If you are searching for a truly irresistible treat that combines the warm, cozy flavors of fall with fluffy, tender rolls, you have found it with this Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe. These rolls are a dreamy mix of sweet apple butter, fragrant cinnamon, and a luscious cream cheese frosting that melts perfectly into every swirl. Whether you’re serving them for a special breakfast, brunch, or a comforting dessert, these rolls bring an inviting aroma and heavenly taste that will fill your home with joy and satisfy every sweet tooth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering the right ingredients is the first step on this delicious journey, and luckily, every component in this recipe plays a vital role in building its incredible flavor and texture. From the fluffy dough to the spiced filling and creamy frosting, these ingredients come together in simple harmony.
- 1 envelope active dry yeast (1 tablespoon): This little powerhouse gets your dough rising beautifully for that perfect fluffy texture.
- 1 cup whole milk: Adds richness to the dough and helps activate the yeast properly.
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar: Provides balanced sweetness in the dough without overpowering the apple butter.
- 2 large eggs (beaten): Bind ingredients and lend structure, plus they enrich the dough’s moist, tender crumb.
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted and slightly cooled): Adds buttery flavor and softness, essential for melt-in-your-mouth rolls.
- 4 cups all-purpose flour: The foundation of the dough, giving it strength and structure for rolling and shaping.
- 1 teaspoon salt: Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness throughout the rolls.
- 1 cup apple butter: The star of this recipe, infusing each bite with spiced, apple-y goodness.
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed): Contributes deep molasses notes and helps caramelize the filling inside the rolls.
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar: Works alongside brown sugar to sweeten and add sparkle to the filling.
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon: Provides that classic warm spice that harmonizes with apple butter perfectly.
- 3/4 cup cream cheese: The base for the creamy frosting that makes these rolls truly decadent.
- 1 cup powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting for a smooth finish.
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup: A lovely natural sweetener adding complexity and richness to the frosting.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon: Sprinkles cinnamon flavor into the frosting to echo the filling.
- Pinch salt: Balances the frosting ingredients and keeps sweetness bright.
How to Make Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients
Start by gathering everything on your counter within reach. Having all components ready makes the process smooth and enjoyable. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, this will be your best friend for kneading, though kneading by hand works just as well if you have the time and patience.
Step 2: Activate the Yeast
Pour 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon sugar into a measuring jug, sprinkle the yeast over, and give it a light stir. Let it sit for five minutes until it’s bubbly and foamy — this tells you your yeast is active and ready to work its magic. If it remains flat, it’s best to start fresh with new yeast.
Step 3: Add the Remaining Wet Ingredients
Once your yeast mixture is lively, whisk in the rest of the milk, remaining sugar, beaten eggs, and melted butter. Adding the butter last is key to avoid killing the yeast with excessive heat. This blended mixture will create the moist environment your dough needs to rise beautifully.
Step 4: Knead the Dough
In your mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead on medium with the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes until you get a soft, stretchy dough that pulls away from the bowl. If it’s too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time. The dough should feel slightly tacky but not cling to your hands in clumps.
Step 5: Let the Dough Rise
Place your dough ball in a greased bowl, cover it up, and let it rest in a warm spot for 45 to 60 minutes until it’s doubled in size. A cozy kitchen corner or a turned-off oven with the light on works great to help it rise. This first rise is essential for that airy, fluffy texture.
Step 6: Roll Out and Add Filling
Give the dough a gentle punch down, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into an 18×12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the apple butter evenly over the surface. Then mix both sugars with cinnamon and sprinkle that sweet-spicy blend all over the apple butter, leaving a bit of border on one long edge to help seal the roll later.
Step 7: Assemble the Rolls
Starting at one long edge, roll the dough jelly-roll style into a tight log. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to slice it into 12 neat rounds. Place the rolls into a greased 9×13 inch pan, cover them, and let them puff up again for about 20-30 minutes. This final rise ensures soft, pillowy rolls.
Step 8: Bake the Rolls
Preheat your oven to 350°F while the rolls rest. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes until golden brown and fully set in the center. If the tops brown too quickly, tent with foil to prevent burning while the centers finish baking. You want the inside soft and cooked through, not doughy or dry.
Step 9: Make the Frosting
While the rolls bake, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. This frosting is the perfect sweet-tangy finish that complements the spiced apple butter filling so well.
Step 10: Serve and Enjoy
Spread the frosting over warm rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Watch it melt luxuriously over each swirl. These apple butter cinnamon rolls taste divine warm, fresh from the oven, but they are also delicious cold the next day – perfect for sharing with friends or keeping all to yourself!
How to Serve Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Garnishes
For a beautiful presentation, dust a light sprinkle of cinnamon or powdered sugar over the frosting just before serving. You could even add a few thin apple slices or a sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans to give some texture contrast and elevate the look and flavor.
Side Dishes
These rolls pair wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee, spiced chai, or warm apple cider. For a fuller brunch, serve alongside crispy bacon, fresh fruit salad, or scrambled eggs to balance the sweetness and create a hearty meal.
Creative Ways to Present
If you’re serving these for a crowd, consider pulling them apart and arranging on a rustic wooden board surrounded by small bowls of extra apple butter and cream cheese frosting for dipping. This Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe is also fantastic served in individual ramekins as mini pull-apart treats.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer freshness, refrigeration is fine for up to a week, but be sure to warm them slightly before serving to bring back their softness.
Freezing
These rolls freeze beautifully either before or after baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil or use freezer bags. They keep well up to three months. To enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before frosting or serving.
Reheating
Warm leftovers in a microwave for about 20 seconds or until heated through. Alternatively, wrap rolls in foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes. This helps the frosting stay creamy and the dough soft – just like freshly baked.
FAQs
Can I make the dough by hand instead of using a stand mixer?
Absolutely! Kneading by hand is perfectly fine, just be prepared to spend about 10-15 minutes working the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. It’s a great way to connect with the recipe and get a feel for the perfect dough texture.
Is apple butter necessary, or can I use regular apple sauce?
Apple butter is key here because it’s thicker and spiced, giving the rolls a richer, more concentrated apple flavor with warming spices. Regular applesauce is less flavorful and runnier, which could impact the texture and taste of the filling.
Can I make this recipe vegan or dairy-free?
While this recipe uses dairy and eggs for richness and structure, you can experiment with plant-based butter, non-dairy milk, and egg replacers. Keep in mind the texture might be slightly different, but it can still be delicious with some adjustments.
What if my rolls aren’t rising properly?
Check that your yeast is fresh and that your rising environment is warm enough but not hot. Yeast dislikes temperatures above 100°F and will stop working. Also, make sure your dough isn’t too dry or too dense from excess flour.
Can I prepare these rolls the night before baking?
You sure can! After shaping the rolls in the pan, cover and refrigerate them overnight. The slow cold rise will develop flavors nicely. Just let them come to room temperature before baking and expect a slightly longer bake time.
Final Thoughts
Give this Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe a try and watch it become a beloved classic in your kitchen. The blend of tender dough, spiced apple butter, and creamy frosting will have everyone asking for more. Baking these rolls is a joyful experience that fills your home with warmth and sweet aromas, perfect for any day you want a little homemade magic.
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Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Fluffy, tender Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls bursting with warm cinnamon and spiced apple butter, topped with a creamy maple cinnamon frosting. These homemade sweet rolls are perfect for breakfast or brunch and offer a delightful balance of sweet and spice in every bite.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 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 Ingredients
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep: Gather all your ingredients. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook is helpful for kneading the dough faster, but hand kneading is fine if you don’t have one.
- Activate yeast: Mix the active dry yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon milk in a large measuring jug. Let it stand for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and smells pleasantly yeasty. If it doesn’t foam, discard and restart with fresh yeast.
- Add remaining liquid ingredients: Whisk in the rest of the milk, remaining sugar, beaten eggs, and melted butter gently into the bubbly yeast mixture. Add butter last to avoid killing the yeast with heat.
- Knead dough: In your stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead on medium speed with the dough hook for 8–10 minutes until the dough is soft, stretchy, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add extra flour a tablespoon at a time if needed until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides and forms a ball.
- Let dough rise: Place the dough ball in a large greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. If your kitchen is cool, put the dough in a turned-off oven with the light on or near a warm area, but keep it below 100°F.
- Roll out and add filling: Punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a roughly 18×12 inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread the apple butter evenly over the dough. Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the apple butter, leaving a small border along one long edge to seal later.
- Assemble rolls: Starting from one long edge, roll the dough up jelly-roll style tightly. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, slice the roll into 12 equal rounds. Arrange these rolls in a well-greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover and allow the rolls to rise again until puffy, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Bake rolls: Preheat your oven to 350°F while the rolls rise. Bake the rolls for 18 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Check them after 20 minutes—if the tops are browning too fast but the centers are undercooked, tent the pan with foil and continue baking until done. The centers should feel soft but set, not doughy. Once done, place the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Make frosting: While the rolls are baking, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Spread the frosting over the rolls while they are still warm. These cinnamon rolls are delicious fresh and warm but also taste wonderful cold the next day.
Notes
- Make sure your yeast is fresh for a good rise.
- Room temperature ingredients help yeast activate properly.
- Don’t overbake—overcooked rolls will be dry.
- You can substitute apple butter with homemade or store-bought spiced apple butter.
- For easier slicing, dental floss works great to avoid squashing the rolls.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
