Description
Delight in these warm, comforting Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls featuring a soft, yeasty dough swirled with spiced apple butter and cinnamon sugar, finished with a creamy maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or dessert treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 envelope active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Prep: Get your ingredients ready. A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment makes it easy to knead the dough, but you can also knead it by hand – it just takes a while.
- Activate yeast: Activate the yeast according to package directions by mixing it with 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon sugar, then letting it sit for 5 minutes until bubbly. The mixture should look foamy and smell pleasantly yeasty; if it stays flat, discard and start again with fresh yeast.
- Add remaining liquid ingredients: Whisk in remaining milk, remaining granulated sugar, beaten eggs, and melted butter (add butter last to avoid killing the yeast) into the bubbly yeast mixture.
- Knead dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and knead with the dough hook on medium speed for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and stretchy. Add more flour one tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky in large clumps.
- Let dough rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm room until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. If your kitchen is cool, place bowl in a slightly warm oven or near a warm spot, but below 100°F.
- Roll out and add filling: Punch dough down and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle about 18×12 inches. Spread apple butter evenly over the dough. Mix light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the apple butter, leaving a small border on one long edge.
- Assemble rolls: Roll dough jelly-roll style starting from one long edge. Slice into 12 equal rounds and arrange in a well-greased 9×13-inch pan. Cover and let rise for another 20-30 minutes until puffy.
- Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F while rolls are rising. Bake rolls for 18-25 minutes until golden and set in the center. If tops brown too quickly but centers are underdone, tent with foil and continue baking. Remove from oven and cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt together until smooth. Spread over the warm rolls.
- Serve: Serve warm or enjoy cold the next day for an equally delicious treat.
Notes
- Using a stand mixer with dough hook speeds up kneading, but hand kneading works too.
- Ensure yeast mixture is bubbly and foamy to confirm yeast is active.
- Add melted butter last to yeast mixture to avoid killing yeast.
- Dough should be soft and tacky but not overly sticky when kneaded properly.
- If kitchen is cool, use a warm (off) oven to help dough rise effectively.
- Leave a border along one edge when spreading filling to make rolling easier.
- Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to slice rolls without squashing spirals.
- Tent rolls with foil if they brown too fast but are not cooked through.
- Frost rolls while still warm for best melting and flavor fusion.
- These rolls can be enjoyed warm or cold the next day with excellent flavor.
