Apple Cinnamon Rolls

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition in our house to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast. In the past I have made my chai cinnamon rolls, but this year I was looking for something different. My love for cinnamon rolls goes deep. I love a light and fluffy dough that’s stuffed with cinnamon and brown sugar with a cream cheese frosting on top. These apple cinnamon rolls are just as good as traditional cinnamon rolls, maybe even better! The filling is a mixture of apple butter, butter, brown sugar, and diced apples. It’s the perfect cinnamon apple combination to kick off your Thanksgiving morning.

Cinnamon rolls are easier to make than you think. And before you tell me that it’s too much work to do Thanksgiving morning, you can prep these cinnamon rolls the day before! When you make this cinnamon roll dough, you need to let it rise twice: once is a bulk rise before you roll and form the cinnamon rolls. The second time is after they are rolled and cut and in the pan. This second rise can be done overnight in the fridge. In the morning, I set the cinnamon rolls on the counter for about 30 minutes before popping them in the oven for a perfect, delicious breakfast. For the apple butter filling, I used my dad’s homemade apple butter. You can feel free to use any homemade or store-bought apple butter. It’s the perfect way to get extra apple flavor as well as a cinnamon-spice flavor that’s exactly what you need in this cinnamon roll recipe.

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls:

• In a stand mixer or in a large bowl, place your yeast, warm milk, and a little sugar. After the yeast starts to bloom and smells “yeasty,” add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, melted butter, and eggs. It’s really important to not add the salt directly the yeast mixture or you’ll kill your yeast! I like to add the flour in first and then sprinkle the salt on top of the flour to protect the yeast.
• If you’re using a large bowl, mix the dough with a spoon before transferring to a countertop to knead. If you’re using a stand mixer, keep the setting at 1-2 to knead slowly until the dough forms a smooth but sticky ball. Add a little more flour if you need to, but not too much because you want the dough to stay nice and soft.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and place in a warm place to let rise for about an hour until doubled in size.
• Make your filling. In a small bowl cream together the brown sugar and butter. Then add the chopped apples, apple butter, and cinnamon. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle and spread the filling on. Roll up the dough and cut into 12 cinnamon rolls. I like to use unflavored dental floss to cut the cinnamon rolls for an even cut! Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place the cinnamon rolls into the pan.
• Same-day method: Cover the cinnamon rolls with a damp towel and place in a warm place for 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 10-20 minutes before frosting and serving warm!
• Overnight method: Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap to keep airtight and refrigerate for 8-10 hours. In the morning, take the cinnamon rolls out of the refrigerator and set on the counter for 30 minutes before baking as instructed above.

I hope you enjoy these perfect apple cinnamon rolls for your Thanksgiving morning or for any fall weekend breakfast!