Description
These Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls combine fluffy, soft dough with a spicy apple butter filling and a luscious cream cheese maple frosting. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or brunch, the rolls are made from scratch with a rich blend of spices and sweet cinnamon sugar, baked until golden and topped with a smooth, tangy glaze. The recipe uses classic yeast dough techniques to create tender, pull-apart rolls bursting with fall flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
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: Get your ingredients ready. A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment makes kneading easier, but it can also be done by hand, though it takes longer.
- Activate yeast: Mix yeast with 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large measuring jug. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active. Discard if mixture stays flat.
- Add remaining liquid ingredients: Whisk remaining milk, sugar, beaten eggs, and melted butter (added last so yeast doesn’t get too hot) into the bubbly yeast mixture.
- Knead dough: In a stand mixer bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and knead on medium speed with dough hook for 8-10 minutes till dough is soft, stretchy, and pulls away from sides. Add flour a tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky; dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticking in large clumps.
- Let dough rise: Place dough ball in a greased large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm area until doubled, about 45-60 minutes. If kitchen is cool, use a slightly warm oven or warm spot but keep temperature below 100°F.
- Roll out and add filling: Punch dough down onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into 18×12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread apple butter evenly over dough. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over apple butter, leaving a small border on one long edge for sealing.
- Assemble rolls: Roll dough jelly-roll style from long edge. Slice rolled dough into 12 rounds with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to avoid squashing the swirls. Arrange rolls in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise again until puffy, about 20-30 minutes.
- Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F while rolls rise. Bake rolls for 18-25 minutes until golden and set in the center. If tops brown too quickly before centers are done, tent pan with foil and continue baking. Cool slightly on wire rack.
- Make frosting: Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy.
- Serve: While rolls are hot, spread frosting over tops. Rolls are best served warm but also delicious cold the next day.
Notes
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook saves time and effort kneading, but kneading by hand works too.
- The apple butter and cinnamon filling is spiced, so adjust cinnamon amount to taste to avoid overpowering the flavor.
- Keep dough slightly tacky but not sticky for best texture; add flour sparingly when kneading.
- Letting the dough rise in a warm environment ensures proper yeast activation and soft rolls.
- Use dental floss or a sharp knife to slice rolls without flattening.
- Tent rolls with foil if they brown too fast in the oven to prevent burning.
- The cream cheese frosting shines best spread when the rolls are warm.
- These rolls can be stored refrigerated and gently reheated for next-day enjoyment.
