Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apples and warm spices are one of the best pairings in all of food history. I said what I said. Particularly apples and cinnamon. The French are wrong, they definitely go together. So why did it take all of us so long to think to add them to cinnamon rolls? Warm, gooey, decadent cinnamon rolls. The king of all breakfast pastries, the first thing many of us think of when trying to figure out something exceptional to make the morning of a special occasion. I can’t remember the last Christmas I didn’t throw them into the mix!

It took me a while to figure out my just-right formula for apple cinnamon rolls. I really wanted the apple to shine, so just tossing a few into the filling didn’t feel like enough. My solution was the addition of a concentrated apple cider! It easily intensifies the flavor in the dough and glaze without screwing with the chemistry behind creating either one. Plus, apple cider is readily available in the fall, so easy to get a hold of. These rolls are all-around fun, festive, and delicious. Be ready for apple cinnamon rolls to become a regular feature in your fall baking rotation.

FAQs and Science

Why reduce the apple cider instead of just adding it in? Reducing the apple cider by boiling it to evaporate the extra water will concentrate the flavor it provides. Just pouring it right from the bottle, unfortunately, is too weak to peek through at all.

Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk? If you have whole milk but not evaporated milk, go for it. Just be sure to reduce the amount of milk to 6oz or ¾ cup, so as not to throw off the ratio in the dough.

Do I have to use all granny smith apples? Nope! If there’s a different variation of apple, or blend of apples, that you prefer to use in an apple pie, then by all means, go for it. As long as it adds up to 6 cups and is a variation good for baking with, that’s what really counts.

Could I use an apple pie spice blend in the filling instead? If you’d rather the rolls lean more towards apple pie and less towards cinnamon roll, then absolutely do it! I wanted them to stay closer to the realm of cinnamon rolls with a hefty dose of apple, but that’s just me. If you’re here for apple pie wherever you can get it, use the spice blend.

Why put both flour and cornstarch in the apple filling? I prefer to use a combination for both the mouthfeel and the consistency.

Can these rolls be made ahead of time? Absolutely! Follow the instructions up to step 6 in the Assembly section. Instead of going on to number 7 and proofing them immediately, cover them with plastic and stick them in the fridge for up to a day ahead of time. When you’re ready to bake, allow them to proof for around 90 minutes in a warm place and continue on with the rest of the recipe as written.

Why use two pans? These rolls are hefty, thanks to the filling. Could I have reduced the recipe? Sure. But I wanted them like this. If you’d like a modified version of this recipe to only fit into a 9×13 pan, shoot me an email!

What You’ll Need

• 9×13 inch baking dish
• 9×5 loaf pan
• Plastic wrap
• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
• A 1-2 qt saucepan
• 4 qt saucepan
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Liquid measuring cup
• Dry measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk
• Heat safe rubber spatula
• Vegetable peeler
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Sifter or sieve
• Rolling pin
• Spoon

The Process

Begin by making your dough, so it has time to proof while you craft other components. In a 1-2 qt saucepan on the stove top, place the apple cider on medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil and reduce it until it goes from measuring 2 cups to ⅓  cup, taking about 20 minutes or so. Pour it back in the measuring cup. 

Slice the butter into 8 portions and add them to the hot concentrated apple cider to melt and cool down the concentrate quickly.

While the apple cider reduces, mix the dry goods. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Strictly speaking, you don’t have to have a stand mixer for this recipe. You’re free to bring the dough together in a large mixing bowl and then knead it together by hand on the counter, the stand mixer just saves you both time and muscle power.

Pour the evaporated milk, cooled concentrate-butter mixture, and vanilla extract into the dry goods. Turn the mixer onto level 2 and, once the dough comes together, knead it for 5 minutes or so to develop the gluten. If you’re kneading by hand, it’s going to take around twice that time so have some patience. Shape the dough into a ball as best as you can.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, flipping it around to give it a light oil coating of its own. I usually just use the bowl I had just mixed to dough in, assuming it comes out mostly clean. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm area to proof for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size. Before I had an oven with a proofing setting, I used to place my bowl either next to a vent or in an oven that had been heated to its lowest temperature and then turned off.

While the dough proofs, prepare the fillings. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Set this bowl aside. Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil or plastic wrap, set it aside. You’re free to skip the step of lining the pan, it just makes for much easier cleanup at the end.

Peel the apples and cut them into large diced pieces, around ½ inch in size. Heat the butter in a 4 qt saucepan over medium heat and, once it melts, add the apples, stirring occasionally with a heat safe rubber spatula.

After a few minutes, once the apples have started to heat and release their juices, add in the spiced sugar mixture. Stir the apples continuously until the mixture coating the apples thickens and some water has evaporated out, around 5 minutes or so. This amount of time should mean that the apples will still have some bite to them after the rolls have finished baking.

Pour the apple filling out onto the lined baking sheet, spreading it out as thinly as possible. Increasing the surface area of the filling will speed up how quickly it cools down, and it needs to be completely cool before spreading it out over the dough. Set it aside to cool completely.

While the apple filling cools, bring together the cinnamon sugar filling. In a small mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt with a fork or whisk. Set this bowl aside.

Time to assemble the rolls! Prepare the baking dishes. Spray a 9×13 baking dish AND a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, and set them aside. 

Sprinkle a clean counter lightly with flour. Place the dough in the center, and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll the dough into a 15×16 inch rectangle, adding more flour if it begins to stick.

Spread the apple filling evenly over the rectangle, leaving a ½ inch space at the bottom of the rectangle and a 1 ½-2 inch space at the top of the rectangle clean of any filling. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the top of the apple filling.

Starting at the bottom of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, keeping the seam side down. It’s okay if a bit of filling spills out the sides of the cylinder as you roll it together, just shove it back in as best as you can.

Using either thread or a chef’s knife, slice the cylinder into 8 equal portions. If you’re using a knife, it’s better to gently saw back and forth through the rolls rather than pressing down firmly so you can keep as much of the shape as possible and as much filling inside as possible. 

Place 6 of the rolls into the 9×13 inch pan, and the last 2 into the loaf pan. Cover both pans with plastic wrap and set them in a warm area to proof for another 60 minutes. Alternatively, you could pause the recipe here by placing the covered rolls into the refrigerator overnight, then pull them out, proof them, and bake them tomorrow morning!

While the rolls proof, prepare the oven. Make sure one rack is placed in the center, and another is placed on the lower position. Preheat the oven to 350F, on the convection setting if possible. When the rolls have finished proofing, place the larger pan in the center of the oven and the smaller on the lower rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Set the rolls aside to cool.

While the rolls are cooling, begin preparation for the glaze. Place the apple cider in a 1-2 qt saucepan over medium heat on the stove top. Bring it to a boil and reduce it until it goes from 2 cups to ½ cup. Return the reduced cider to the measuring cup and set it in the fridge to cool. It needs to be completely cooled off before whisking it into the powdered sugar later on.

Once both the rolls and the cider reduction have cooled completely to room temperature, continue on with the glaze. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Whisk in the salt and cooled reduction until the glaze comes together, leaving no dry sugar.

Using a large spoon, drizzle the glaze evenly over each roll. Allow the glaze to dry, and enjoy! Store any extra on the counter in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Bake Time: 350F for 50 minutes
Servings: 8 Rolls
Total Time:  4 hours 30 minutes
Prep Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients
Dough:

• 2 cups apple cider
• 5 cups bread flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 8 Tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apple Filling:

• 6 cups granny smith apples, around 9 medium apples
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Glaze:

• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups apple cider
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Dough:

1. In a 1-2 qt saucepan on the stove top, place the apple cider on medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil and reduce it until it goes from measuring 2 cups to ⅓  cup, taking about 10 minutes or so. Pour it back in the measuring cup. 
2. Slice the butter into 8 portions and add them to the hot concentrated apple cider to melt and cool down the concentrate.
3. While the apple cider reduces, mix the dry goods. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
4. Pour the evaporated milk, cooled concentrate-butter mixture, and vanilla extract into the dry goods. Turn the mixer onto level 2 and, once the dough comes together, knead it for 5 minutes or so to develop the gluten. Shape the dough into a ball as best as you can.
5. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, flipping it around to give it a light oil coating of its own. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm area to proof for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Apple Filling:

1. While the dough proofs, prepare the fillings. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Set this bowl aside. Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil or plastic wrap, set it aside.
2. Peel the apples and cut them into large diced pieces, around ½ inch in size. Heat the butter in a 4 qt saucepan over medium heat and, once it melts, add the apples, stirring occasionally with a heat safe rubber spatula.
3. After a few minutes, once the apples have started to heat and release their juices, add in the spiced sugar mixture. Stir the apples continuously until the mixture coating the apples thickens and some water has evaporated out, around 5 minutes or so.
4. Pour the apple filling out onto the lined baking sheet, spreading it out as thinly as possible. Set it aside to cool completely.

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

1. In a small mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt with a fork or whisk. Set this bowl aside.

Assembly:

1. Prepare the baking dish. Spray a 9×13 baking dish AND a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, and set them aside.
2. Sprinkle a clean counter lightly with flour. Place the dough in the center, and sprinkle more flour on top. Roll the dough into a 15×16 inch rectangle, adding more flour if it begins to stick.
3. Spread the apple filling evenly over the rectangle, leaving a ½ inch space at the bottom of the rectangle and a 1 ½-2 inch space at the top of the rectangle clean of any filling. See reference photos above.
4. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the top of the apple filling.
5. Starting at the bottom of the rectangle facing you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder, keeping the seam side down.
6. Using either thread or a chef’s knife, slice the cylinder into 8 equal portions. Place 6 of the rolls into the 9×13 inch pan, using reference photos above for placement, and the last 2 into the loaf pan. 
7. Cover both pans with plastic wrap and set them in a warm area to proof for another 60 minutes.
8. While the rolls proof, prepare the oven. Make sure one rack is placed in the center, and another is placed on the lower position. Preheat the oven to 350F, on the convection setting if possible. When the rolls have finished proofing, place the larger pan in the center of the oven and the smaller on the lower rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the rolls are golden brown on top. Set the rolls aside to cool.

Glaze:

1. While the rolls are cooling, begin preparation for the glaze. Place the apple cider in a 1-2 qt saucepan over medium heat on the stove top. Bring it to a boil and reduce it until it goes from 2 cups to ½ cup. Return the reduced cider to the measuring cup and set it in the fridge to cool.
2. Once both the rolls and the cider reduction have cooled completely to room temperature, continue on with the glaze. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Whisk in the salt and cooled reduction until the glaze comes together, leaving no dry sugar.
3. Using a large spoon, drizzle the glaze evenly over each roll. Allow the glaze to dry, and enjoy! Store any extra on the counter in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Tips

• Apple filling can be made up to two days ahead of time. After it’s cooled out on the sheet pan, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge until you’re ready for it.
• Fully assembled rolls can be made a day ahead of time. Follow the recipe up until step 7 of the assembly section, and rather than proofing them, stick the covered rolls in the fridge to stall the proofing process. The next day, pull them out and proof them in a warm area for 90 minutes then continue on with the recipe as written!