Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Cider Icing

flat lay of apple cinnamon rolls on white napkin with a cup of coffee, flowers, a white napkin, and vintage cake knife

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Cider Icing

Soft, fluffy, perfectly sweet, and just melt in your mouth delicious! These Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls are the best tear-and-share breakfast bake during the holidays.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 40

Proofing Time: 3

Total Time: 4 40

Servings: rolls

Calories: 377kcal

Ingredients

Rolls

2½ cups all purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
½ teaspoon apple pie spice
5 Tablespoons salted butter
¾ cup whole milk
1 large egg

Filling

½ cup salted butter room temperature
½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons apple pie spice
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups apple pie filling

Icing

½ cup powdered sugar sifted
3 Tablespoons fresh apple cider

Instructions

Rolls

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and apple pie spice.
Combine butter and milk in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
Cool to 115℉/46℃.
Pour over flour mixture.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Add egg.
Mix until combined.
Switch to dough hook, if using.
Knead until dough is smooth and cleans the bowl, about 8 minutes.
Spray a covered container with cooking spray.
Place dough in container and cover.
Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1½-2 hours.

Filling

Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, apple pie spice, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Place apple pie filling in bowl of food processor.
Process until apple is chopped into small pieces. Set aside.

Assembly

Spray a 13-inch x 18-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Scrape proofed dough out onto a floured surface.
Roll into a 16-inch x 16-inch square.
Spread butter and sugar mixture on dough, taking it all the way out to the sides.
Top with apple pie filling, spreading it to ¼-inch from sides.
Roll dough up jellyroll-style.
Cut into 1½-inch rolls.
Place rolls in prepared pan.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1½ hours.
While rolls are proofing, heat oven to 375℉/190℃.
Place proofed rolls in oven and tent loosely with foil.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Icing

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and apple cider.
Beat until smooth.
Drizzle rolls with icing.

Notes

Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
To substitute unsalted butter for the salted in the rolls, add ½ teaspoon salt; in the filling, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
Rolling the dough into a square is a LOT easier if you use a square container to proof it.
Use an offset spatula to spread filling onto dough. It's so much easier than using your hands!
These rolls are messy! You may have to re-roll a few of them, but I promise the mess is worth it!
Check your yeast and make sure it’s in-date.
If the milk mixture does get too hot, don’t worry! You haven’t ruined anything. It just takes longer to cool down. Give it time to cool to 115℉/46℃ before pouring it into the dry ingredients.
If you don't have a big enough lidded container to allow the dough to rise, you can put the dough in a glass bowl and cover it with plastic wrap!
If you want the dough/rolls to proof faster, place them near something warm like the oven! Just don’t put the dough in the oven.
Cinnamon can be used in place of apple pie spice in the filling and roll dough.

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