Caramel Apple Rolls

These Caramel Apple Rolls are soft and fluffy and filled with the usual cinnamon spiced apples and topped with a caramel cream cheese frosting.

When the air is colder, I itch to bake more. There’s just something more enticing about a pan of warm brownies/bars/cinnamon rolls on a chilly fall day than on a hot an steamy summer afternoon, y’know?

Cinnamon rolls are definitely a treat in our house. I would say I typically have more of a savory breakfast palate, so while I love whipping up eggs, bacon, and avocado toast, cinnamon rolls are pretty rare. That said, I hope I make an exception to that more often because these Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls are quite heavenly!

While testing this recipe through and through, I found a few things essential to ensuring success that we should go over. First, and most importantly, I found it was best to shred the apples in the filling. I tried making these with diced apples and they just seemed too heavy and chunky in the filling. When I shredded the apples, they were noticeable but not overbearing in the rolls. The soft and fluffy rolls stood out, with that amazing cinnamon apple flavor.

Next, it was important to start off with room temperature ingredients in the rolls. This means having softened butter and room temperature eggs.

For the butter, I just set out a stick the night before. I’d say this isn’t too much to ask because, if you’re going to make cinnamon rolls, it probably isn’t a last minute decision. You go to bed knowing you’re going to get some rolls the next morning! For the eggs, just set them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes and they’ll be good to go.

Lastly, go with your gut when adding more flour. After kneading the dough it should be soft and not too sticky. If it still seems sticky (mine did), add a couple of tablespoons at a time until it stays away from the sides of the bowl. The amount that you will add will vary depending on humidity and temperature, but I added about 1/4 cup extra at the end.

If you follow these general guidelines, you should have Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll success! Ours were absolutely delicious straight out of the oven with a big slathering of caramel cream cheese frosting. Not only that, your kitchen will surely smell like fall. On a crisp autumn morning, these are the only thing I will be craving!

Click here for the caramel cream cheese frosting recipe.

Caramel Apple Rolls

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• Author: Taylor Kadlec
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 12 rolls 1x

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Ingredients

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For the dough:

• 1 cup warm whole milk (100-110°F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus up to 1/4 cup more as needed)

For the filling:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
• 1 large apple, shredded
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the caramel cream cheese frosting:

• 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1-2 tablespoons milk, if needed to thin

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Instructions

1. Place the warm milk and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add the sugar, butter, egg, and egg yolk, and whisk to combine.
3. Add the flour and knead with an electric mixer for 8 minutes until you have a soft dough ball. If still quite sticky, add more flour about 2 tablespoons at a time.
4. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
5. Once doubled, turn dough onto a well-floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 10×18 inches.
6. Spread 3 tablespoons of the softened butter over the rectangle, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
7. In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shredded apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg and sauté until the apple is softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apple and stir briefly. Spread the apple mixture over the dough.
8. Roll the dough tightly into one long log. Cut in half, then into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 even rolls — 12 rolls total.
9. Place the rolls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with a towel and let rise at room temperature for 30–45 minutes, until puffed.
10. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden on top.

For the caramel cream cheese frosting:

1. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the powdered sugar, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low until incorporated, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and spreadable.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time. Spread generously over the warm rolls and serve.

Notes

Shredding the apples rather than dicing them gives a more even distribution throughout the rolls without making the filling too heavy. Start with room temperature butter and eggs for the best rise.

• Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Baking, Breakfast

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