Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Cinnamon Glaze
These are the perfect elevated cinnamon rolls, brimming with apples and a cinnamon glaze.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/4 ounce package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon yeast)
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter divided (you will need 6 Tablespoons for the dough and the additional 2 for greasing the bowl and the pan)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 3 large apples, diced (approximately 2 Cups)
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
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In a glass measuring cup mix warm water and yeast, stir with a spoon and set aside.
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In a medium sauce pan, heat milk to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add butter, sugar, and salt and stir until dissolved, allowing the mixture to cool slightly.
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Slowly add egg, stirring in little by little so that the egg does not scramble.
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Transfer milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 1 cup of flour and mix until well combined. Add yeast mixture and additional flour, cup by cup, mixing until it comes together to form a soft dough (3 ½ - 4 cups of flour total). The dough should be slightly tacky, but hold together in a ball.
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Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for approximately 2 hours, or until dough has doubled. (Best to put your dough in a warmish, non-drafty place-I use my oven (turned off) with the oven light turned on)
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While dough is rising, prepare filling. In a small saucepan, melt butter for filling. Add apples, brown sugar,cinnamon, and nutmeg. Allow to simmer over medium heat until apples are soft but still retain their shape approximately 15 minutes (??)
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When dough is doubled, remove to a clean, lightly floured surface. Punch down a few times. Roll dough out into a large rectangle approximately 9 x 15. Spread the filling onto the dough, sparing a ½ rim around the rectangle. Roll up along the long side of the dough (this forms a long snake of dough filled with apple cinnamon filling). Cut the dough into 12 slices (each a little more than 1 inch wide). Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan with butter. Lie the slices down in the pan tucking them close together.
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If you are planning on baking these today, cover with a towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes. If you are going to bake these rolls the following day, cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator.
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While rolls are rising, make glaze by placing powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of hot water into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix adding water tablespoon by tablespoon until desired consistency is reached (this can be done in the morning if you are leaving rolls in the refrigerator overnight).
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When you are ready to bake the rolls, preheat the oven to 350°F. (If the rolls have been in the refrigerator overnight, allow apple cinnamon rolls to come to room temperature and rise for 1 hour before baking)
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After rolls have risen, place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until starting to turn golden on top. Remove from oven. Allow to cool slightly and add glaze to top as desired. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
When you transfer the milk mixture to the stand mixer you want it to be warm to the touch, but not hot. Too hot and you will kill your yeast-then your dough won’t rise. If you have a thermometer, 105°F is what you are aiming for. Otherwise if you are going by feel, “warm” is what you want.