• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cloudy Kitchen
  • recipes
  • about
  • contact
  • products
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • recipes
  • about
  • contact
  • products
  • calculators
  • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Breads » Buns and Rolls » Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    ★★★★★ from 12 reviews
    29 Comments
    By Erin Clarkson on Nov 18, 2020 (updated Mar 26, 2022) This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    These Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are super gooey and delicious. They are filled with a cinnamon brown sugar filling, a cooked apple pie filling, and toasted pecans. They are then finished off with a smooth cream cheese frosting. The components for these Cinnamon Rolls can be made ahead of time, meaning the rolls just need to be assembled in the morning for the perfect Thanksgiving breakfast!

    Table of contents

    • Apple Cinnamon Rolls
    • Components of Apple Cinnamon Rolls
    • The Perfect Make Ahead Thanksgiving Breakfast
    • A few wee tips for Apple Cinnamon Rolls
    • FAQ for Apple Cinnamon Rolls
    • For more cinnamon roll recipes, check out:
    • Made this recipe and love it?
    • A note on salt and oven temperature
    • Why is this recipe in grams?
    • Recipe for Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Hi hi! Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I am so excited to share this recipe for Apple Cinnamon Rolls with you! These Cinnamon Rolls are super easy to make, and the components can be prepared ahead of time, so that come Thanksgiving morning, all you have to do is assemble them and pop them in the oven.

    Components of Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    • Brioche Dough - This is my go-to brioche dough. It comes together really easily and is super versatile. I like to make mine ahead of time and give it a cold rise in the fridge. The cold rise not only makes the dough really easy to work with, but the cold temperature of the fridge slows down the rise of the yeast, which means that the dough can work on your schedule. This makes these Cinnamon Rolls the perfect breakfast!
    • Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling - This cinnamon filling has the usual suspects - brown sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon. They are all mixed together to form a paste, which is spread over the rolled-out dough to form the base of the filling.
    • Cooked Apple Pie Filling - This apple pie filling is super easy to make - diced apples are cooked with a little sugar and butter, then corn starch is added to help thicken up the filling. The whole lot then goes into the fridge, ready for assembly.
    • Toasted Pecans - These are optional - leave them out if you don't like nuts or if you have an allergy in the house but I love the crunch that they give. I always toast my nuts in the oven just for 10 minutes. You can do these in a big batch and keep them in an airtight container in the pantry or freezer so you always have toasted nuts on hand!
    • Cream Cheese Frosting - This is a super simple cream cheese frosting - butter and cream cheese get whipped together, powdered sugar and a wee bit of salt get added and whipped until thick. Finally a little heavy cream is added to help make the icing smooth and spreadable. The cream cheese frosting goes on while the Cinnamon Rolls are still a little warm, so it melts down and adds to the gooeyness.

    The Perfect Make Ahead Thanksgiving Breakfast

    I developed this Apple Cinnamon Roll recipe with breakfast in mind, so you can prepare all the components the night before, making assembly the next morning super easy.

    Here's all the steps you can do the day before:

    1. Make the brioche dough and pop in the fridge for an overnight rise.
    2. Make the apple filling and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
    3. Toast the Pecans and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
    4. Measure out your brown sugar, cinnamon and salt for the filling and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
    5. Bring out your butter and cream cheese the night before so that it is at room temperature for assembling the filling and the frosting.

    Steps to finish off the Apple Cinnamon Rolls the next day for breakfast:

    1. Mix together your brown sugar and cinnamon and the softened butter to make your filling.
    2. Roll out the brioche dough, spread with the filling, then top with the apple filling and toasted pecans.
    3. Roll up and cut into rolls, then give a quick second rise.
    4. Bake the Cinnamon Rolls off and prepare the cream cheese frosting while they are in the oven.
    5. Finish them with the cream cheese frosting for the perfect breakfast!

    A few wee tips for Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    • These are pretty gooey cinnamon rolls, so make sure that the pan you use will help keep them contained. I used a quarter sheet pan and it was only just enough to hold them in - a 9"x13" baking pan would work great.
    • If you find that the log of dough is getting hard to work with once you have rolled it up, chop it in half, and put both halves onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover with plastic wrap and either chill for about 20 minutes or pop it into the freezer for 10 minutes. This firms up the filling and the dough and makes it a little easier to cut. Then cut each piece of dough into 6 rolls and proceed as usual! You may need to give it 10 minutes or so extra on the second rise to account for the time chilling.
    • Make these by weight if you can. I have included cup measurements, but the brioche relies on having the correct ratio of flour to milk to butter, so using a scale ensures that your measurements are accurate!

    FAQ for Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Can I make these in the same day?

    You sure can! I like to give the brioche a cold rise still, so a minimum of 2 hours in the fridge works great. This makes the dough super easy to work with and gives you flexibility in your timing too. Make the apple filling while the dough is mixing so that it has enough time to chill down before assembly, and make sure to pull your butter and cream cheese out in time for them to come to room temperature for assembly and frosting.

    Do I have to use Nuts?

    Nope! If you don't want to you can just leave them out.

    How do I know when the Cinnamon Rolls are baked?

    It can be a little tricky to tell when enriched bread is baked, especially when it has a filling. I like to double check the doneness by taking the internal temperature of the bread using an instant read thermometer - 190°f / 90°c is a good number to shoot for. Make sure you're poking the thermometer into the bread and not the filling.

    For more cinnamon roll recipes, check out:

    • Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
    • Cinnamon Bun Twists
    • Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    Made this recipe and love it?

    I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!

    A note on salt and oven temperature

    It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.

    All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.

    Why is this recipe in grams?

    I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!

    Recipe for Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

    Apple Cinnamon Rolls

    ★★★★★ 5 from 12 reviews
    • Author: Erin Clarkson
    • Prep Time: 1 hour
    • Cook Time: 45 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes plus rising time
    • Yield: 12 cinnamon buns 1x
    • Category: Baking
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    These Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are super gooey and delicious. They are filled with a cinnamon brown sugar filling, a cooked apple pie filling, and toasted pecans. They are then finished off with a smooth cream cheese frosting. The components for these Cinnamon Rolls can be made ahead of time, meaning the rolls just need to be assembled in the morning for the perfect Thanksgiving breakfast!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Brioche Dough 

    • 250g whole milk, lukewarm
    • 50g Granulated Sugar
    • 2 ¼ tsp active dried yeast
    • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ tsp kosher salt
    • 565g All-Purpose Flour
    • 100g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

    Apple Pie Filling

    • 850g - about four medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced small
    • 30g Unsalted Butter
    • 80g Granulated Sugar
    • ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
    • ¼ tsp Kosher salt
    • 1 Tbsp Corn starch

    Toasted Pecans 

    • 125g Pecan Halves

    Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling

    • 190g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
    • 280g Brown Sugar
    • 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
    • ⅛ tsp Kosher salt

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 115g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
    • 225g Cream Cheese, at room temperature
    • 250g Powdered Sugar, sifted
    • 1-2 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
    • ½ tsp kosher salt

    Instructions

    BRIOCHE DOUGH 

    1. Place the lukewarm milk, 25g of the sugar, and the yeast in a medium sized bowl, and stir to combine. Leave for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
    2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, place the flour, salt, and remaining sugar, and mix briefly to combine.
    3. Add the milk mixture and egg to the dry ingredients, and mix on low for 2-3 minutes. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium, and mix for a further 5 minutes. Add the butter a little at a time, waiting until it is incorporated until adding the next piece. Mix for a further 7-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and soft.
    4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, until doubled in size. Alternatively you can place it in a warm spot until doubled in size, 45 minutes to an hour.

    APPLE FILLING

    1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and cook, stirring often, until the apples are tender, 3-5 minutes. 
    2. Add the corn starch and mix well to incorporate, then continue to cook until the mixture has thickened and the apples are coated. 
    3. Transfer to an airtight container and chill until ready to use. 

    TOASTED PECANS

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper and place the pecans on it. 
    2. Toast the pecans for about 10 minutes, shaking occasionally, until lightly browned and toasted throughout (snap one open to check). 
    3. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use and store at room temperature. 

    BROWN SUGAR CINNAMON FILLING

    1. Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well to combine.

    ASSEMBLY

    1. Grease a baking dish (9”x13” or 23cm x 33cm) or line with parchment paper. 
    2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a rectangle that is 24” x 16” (60cm x 40cm), squaring off the edges often as you roll. Spread with the brown sugar cinnamon mixture, ensuring the filling is spread evenly over the surface.
    3. Top with the prepared apple pie filling, spreading out evenly.
    4. Roughly chop the toasted pecans, and sprinkle over the apple pie filling.
    5. Starting with a long side, roll up into a tight spiral. Cut the log into two pieces and place them side by side on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly cover the dough logs with plastic wrap, and transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes in order to firm up slightly (this step is optional but helps give a neater cut).
    6. Once the dough logs have chilled, remove from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, slice each log into 6 equal pieces (I like to use a ruler), and arrange on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish, evenly spacing between.
    7. Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, and leave to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until puffy, and a small indentation is left when poked gently with your finger.
    8. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
    9. Bake the rolls for 35 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes or so before icing with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

    CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    1. Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and salt, and whip until light and fluffy.
    2. Spread onto the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm.
    3. Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. Rewarm in the microwave before serving.

    Keywords: Cinnamon Bun, Cinnamon Roll, Apple Cinnamon Roll, Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll, Apple Pecan Cinnamon Roll

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cloudykitchen on Instagram and use the hashtag #cloudykitchen

    Key Ingredients

    • Apple
    • Cinnamon
    • Cream Cheese
    « Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
    No-Bake Snickers & Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe »
    5.5K shares

    Reader Interactions

      Leave a comment & rating, or ask a question Cancel reply

      If you made this recipe then I would love for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! If you have recipe questions please feel free to leave them below too!

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      Comments

    1. Manisha

      November 18, 2020 at 9:13 pm

      It looks totally delicious.. your recipe is great.. but u suggest eggless version.. what can i use instead of eggs..thank you 😊

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 19, 2020 at 6:24 am

        Hi! I don't think I mention an eggless version here sorry! I do have a different dough that should work but you will need to scale it to get the correct amount of dough - it is this one here 🙂 I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Leanna

          December 18, 2020 at 10:42 am

          Is it possible to fully assemble and leave in fridge overnight to bake the next morning?

          Reply
    2. Alex

      November 18, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      Hi Erin,

      Can I make this without the apple filling? This recipe makes more than your overnight cinnamon rolls (12 as opposed to 8) and would like to use this recipe to make rather than doubling the other one.
      Thanks, absolutely adore your blog:)

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 19, 2020 at 6:22 am

        Hi hi! Yep you absolutely can! I developed this base brioche recipe after the overnight ones, so prefer to use this one! You can just leave them out 🙂

        Reply
        • Steph

          May 07, 2022 at 11:44 pm

          These were a wee bit out of my comfort zone in terms of number of steps & they did take a while (would be more of a weebake than the midweek night I tried them) but they may just be the best thing I've made. Seriously sticky & delicious. Next time I'd make the apple mix drier and I'd measure my cuts as I made them too small & had too many - they were happily received by whānau though!

          ★★★★★

          Reply
    3. Maddie

      November 19, 2020 at 10:04 am

      Love, love, love that you provide the weight of each item. I used to only bake by cup and about a year ago switched to using a scale. What a game changer for my baking, and the consistency of repeating each recipe. My husband and I are looking forward to trying this recipe - thank you!!

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 20, 2020 at 8:16 am

        Hi! Ahhhh yay! Weight is the BEST!! xx

        Reply
    4. Catherine

      November 19, 2020 at 12:15 pm

      Hi! Could I use caster sugar instead of granulated sugar in the brioche dough?

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 20, 2020 at 8:16 am

        Yep it should be fine 🙂 Just do 50g total and you'll be all good

        Reply
      • MONICA

        October 25, 2021 at 7:54 pm

        BY FAR THE BEST RECIPE IVE EVER COME ACROSS !!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    5. Yana

      November 19, 2020 at 6:20 pm

      Sounds so yummy! Definitely going to give it a go. Do you think I could freeze the dough? Or the whole buns before baking them? It's only me and my partner and I don't think we would manage to eat whole 12. Thank you for all your amazing recipes 😋

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 20, 2020 at 8:15 am

        Hi! Yayyyy! I haven't tried it but I know some others have and it's worked ok. They defrosted overnight then sat them on the counter to rise. Others have frozen once they have been baked. Let me know how you get on! The other thing you could do is make half into cinnamon rolls and the other half you could shape into buns or something if you wanted to have some variation! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Xing

      November 24, 2020 at 10:26 am

      Hi Erin,
      I made this recipe and it is soooo good. So soft, I left out the pecans and the icing and just enjoyed the cinnamon apples, as they are my favourite filling.
      I actually put them in the tray, freezed the tray, then left it in a cold spot to defrost and proof overnight and baked them 35 min. They were perfection. Thank you for all your hard work and recipes. I will def try making more.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 24, 2020 at 3:01 pm

        Hi! Ahhhh thank you so much for the review! I appreciate it so much x

        Reply
    7. stacy

      November 24, 2020 at 8:40 pm

      looks perfect!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Alex S

      December 21, 2020 at 6:43 pm

      This is such a clever recipe and perfect for the holidays. I made this for the fam and they were a huge hit! It was my first time making rolls in a sheet pan and I was nervous at first, but they came out perfectly. So delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        December 23, 2020 at 9:28 am

        Eeee so happy you loved them! Thank you so much for the review!

        Reply
    9. Nish

      January 18, 2021 at 3:18 am

      Hi Erin,

      I made this for brunch for friends and it was such a huge hit! My friend said it was better than any pastry she has ever eaten before. Quite the compliment so thank you so much for sharing the recipe ☺️

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erin

        January 20, 2021 at 8:06 am

        Hi! Ahhh I love to hear this! So happy they passed the friend test x

        Reply
    10. julia

      April 16, 2021 at 2:08 am

      Hey do you think i could knead this dough by hand or is a stand mixer necessary?

      Reply
      • Erin

        April 17, 2021 at 8:46 am

        I haven't tried sorry but you could give it a go!

        Reply
    11. Miray

      December 27, 2021 at 1:46 am

      Made this for family over Christmas but left out the pecans because I couldn't find any in my rush for last minute grocery shopping. This recipe was so much easier to make than I expected as it was my first
      time making any type of cinnamon rolls and I managed to have everything ready before the dough finished rising. I left the icing on the side so people could put as much or as little as they want. I used green apples in this recipe and it went really well with everything. Planning to make this again in the future since everyone loved it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Jeanette

      April 17, 2022 at 8:10 pm

      Instead of for Thanksgiving, I made these for Easter brunch, and they were delicious! I don't have a stand mixer so I used a hand mixer with dough hooks to mix the dough, and it worked just fine. I loved the brioche in this recipe, and the apples and cinnamon went great together. Also, the toasted pecans were a yummy touch!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Bri

      April 27, 2022 at 8:33 am

      Do you know the nutritional value of these? Or calorie per bun?

      Reply
      • Erin Clarkson

        April 27, 2022 at 7:56 pm

        I don't sorry! I don't provide nutritional information as I keep my blog as a safe space from diet culture. You're welcome to work it out but I don't have the information available / calculated. Thanks!

        Reply
    14. Marge

      May 10, 2022 at 8:42 am

      I made this for Mother's Day and it was a huge hit! Really appreciate the detailed instructions you had for the brioche dough. It turned out super soft and tender and just chef's kiss. Thanks so much for this!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Victoria

      June 07, 2022 at 10:15 pm

      Just made these, and my goodness they are delicious! Thanks for a lovely recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Richard Clarkson

      June 28, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      These are so delicous - perfect for a breakfast treat!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Erin Clarkson Cloudy Kitchen

    HI, I'M ERIN

    My recipes range from quick & easy all the way to complex & impressive. I love the science and process of recipe development almost as much as baking itself. I specialize in rigorously tested recipes that are fun, reliable, and accurate.

    More about me →

    • https://www.instagram.com/cloudykitchen/
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

    Popular

    • Funfetti Cookies
    • No Knead Focaccia
    • My Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
    • S'mores Bars

    Footer

    Links

    • About
    • Contact
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Resources

    • FAQ
    • Policies
    • All recipes at once

    Copyright © 2022 Cloudy Kitchen

    Support by Foodie Digital

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Twitter