This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Caramel apple cinnamon rolls stuffed with cinnamon, brown sugar, granny smith apples and drizzled with homemade apple cider caramel sauce. My cinnamon rolls have the most wonderful, bakery-style, buttery flavor! The perfect fall treat!
Feeling all the fall vibes today!
Today, I’m bringing you apple cinnamon rolls drizzled all over with cider caramel sauce!
Each bite has a gooey caramel apple filling all wrapped around pillowy soft bakery-style cinnamon roll dough.
You could totally frost these with cream cheese frosting like I do my 1-hour cinnamon rolls, but I like to go in with that leftover apple cider caramel or salted caramel sauce, and it’s golden brown fall perfection. It’s totally giving sticky buns meets caramel apple pieces.
Serve for brunch alongside some eggs and watch these disappear.
Ingredients for apple cinnamon rolls
- Flour: The protein content of all-purpose flour is ideal for making cinnamon rolls.
- Milk: warm whole milk is added to the dough. This adds hydration, structure, and strengthens the dough.
- Instant Yeast: ferments the sugar and helps the dough to rise by releasing carbon dioxide. Active dry yeast works too, just be sure to activate it first.
- Sugar: You’ll need both granulated sugar and brown sugar for this recipe. I like to use white sugar in the dough and brown sugar for the cinnamon swirl in the center.
- Powdered Milk: This is my secret ingredient in making bakery-quality cinnamon buns at home! You can find this in the baking aisle or online here.
- An Egg: helps strengthen the structure of the final baked product.
- Butter: When we add melted butter to the rolls, the fat coats the flour and ensures that less gluten is formed, so the rolls are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Spices: You’ll need ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt for the dough. These add flavor.
- Diced apples: I love using a nice and tart green apple for this recipe because it balances out all the sweet ingredients in the recipe. Swap with any other apples that are suitable for baking.
- Pecans: Adds nutty crunch.
How to make apple cinnamon rolls
- Yeast likes things warm to get it going. Combine the milk and water. Then heat it for 30 seconds until warm. Add melted butter to the mixture, then check the temperature using a food thermometer. It shouldn’t be any hotter than 105ºF; if it is, just let it cool a bit.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, sugar, salt, powder milk, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the milk mixture and the egg. Mix together until a soft dough forms. Remove it from the stand mixer, cover it, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax. If you were to roll this right away, the dough wouldn’t stretch the way we need it to!
- Make the cinnamon brown sugar filling. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a bowl; set it aside for later. This would also be a good time to dice up a granny smith or Honeycrisp apple.
- Make rolls. Place the dough on a lightly floured surfaced roll into a large rectangle. Then spread the surface with softened butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Drop apple chunks and drizzle with salted caramel or apple cider caramel sauce on top. Roll the dough into a tight log. Make sure to tuck and pinch the ends. Cut the ends off to make clean pieces. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Place the rolls in a lightly greased baking dish.
- Let the dough rest and rise. For the second rise, I like to warm the oven to 200ºF, turn it off and then place the rolls inside covered with a damp tea towel. The warm oven is an optimum atmosphere for the dough to rise.
- Preheat the oven and bake. When the dough has risen, remove it from the oven and preheat the oven. Bake the rolls for 16-22 minutes or until the center roll is cooked through and no longer raw. Let the rolls cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then drizzle with more apple cider caramel or salted caramel. Serve warm!
FAQs about caramel cinnamon rolls:
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
Yes, you can. The only difference is you’ll have to proof the yeast.
Do I have to use powdered milk?
I do recommend it.
What caramel do you use?
I’ve used a homemade apple cider caramel, a homemade salted caramel with vanilla, and I’ve even used several brands of store-bought caramel sauce. If I go the store-bought route, this one has been my favorite!
How do you store these cinnamon rolls?
I usually prefer to pop them in an airtight container and refrigerate them until ready to serve.
Do I have to bake them in a 13×9 pan?
You can bake them in 9-inch round pie dish but it only holds 11 rolls – not 12. You can also make these in a muffin pan to get individual cinnamon rolls.
Other apple recipes to try:
- Quick Warm Cinnamon Apples
- Homemade Apple Cider
- Apple Crumble Bars
- Easy Maple Honeycrisp Apple Fritters
- Honeycrisp Kale Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel apple cinnamon rolls stuffed with cinnamon, brown sugar, granny smith apples and drizzled with homemade apple cider caramel sauce. My cinnamon rolls have the most wonderful, bakery-style, buttery flavor! The perfect fall treat!
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough:
- 4 tablespoons melted salted butter or ghee
- ¾ cup milk such as dairy, almond,etc
- ¼ cup water
- 3¼ -3¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk
- 1 egg room temperature
Caramel Apple Filling:
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- 5 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 5 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 large Granny Smith apple cored and chopped
- ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans optional
- ¾ cup caramel sauce homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- WARM: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk and water for 30-45 seconds. Check the temperature, it should be about 105-108ºF. If it’s hotter, you’ll need to allow it to cool at room temp until it reaches that range. Add the melted cooled butter to the milk mixture.
- DOUGH: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook (or hand mixer with dough hook) combine 3 cups flour, sugar, salt, powdered milk, and yeast. Mix for a few seconds, then pour in the milk mixture and egg. Beat on medium-low speed until the flour is incorporated; about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add ¼ cup of flour at a time until it pulls away and forms a ball. Run the mixture for another 5 minutes on medium speed. Remove dough from hook, spray dough with oil spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
- CINNAMON BROWN SUGAR: In a small now, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg; set aside.
- MAKE ROLLS: Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll it out into a 14×10 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter over the surface using a butter knife. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Top with apple and pecan pieces. Drizzle ½ of the caramel sauce on top. Roll the dough tightly, tuck and pinch the ends and cut into 12 even pieces, using a sharp knife or dental floss. Place rolls in a lightly greased or parchment-lined 13×9 baking pan.
- REST: Loosely cover with a towel and allow the rolls to rise in a warm, dark place for 20-35 minutes. TIP: heat a 200ºF oven, turn the oven OFF and place rolls inside.
- BAKE: Remove the dish from the oven. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the rolls for 16-22 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and serve warm.
Notes
-
Alternate pans: If you bake these cinnamon rolls in a 9-inch round pie dish, you’ll only be able to fit 11 rolls. You can also bake these in a muffin pan to get individual cinnamon rolls.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
Made these tonight. Amazing!! So much flavor. The caramel sauce is out of this world!
Ridiculously delicious!!! Recipe turned out perfect. I used the full 3 3/4 cups of flour too. Also warmed in the oven for 35 minutes before baking…absolutely perfect!!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Becky!
I have never seen anything like this before, and it looks delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Hi I’m from Canada. I made these and ate two the instant they came out of the oven. Omg, they’re delicious! I had to bake them 12 min. Longer but I’m sure that has a lot to do with our flour, and the altitude. My adult son stopped by. I sent him home with 6 so that I wouldn’t end up eating the whole pan. I live in the country and didn’t have apple cider on hand so I made my own version of caramel sauce. Next time I will definitely try your recipe. I bet it’ll knock these out of the park. They’re so flippin’ good.
Did not have powdered milk, I did however have powdered malted milk. They look amazing. Took a picture, they will not be pristine for long, as I have a coffee and fork in hand. Thanks for the recipe, it shall be used again and again.
I really want to make these for a family Thanksgiving, but I have to drive out of state and must make them ahead of time. Do you suggest prepping and baking OR prepping and freezing in order to travel? Maybe I should test run/eat, JUST to be safe;) Ha! Thanks for your time and recipe!!
Hey there! It just depends on how long the drive is. If it’s a couple of hours, you could bake these right before leaving and they’ll be fine. If it’s longer than that, I’d probably suggest prepping and freezing. That way they’ll defrost on the way and you’ll just need to pop it in the oven. But yes, doing a test run is never a bad idea! 🙂
I need to make these earlier in the day, then sell them at an auction later. Is there anything I should do differently, or will they “hold” okay?
Hi, I was wondering if you could use unsalted butter and a hand mixer versus a standing mixer?
Hi Jasmine! Yes, unsalted butter is fine, just add a pinch of salt and it’ll give you that same flavor. Sure, you can use a hand mixer for this recipe, just make sure to use the dough hook attachments with it and not the regular beaters.
I think caramel food for dessert very yummy….
These look awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi I am from Indonesia, adding that plus a red apple will definitely look nice and cool
These won’t be doughy due to juice from the apples?
I didn’t have any issues with the final product being doughy!
I call these the “no fail” rolls. I know some people are intimidated by yeast, but this recipe is easy with consistent results. I don’t put the caramel sauce in (or powdered milk), just brush with butter, cinnamon sugar, apples, and top with a simple powdered sugar-milk drizzle glaze. Maybe I don’t roll the dough out so thin, but 12 rolls fills only half a 13×9.
Also tried subbing apple cider and apple juice for the water in the dough, and adding extra cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg directly in the flour mixture too. Nothing wrong with extra flavor!
These cinnamon rolls are fantastic! I used your apple cider caramel sauce as well. They are absolutely delicious and very easy to make. The dough turned out great and the combination of apples, pecans and the cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar are amazing!!! Knowing my family I will be making these over and over and over!!!
I made these two weeks ago for my mum’s birthday, and there was dead silence at tea time when everyone had their first bite! My mom’s coworkers have been jokingly demanding that I make more everytime I call her at work (maybe not so jokingly haha). Love the apple cider flavor and texture of the dough. I put a ton of apple chunks in mine and was surprised how soft and seamlessly they baked into the rolls. Thank you, Marzia! 🙂
Hi Naila!
I’m so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed your cinnamon rolls. These are definitely some of our faves too! Now, can you try to convince my neighbor (Forihu, is that right?) to do a little baking? 😉 She tells me she hates it.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Naila! 🙂
Could you add chopped pecans or would that be too much? Always have pecans in cinnamon rolls.
Pecans are used in this recipe, did you mean you wanted to add more on top?
These just came out of the oven. They were fun to make (my daughter had just as much fun)! Thanks for sharing!
Looks so delicious! I actually never been a really big fan of cinnamon rolls, however my family love them. So maybe the caramel apple version is a good alternative. Definitely going to make this for me and my family!
I love cinnamon rolls, but have never made a caramel apple version! Definitely need to do that! These look absolutely perfect and I love how quick they are!
I am a massive fan of cinnamon rolls and regularly make them, but never have made a caramel apple version before! These look SO delicious and definitely are a recipe I need to recreate. Pinned!