Pillowy, tender, and loaded with apple flavor, my caramel apple cinnamon rolls are one of our favorite baked treats when fall arrives and apples are plentiful. Made with a soft, homemade dough filled with caramelized apples kissed with brown sugar and spice, then topped with a rich, creamy caramel-cider glaze, this cozy caramel apple cinnamon rolls recipe is utter love in food form!
Homemade cinnamon rolls filled with the flavor of caramel apples
I relish these days as summer comes to an end and the fall, with all of its warm hues and spiced flavors, makes its way in. For me, it’s truly a magical time, filled with thoughts of all the uniquely cozy things that autumn brings with it!
During this time of year, when sweet-tart and crisp apples are plentiful, one of my most beloved and cozy activities is baking something special with spices and a touch of brown sugar to comfort us.
What could be cozier?
And one of our favorite treats I love to prepare, when I have a leisurely morning or afternoon in the kitchen to get a little “lost in the process”, is these caramel apple cinnamon rolls.
Truly a decadent and comforting morsel, these homemade cinnamon rolls with an apple-y twist contain all of those autumn notes within, bite after delicious bite.
Made with a pillowy, tender dough rolled up with lightly caramelized apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, these caramel apple cinnamon rolls bake up aromatic and beautifully golden.
And the scrumptious topping? A rich, creamy caramel-cider glaze that deliciously drenches each fluffy roll, and drizzles down the sides and into each nook and cranny.
So if welcoming the fall season with all of it’s juicy, fresh apples sounds like as cozy an endeavor to you as it does to me, then these caramel apple cinnamon rolls are the loved-filled goody for you.
It’s exactly how I “like them apples”, nestled into soft dough, baked off and topped with sweet, sticky goodness!
My recipe for caramel apple cinnamon rolls
I like a nice, pillowy and tender cinnamon roll (who doesn’t, right?), and to get that, it all starts with the homemade dough…
While all the classic ingredients such as flour, butter, yeast, sugar, and milk go into the mix, I have a secret ingredient I always like to add to my homemade cinnamon roll dough: mashed potatoes. Believe it or not, the starch in potatoes helps to tenderize the dough (think potato bread, and potato rolls), and helps keep the dough moist, tender and fluffy, just the way I like it.
I simply use a russet potato which I cook for a few minutes in the microwave, just until tender. Then I use a ricer (or even a masher) to get the potato nice and smooth before adding it to the dough. I use about a cup or so of the potato, just enough to make a difference to texture but not the flavor, so don’t worry about the cinnamon rolls tasting like potatoes.
And for the filling, I use two varieties of apples—Honeycrisp and Granny Smith—which each bring their own unique flavor and “tang” to the rolls.
The apples are combined with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then lightly sautéed or caramelized to soften before being added as the filling for the rolls.
And the sweet, apple-y glaze? It’s almost the best part, made simply with powdered sugar, pressed (or unfiltered) apple juice, and prepared salted caramel sauce, all whisked together until creamy and gooey.
I even love a little touch of chopped pecans sprinkled over top, but that’s an optional crunchy topping.
Sure, these caramel apple cinnamon rolls require some TLC, but the process is actually quite relaxing and fun when I feel like spending some time in the kitchen. The results are beyond scrumptious, which for me is the best payoff!
Here’s a sneak peek at my caramel apple cinnamon rolls recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe…)
- To get started, I prepare my cinnamon roll dough and allow that to proof for about an hour and twenty minutes, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough proofs, I saute/caramelize my apples and allow them to cool, to have ready to use as filling.
- Once the dough has proofed, I roll it out to a rectangle, spread on the softened butter, sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, then spread on the cooled apples.
- Next, I roll the dough and cut the cinnamon rolls from it, then allow the rolls to proof and rise a second time, for about 45 minutes.
- Then, I bake my caramel apple cinnamon rolls, until golden and puffy.
- While the rolls bake, I prep my caramel-cider glaze to have ready and on hand.
- Once the rolls have baked and have had the chance to slightly cool, I drizzle the glaze generously over top to cover all the nooks and crannies, then top with chopped pecans (this is optional), and enjoy the rolls while they’re still warm.
Recipe
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
by Ingrid Beer
These caramel apple cinnamon rolls are the perfect fall treat filled with spiced apples, then drenched in a rich caramel-cider glaze!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Yield: 16 cinnamon rolls
Nutrition Info: 382 calories per cinnamon roll
Prep Time: 2 hours 35 minutes (includes two separate proof times)
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Dough Ingredients:
- 1 medium russet potato
- ¼ cup warm, unfiltered apple juice (110°), fresh pressed is best
- 1 (¼ ounce) packet active dry yeast
- 1 scant cup warm, whole milk (110°)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large, whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
Apple Filling Ingredients:
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon, unsalted and softened butter, divided use
- 2 Granny Smith apples, diced very finely
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, diced very finely
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon, brown sugar, divided use
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Caramel-Cider Glaze Ingredients:
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unfiltered apple juice (fresh pressed, if possible)
- 10 ounces good quality, prepared caramel sauce
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, for optional garnish/topping on finished rolls
Preparation:
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your dough ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Prepare your russet potato by placing it into your microwave to cook for a few minutes (like a baked potato) until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and mash until completely smooth (I use a ricer), keeping about 1 scant cup worth of mashed potato for recipe. Set aside.
- To prepare your dough, add the warm apple juice (or water with 1 teaspoon of sugar in it) to a small bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over top in an even layer. Using a fork, mix to dissolve, and allow the yeast mixture to sit for 8 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Meanwhile, add the warm milk, the ½ cup of sugar, the whole egg and yolk, the mashed potato, the vanilla, the ½ cup room temp melted butter and the salt to a large bowl, and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Add in 2 cups of the flour, and mix that in until incorporated.
- Next, pour in the foamy yeast mixture, and mix that in to incorporate.
- Now, switching to a wooden spoon, add in the remainder of the flour, incrementally, and mix that in until sticky and soft but coming together to form a kneadable dough. (If the dough seems too sticky, you can add another ¼ cup or so of flour.)
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface sprinkled with flour, and knead the dough for about 5 to 6 minutes (you may need to continue to add sprinklings of flour), or until elastic. Then, lightly oil a large bowl and add the dough in, turning it to coat it lightly in the oil, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Place the bowl in a warm spot in the kitchen (I place mine in my microwave oven with the door closed), and allow it to double in size, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
- While dough is rising, gather and prep all of your filling ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- To prepare your filling, place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and add in the 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add in the diced apples and the 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and saute for about 6 to 8 minutes just until the apples are tender but not mushy. Drain any liquid from the cooked apples, and set them into the fridge to cool completely.
- Next, add the ¾ cup of brown sugar and the cinnamon to bowl, and using a fork or your fingers, blend to combine well. Set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and turn it out onto the lightly floured work surface. Roll it out into a roughly 15 inch by 9 inch rectangular shape.
- To fill, spread the ¼ cup softened butter over the dough leaving about a 1 inch border. Then, sprinkle over about half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Next, sprinkle the cooled diced apples over the dough in an even layer, and then top the apples with the rest of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Roll the dough as tightly as possible in a jelly-roll fashion, and pinch the seam closed.
- Cut the dough into about 16 rolls, and place the rolls into a buttered or cooking spray-misted baking dish, or a couple of 9 inch cake tins. Cover with plastic wrap and once again allow the rolls to double in size in a warm spot, about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°.
- Bake the caramel apple cinnamon rolls for about 25 to 28 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow the rolls to cool for about 10 minutes.
- While the rolls bake, gather and prep all of your caramel-cider glaze ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- To make the glaze, add the powdered sugar and the apple juice into a medium-size bowl, and whisk together until completely smooth and blended. Then, add in the caramel sauce, and whisk that in until completely smooth and incorporated. Set aside.
- Once the rolls have slightly cooled for 10 minute, drizzle them generously with the caramel-cider glaze, and sprinkle with about ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans, as optional topping. Enjoy warm.
Tips & Tidbits for my caramel apple cinnamon rolls recipe:
- Mashed potatoes for tender, pillowy dough: To help make these apple cinnamon rolls extra tender and light, I like to add in a mashed russet potato to the dough. I simply microwave the potato until tender, then scoop the flesh out and mash until smooth. This helps with texture, but adds no potato flavor. You can leave it out, but I really do feel it lightens the dough up.
- Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for the most apple-y flavor: Both of these apple varieties bring something sweet and tasty to the flavor of these rolls, balancing out sweet with tangy. However, you can use just one type of apple if you prefer, either Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, or feel free to use Gala or another good apple you can sauté/caramelize, and that isn’t too firm.
- Prepared caramel sauce for the caramel-cider glaze: It streamlines things a lot to use a good quality, store-bought caramel sauce here, and I personally love the Fleur de Sel caramel sauce from Trader Joe’s—it’s a little salty and really rich tasting, perfect to mix together with the powdered sugar and apple juice until creamy.
- How to store caramel apple cinnamon rolls: These are best eaten when freshly baked, though they’re still pretty tender the next day. You can allow any uneaten rolls to completely cool, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer to thaw at a later time to re-heat and enjoy.
Craving more sweet, cozy apple recipes? Check out my recap for Caramel Apple Pie Bars, Apple Cider Donuts, Apple Muffins, Apple Coffee Cake, Apple Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Streusel, or even my recipe for Baked Apples with Cranberry Nut Crumble!
Cook’s Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!
