Description
Delicious Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls featuring a soft, fluffy dough layered with spiced apple butter and cinnamon sugar, then topped with a creamy maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special treat, these rolls combine comforting fall flavors with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
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 of salt
Instructions
- Prep: Gather all your ingredients. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes kneading easier, but you can also do it by hand if necessary, keeping in mind it will take longer.
- Activate yeast: Combine yeast with 1 tablespoon of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large measuring jug. Let sit for 5 minutes until bubbly and foamy. If the mixture remains flat, discard and start over.
- Add remaining liquids: Whisk the remaining milk, sugar, beaten eggs, and melted butter (added last to avoid killing the yeast) into the activated yeast mixture.
- Knead dough: In the stand mixer bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead on medium speed for 8-10 minutes until dough is soft, stretchy, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky until it forms a soft ball pulling away from the bowl.
- Let dough rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature (or in a warm, off oven if kitchen is cool) for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size.
- Roll out and add filling: Punch down dough and roll it on a floured surface into an 18×12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread apple butter evenly, then sprinkle combined brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon on top, leaving a small border on one long edge for sealing.
- Assemble rolls: Roll dough jelly-roll style from the long edge and slice into 12 even pieces. Place rolls in a greased 9×13 inch pan. Cover and let rise again until puffy, about 20-30 minutes.
- Bake rolls: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 18-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. If the tops brown too fast before the centers are set, tent with foil to prevent burning. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Spread frosting on warm rolls. Enjoy immediately or left over rolls cold the next day taste great as well!
Notes
- Ensure yeast is fresh and activated properly for good dough rise.
- Do not overbake rolls to avoid dryness; centers should be set but rolls remain soft.
- Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife for clean roll slicing without squashing.
- The cinnamon in the filling can be adjusted to taste; apple butter is already spiced so adjust accordingly.
- For a softer dough, don’t add too much flour; it should be slightly tacky but manageable.
- Keep butter slightly cooled before adding to yeast mixture to prevent killing yeast.
