care and lots of love from us ❤️❤️!

        Reply
    2. Marina Chen says

      April 24, 2022 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      I made these and they turned out really well. Yummy and soft! Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Bea says

        April 24, 2022 at 4:20 pm

        Awesome, thank you so much for your feedback Marina!

        Reply
    3. Alicia Gatica says

      January 15, 2022 at 2:32 am

      5 stars
      Great Job. Love your recipe. easy and delicious, but no apples, instead made a roll with crush walnuts, and another with nutella spread and walnuts, turn out delicious and soft, great job. thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Bea says

        January 15, 2022 at 4:15 pm

        Oh that sounds delicious, Alicia. I'm happy that you gave this recipe a try, thank you so much for your feedback. Do check around here and see if there's something else you'd like.

        Reply
    4. Hau Cheeng Choong says

      July 10, 2021 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      This is nice too. Love it. 😊😊

      Reply
      • Bea says

        July 10, 2021 at 11:44 pm

        Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sara says

      May 18, 2020 at 9:52 pm

      can you make this using instant dry yeast/acrive dry yeast? These look amazing!!!

      Reply
      • Bea says

        May 19, 2020 at 11:04 am

        Yes, of course. No problem!

        Reply
    6. Emilio Gomez says

      September 24, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      Is it instant active yeast or regular yeast

      Reply
      • Bea says

        September 24, 2019 at 7:00 pm

        It's the regular yeast 🙂

        Reply
      • June says

        September 29, 2019 at 7:11 pm

        Made these cinnamon rolls on thriday for friends at a club l go to just loved theme ask to make more.for nixtweek

        Reply
    7. Rosey says

      September 06, 2019 at 1:39 pm

      Thanks so much for sharing the recipes! Can't wait to try it myself. Just hope it will turn out same taste as yours. haha!

      Reply
      • Bea says

        September 06, 2019 at 8:13 pm

        Do try! And I hope you'll like it as much as we do! Thanks Rosey!

        Reply
    8. Tharani says

      June 12, 2019 at 10:58 am

      Hi,

      thank you so much for all you recipes! Am amazed at your level of commitment and passion towards cooking and you are not stingy with your information at all 🙂

      Reply
      • Bea says

        June 25, 2019 at 8:39 am

        Thank you for your kind words Tharani! XOXO

        Reply
    9. Kristen Gray says

      October 30, 2018 at 8:59 pm

      Hello!

      Can I make the cinnamon rolls the night before, cover in plastic and refrigerate until the next morning to bake fresh?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Bea says

        October 31, 2018 at 9:52 am

        Hi Kristen! I've never kept them overnight before but I looked for info and it seems that it's possible. Just wrap them tightly with cling film before putting in the fridge. The next day bring them out to room temperature and let the rolls double in size before baking. Let me know how it turns out if you tried it. Thanks!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Bea and Marco from El Mundo Eats

    Hi! We're Bea & Marco, the married couple behind this food space. We both cook and take photos & videos. Malaysian & Argentine living in Spain. All eaters welcome!

    More about us →

    Summer Recipes

    • Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    • Healthy breakfast 3 ways
      Healthy Breakfast 3 Ways
    • Healthy no-churn mango ice cream
      Healthy No-Churn Mango Ice Cream
    • Showing the inside texture of half-eaten air-fryer falafel.
      Crispy Air-Fryer Falafel (Gluten Free & Vegan)

    Popular Recipes

    • Whole Orange Blender Cake
    • tart shells on a cooling rack
      How To Make Tart Shells (Sweet And Savoury)
    • Mini cheesecakes on a table
      Easy Mini Cheesecakes
    • Malaysian Flatbread Roti Canai
      Malaysian Flatbread (Roti Canai)
    • Nasi lemak with all its trimmings
      Rice With Coconut Milk (Malaysian Nasi Lemak)
    • Hokkaido cheese tarts
      Hokkaido Cheese Tart

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured in banner.

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Shop

    • Ebook
    • Amazon Storefront

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2023 El Mundo Eats