Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese & Salted Caramel Icing
These Apple Cinnamon Rolls are soft, gooey, and loaded with tart Granny Smith apples, buttery cinnamon filling, and a drizzle of salted caramel over cream cheese frosting. Cozy fall mornings don’t get better than this.
1 11x11x2 aluminum baking pan If using 9x13 (divide your rolls to 12)
Ingredients
Dough
1cupWhole milkwamr 120 degrees Fahrenheit
2½teaspoonactive dry yeast
2largeEggsroom temperature
½cupButter
½cupgranulated white Sugar
1teaspoonSalt
4cupsAll-purpose flour
Filling
6tablespoonButter
2tablespoonCinnamon Powder
½cupBrown Sugar
½cupWhite Sugar
2mediumGranny Smith Appleschopped small
⅔cupHeavy Whipping Creamroom temperature
Salted Caramel Drizzle
½cupcondensed milk
2tablespoondark brown sugar
⅛teaspoonsalt
2tablespoonbutter
Cream Cheese Frosting
1½cupConfectioner's sugar
¼cupbutter
8ouncescream cheese
1teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonsalt
Topping
walnuts or pecan nuts (OPTIONAL)toasted and chopped
Instructions
Make the Dough: Warm the milk to lukewarm (about 110°F), then stir in the yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the flour, kneading until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, mix softened butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and white sugar to make a spreadable filling. Peel, core, and chop the apples into small cubes.
Roll Out the Dough: After the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle (about 16x12 inches).
Add the Filling: Spread the cinnamon-sugar butter mixture evenly across the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle the apple pieces evenly over the butter mixture.
Roll the Dough: Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut the log into 9 equal-sized rolls.
Let Them Rise: Arrange the rolls in a buttered baking dish. Cover with a towel and let them rise for another 30-45 minutes, until puffed.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Internal temperature should be 180-190.
Make the Salted Caramel Drizzle: In a small saucepan, combine the condensed milk, dark brown sugar, salt, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns a deep caramel color. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Prepare the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble: Once the rolls are done baking, spread the cream cheese frosting on top and drizzle the caramel sauce over the warm rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Apples: Granny Smiths are my go-to for that sweet-tart balance, but Honeycrisp or Fuji work great too. Just skip Red Delicious—they turn soft and watery once baked.
Cut small: Dice the apples into small pieces (about ¼ inch) so they cook evenly and don’t tear the dough when you roll it up.
Filling: Don’t pile the filling too high—spread it in an even layer and leave a little border so it doesn’t all squish out.
Rolling tip: Roll it snug, but not too tight. You want those pretty swirls without squeezing the filling out the sides.
Rising: Let the dough rise until it looks soft and puffy. If you poke it lightly, the dent should stay.
Baking: Pull the rolls once the tops are golden and the centers still look a little soft. That’s how you get that gooey texture!
Frosting: Spread the cream cheese icing while the rolls are still slightly warm—it melts into all the nooks and makes every bite extra soft.
Caramel: Drizzle on the salted caramel while warm so it soaks into the swirls.
Storage: Cover the pan loosely with foil or plastic wrap to keep the rolls soft. They’ll stay fresh for a couple of days on the counter or up to 5 in the fridge.
Make ahead: You can prep these the night before! Just assemble, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, let them sit out for about an hour before baking.