If you love cinnamon rolls and apple pie, these apple pie cinnamon rolls are the perfect combination of both. They’re made with soft, fluffy homemade dough, filled with buttery cinnamon sugar and topped with a generous layer of homemade apple pie filling.
To make them even better, each roll is finished with a smooth cream cheese glaze and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. The combination of tender apples, warm cinnamon, tangy cream cheese and buttery caramel makes every bite taste like caramel apple pie.
What makes these rolls extra special is the homemade apple topping. Cooking the apples separately with butter, brown sugar and spices creates a thick, glossy filling that stays beautifully on top of the rolls instead of making them soggy.
They’re perfect for a weekend baking project, a special breakfast or whenever you’re craving something homemade and comforting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and fluffy dough: The enriched yeast dough creates tender, pillowy cinnamon rolls.
- Homemade apple pie filling: Fresh apples are cooked with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Buttery cinnamon centre: Every roll has a generous layer of cinnamon sugar.
- Cream cheese glaze: Adds a smooth, slightly tangy finish.
- Homemade caramel sauce: A sweet, buttery drizzle brings all the flavours together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- All-purpose flour: Gives the rolls their structure while keeping them soft.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps enrich the dough.
- Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Whole milk: Adds moisture and tenderness.
- Unsalted butter: Creates a soft, rich dough.
- Egg: Adds richness and structure.
Cinnamon Filling
- Softened unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
The butter helps the cinnamon sugar spread evenly and creates that delicious swirl throughout the rolls.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch
- Water
- A pinch of salt
Granny Smith apples are especially good here because their slight tartness balances the sweetness of the caramel and cinnamon filling.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Full-fat cream cheese
- Softened unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
This is a classic caramel sauce without added salt. The butter and cream give it a smooth, rich texture, while vanilla adds extra flavour.
How to Make Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
1. Make the Dough
Combine the flour, sugar, instant yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the warm milk and egg, mixing until a rough dough forms.
Gradually knead in the softened butter. Continue kneading for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover and leave to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
2. Prepare the Cinnamon Filling
Mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until you have a smooth, spreadable mixture. Set aside.
3. Make the Apple Pie Filling
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Add it to the apples and cook for another 1–2 minutes until the filling thickens and becomes glossy.
Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely.
4. Shape the Rolls
Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
Roll it into a rectangle measuring approximately 45 × 35 cm. Spread the cinnamon filling over the rolled dough.
Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Cut into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss.
Arrange the rolls in a greased 23 × 33 cm baking dish. Cover and let them rise for another 30–45 minutes until puffy.
5. Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
Preheat the oven to 175°C conventional or 165°C fan.
Bake for 25–35 minutes until the rolls are golden on top and cooked through in the centre.
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 10–15 minutes before adding the toppings.
6. Make the Cream Cheese Glaze
Beat the cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the glaze is smooth and spreadable.
7. Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce
Add the granulated sugar to a pan over medium heat. Allow it to melt, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes a smooth amber-coloured caramel.
Carefully whisk in the butter until melted.
Slowly pour in the warm heavy cream while whisking continuously. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so take care.
Let the caramel simmer for 1–2 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla.
Allow it to cool slightly before using. It will thicken further as it cools.
8. Assemble the Rolls
Spread the cream cheese glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Spoon the cooled apple pie filling generously over the top, distributing the apples between the rolls.
Finish with a generous drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. Serve while slightly warm for the best texture.
Tips for the Best Cinnamon Rolls
- Don’t add too much flour: The dough should be soft and slightly tacky. Too much flour can make the rolls too dense and not soft.
- Let the apple filling cool: Warm filling can make the dough sticky and difficult to handle.
- Cut the apples small: Smaller pieces soften evenly and are easier to distribute.
- Watch the caramel: Sugar can burn quickly once it reaches an amber colour.
- Warm the cream: Adding warm cream helps it combine more easily with the caramel.
- Avoid overbaking: Remove the rolls once they’re golden and cooked through to keep the centres soft.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can prepare the rolls the night before. After shaping and arranging them in the baking dish, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, let them sit at room temperature until puffy, approximately 45–90 minutes depending on how cold they are. Bake as directed.
The apple filling and caramel sauce can also be prepared ahead and stored separately.
How to Store Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Because these rolls contain cream cheese glaze and cooked apple filling, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To serve, warm individual rolls gently in the microwave. If the caramel has thickened in the refrigerator, warm it separately until pourable.
You can also freeze the baked rolls without their toppings for up to 2 months. Thaw, warm and add the glaze, apple filling and caramel before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What apples are best for apple pie cinnamon rolls?
Granny Smith apples are my first choice because their tart flavour balances the sweet cinnamon filling and caramel. Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples also work well.
Can I make the caramel sauce ahead of time?
Yes! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm it gently before serving until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Can I skip the cream cheese glaze?
Absolutely. The rolls are delicious with just the apple filling and caramel sauce, although the cream cheese adds a lovely tangy contrast.
Why is my caramel sauce grainy?
Sugar crystals can form if the sugar is stirred too much while melting. Gently swirl the saucepan instead of stirring until the sugar has melted.
Dough
- * 585 g all-purpose flour
- * 70 g granulated sugar
- * 7 g instant yeast
- * 6 g salt
- * 360 g warm whole milk
- * 85 g softened unsalted butter
- * 1 large egg
Cinnamon filling
- * 100 g softened unsalted butter
- * 150 g light brown sugar
- * 15 g ground cinnamon
- * Pinch of salt
Apple filling
- * 400 g Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
- * 50 g unsalted butter
- * 70 g brown sugar
- * 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- * ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- * 1 tsp vanilla extract
- * 1 tbsp lemon juice
- * 12 g cornstarch
- * 20 g water
- * Pinch of salt
Cream cheese glaze
- * 125 g full-fat cream cheese
- * 28 g softened unsalted butter
- * 150 g powdered sugar
- * 30 g milk
- * 1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel sauce
- * 100 g granulated sugar
- * 45 g unsalted butter cubed
- * 80 ml warm heavy cream
- * 1 tsp vanilla extract
Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk and egg, then knead in the butter. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth. Cover and rise for 1–1½ hours.
Mix the cinnamon filling ingredients until smooth.
Melt the butter for the apple filling. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cook for 5–8 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon juice.
Mix cornstarch with water, add to the apples and cook for 1–2 minutes until thick. Cool completely.
Roll dough into a 45 × 35 cm rectangle. Spread cinnamon filling evenly, roll tightly and cut into 12 rolls.
Arrange in a greased 23 × 33 cm baking dish. Cover and rise for 30–45 minutes.
Bake at 175°C conventional or 165°C fan for 25–35 minutes. Cool for 10–15 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, then beat until creamy.
Melt sugar in a saucepan until amber. Whisk in butter, slowly add warm cream and simmer for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Spread cream cheese glaze over slightly warm rolls. Add cooled apple filling and drizzle with caramel sauce.
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