Ingredients
Units
Scale
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
Instructions
- Place the warm milk and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the sugar, butter, egg, and egg yolk, and whisk to combine.
- 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.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Once doubled, turn dough onto a well-floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 10×18 inches.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of the softened butter over the rectangle, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- 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.
- Roll the dough tightly into one long log. Cut in half, then into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 even rolls — 12 rolls total.
- 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.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden on top.
For the caramel cream cheese frosting:
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- 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.
- 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