What pan should I use?

We tested this recipe in a few different pans, and ultimately decided we preferred the results with fewer cinnamon rolls in a larger pan size. Larger cinnamon rolls were easier to cut and move around - especially useful since the apple pie filling here can be a little messy - and giving them some extra space in the pan yielded the most fluffy cinnamon rolls. In the photos above, we made 8 large cinnamon rolls in a 9x13" ceramic pan . But you can switch up the pan and/or make more, smaller cinnamon rolls if you like! In the images below, we squeezed 12 cinnamon rolls into an 8x10 pan. You can see the final rolls were a bit taller and more squished together (but they were still DELICIOUS):

Why is my dough sticky?

If your cinnamon roll dough sticks to your cutting board and hands, it's likely because the dough needs more gluten development. This problem occurs when 1) The dough wasn't kneaded enough and/or 2) A low-protein flour was used. Strong gluten networks let you roll this dough out without needing any additional flour to prevent it from sticking. For best results, knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky, and use a high quality, high protein flour like King Arthur All Purpose Flour . Bob's Red Mill All Purpose flour is also a solid choice, as are most bread flours. If you're new to homemade yeast doughs, we recommend mixing and kneading the dough by hand the first few times so you can get a feel for how it should look and feel at every stage. If you are struggling to knead the dough (if it feels like it isn't getting any smoother, or like it's too tough to knead easily) cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes, then try kneading it again. With stand mixers, in particular, it can seem like the dough is still sticky even though you've kneaded it with the dough hook - in this case, we recommend letting the dough rest for 15 minutes, and then kneading it by hand until smooth. To learn more about how gluten affects your yeast doughs - and for exclusive recipes that help you take your baking to the next level - check out our Everyday Artisan Bread online course.

Can I make this dough in a stand mixer?

Yes - you can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment to mix the dough for this apple pie cinnamon rolls recipe. Keep in mind that some mixers struggle to properly knead enriched doughs, and the bowl of a stand mixer can often trap some flour under the dough at the bottom of the bowl. For best results, we recommend kneading the finished dough for a few minutes by hand even if you use a stand mixer to make it. If you’re new to baking with yeast, we always recommend making dough by hand the first few times so you can get a feel for what it should look and feel like (that way, when you transition to using a stand mixer, you’ll be quick to notice when something’s wrong and can easily adapt!)

How do I make my cinnamon rolls softer?

For the softest, richest cinnamon roll dough (and the best flavor!) we recommend using whole milk. We have also tested this recipe with 1% and 2% milk, both of which work perfectly fine - the dough just isn't quite as soft and fluffy as it is when you use whole milk. If you would like to keep the tops of your cinnamon rolls even softer, you can brush them with a layer of heavy cream before adding the cinnamon crumble and baking (we use this method in our small batch cinnamon rolls ).

Can I use a can of apple pie filling?

We haven't tested this recipe with canned apple pie filling. But if you don't have time to make the apple pie filling from scratch, we expect that canned or pre-made apple pie filling will work fine here, as long as it's quite thick.

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Crumb Topping and Vanilla Glaze

Description

These cozy apple cinnamon rolls are perfect for fall! With a soft cinnamon bun dough, apple pie filling, and a cinnamon crumble topping.

Ingredients

Scale

For the dough:

120 grams milk (1/2 cup), warmed to about 100° F
9 grams active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
75 grams sugar (1/3 cup)
2 eggs, at room temperature
72 grams unsalted butter (5 Tablespoons), melted
360 grams all purpose flour (about 3 cups)
3 grams kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon)

For the apple pie filling:

56 grams unsalted butter (4 Tablespoons)
100 grams brown sugar (1/2 packed cup)
18 grams ground cinnamon (3 Tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (1 gram)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 gram)
Pinch of kosher salt
2 granny smith apples, peeled and finely diced (335 grams)
30 grams flour (¼ cup)

For the crumble topping:

80 grams brown sugar (1/3 packed cup)
60 grams flour (about 1/2 cup)
7 grams cinnamon (1 Tablespoon)
70 grams unsalted butter (5 Tablespoons), softened to room temperature
Pinch of kosher salt

For the vanilla glaze:

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 gram)
75 grams powdered sugar (3/4 cup)
30 grams milk (2 Tablespoons) - you may not need it all

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Instructions

Make the dough:

Stir warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until the surface of the mixture is slightly foamy.
Crack the eggs into a separate small bowl and whisk with a fork to break them up. Add whisked eggs to the yeast mixture, along with the melted butter. Stir everything together (it doesn't need to be completely uniform - just get it started!)
Add flour and kosher salt. Use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to stir until the dough is fully incorporated and no dry flour remains. The dough may seem a little shaggy or sticky here - that's ok!
Transfer dough to a large cutting board. Knead by hand for 5-10 minutes, until you have a smooth dough that no longer sticks to the board. You shouldn't need to flour the cutting board here: The dough will feel sticky at first, but as you knead, the gluten will develop and the dough will smooth out and become more elastic. Pro Tip: Place a damp cloth under your cutting board to help anchor it to the counter so it doesn't slip around.
Return the dough to your mixing bowl. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has nearly doubled in size. While the dough is rising, make the filling.

Make the filling while the dough rises:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of kosher salt to form a sandy mixture.
Stir in diced apples. Cook 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is syrupy and the apples have begun to soften.
Sprinkle flour over the apple mixture; stir to combine. Cook 2-3 more minutes, until the mixture is thick and feels almost stretchy when you stir it. Turn off the heat and let the apples cool while you prep the rest of the components.

Make the crumble:

Add brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, softened butter, and a pinch of salt to a small mixing bowl.
Use a fork to slowly mash all ingredients together. The mixture will look sandy at first; as you continue working the dry ingredients into the butter, it will darken and form larger, stiffer clumps. The crumble is ready when you can pinch it together between your fingers and it holds its shape.

Assemble the rolls:

Line a 9x13" baking dish with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
Tip dough out onto a large cutting board. Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle shape, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 18" wide by 8" tall, and 1/2" thick. It doesn't have to be perfect!
Spread apple filling in an even layer over the surface of the dough. Leave about an inch of space around each edge.
Gently roll the dough into a log, starting on the farthest long edge and moving slowly towards the front. Try to roll the dough into as tight a log as possible - this will help the cinnamon rolls keep their shape. Gently press along the seam to help the log stay together, then roll the log over so it is seam-side down on the cutting board.
Use dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8-10 evenly-sized rolls, each about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Arrange cinnamon rolls in your prepared baking dish, leaving an inch or so of space between each one. Cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise another 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Heat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Gently place a handful of cinnamon crumble topping over each cinnamon roll. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned.
Let cinnamon rolls cool directly in the pan for at least 20 minutes before adding the vanilla glaze.

Make the vanilla glaze:

Add vanilla and powdered sugar to a small mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in milk, a teaspoon or so at a time, until you have a smooth, drizzle-able consistency. You may not need all of the milk!
Drizzle a light layer of vanilla glaze over the cinnamon rolls, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Please use a kitchen scale! Measuring dry ingredients - especially flour - by volume (with cups) is notoriously unreliable. For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure by weight using the gram measurements provided above. Note: Some kitchen scales struggle with small quantities (such as 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, which is about 1 gram); we recommend measuring anything under 4 grams by volume and have provided those measurements above.

High quality flour makes a huge difference. We test all our recipes with - and highly recommend - King Arthur All Purpose flour, which has a high protein content that results in smoother, more elastic dough. Bread flour also has a high protein content and will work in this recipe. Lower protein flours produce less gluten, which can make your dough stickier or more difficult to work with, even after kneading.

If you are struggling to knead the dough (if it feels like it isn't getting any smoother, or like it's too tough to knead easily) cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes, then try kneading it again. With stand mixers, in particular, it can seem like the dough is still sticky even though you've kneaded it with the dough hook - in this case, we recommend letting the dough rest for 15 minutes, and then kneading it by hand until smooth.

The filling can be a little messy - take your time to roll the cinnamon rolls as tightly as possible, and don’t worry if some of the filling squeezes out the end!