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–+ servings

Old Fashioned Apple Pie Filling Cinnamon Rolls

These apple cinnamon rolls are basically a combination between traditional gooey cinnamon rolls and classic apple pie. They are gooey and filled with juicy tart apples and the brown butter cream cheese frosting adds a delicious sweet and nutty flavor. Try this recipe once and I promise you will be hooked!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • ¾ cup whole milk ( warmed to 95- 105 degrees F)
  • 2 packets rapid rise yeast
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup salted butter (melted and room temp)
  • 4 cups flour
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Apple Pie Filling

  • 5 medium honey crisp apples
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon clove
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon corn starch
  • 4 tablespoon butter (cut up)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Brown Butter Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks)
  • ½ cup salted butter
  • 3 cup Powder sugar (sifted)

Instructions
 

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • Warm your milk on the stove over a low heat. Test the temperature of your milk. It should be warm but not hot (between 95-105 degrees). If it is too hot it will kill the yeast but not hot enough and your yeast will not grow.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add your milk and yeast. Mix together. Let it sit until a little foamy/bubbly and smells like yeast (about 5 to 10 minutes).
  • Add sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, butter (make sure butter is not too hot or you will kill your yeast). Mix until combined. Then mix in your flour and blend on medium speed with your dough hook attachment. Mix until combined and dough is separated from the bowl.
  • Transfer your dough to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for at least one hour, it should double in size.
  • Using a rolling pin place your dough on a floured surface and roll out your dough to about a 10"x 16" rectangle.

Apple Pie Filling

  • Peel, core, and dice your apples.
  • In a medium sauce pan combine your apples, the juice from one lemon, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the juices to come out.
  • Then cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes while stirring.
  • Take mixture off heat. Using a tablespoon take about 2 tablespoons of liquid out from your pot (no apples) and place it in a small bowl. In that bowl add your corn starch and stir until combined. Then add this slurry back into your pot and mix. Cook again on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until mixture is thickened.
  • Take off heat and mix in your butter and vanilla until melted.
  • Let apple pie filling cool.

Assemble

  • Pour the apple pie filling onto your rolled out dough and spread evenly.
  • Roll your dough in on itself from one long side to the other.
  • Then slice your dough into 12 even rolls.
  • Place your rolls in a 9x 11 inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  • Pour your heavy cream evenly over your rolls.
  • Bake your rolls at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
  • Let cool.

Brown Butter Frosting

  • In a small sauce pan, brown your butter. Melt your butter on medium heat. Once melted, stir your butter while cooking it. The butter should get foamy. Keep stirring or it will burn quick. While stirring you will notice the color of your butter becoming a caramel like color and it will start smelling nutty. Once the butter is fully this caramel color, immediately take it off the heat. You should see some dark speaks in the bottom of your pot and it should smell super nutty. This is good! BUT, if it is too dark and smells burnt then it is burnt and you went too far. Be careful to not cook it too long and keep stirring because it burns quickly.
  • Let the brown butter cool until slightly solid again. Place in fridge for 10 minutes, stir, then place in fridge again for another 10 minutes. Butter should still be soft and spreadable but not a liquid anymore.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer using the beater attachment, beat your cream cheese until soft and airy. Add your brown butter and mix until combined. Add your Powdered sugar and mix until soft and combined.
  • Using a knife spread your brown butter frosting on top of your rolls.
  • Serve and enjoy!
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