Caramel apple cinnamon rolls are perfect for a fall dessert or breakfast treat. Classic cinnamon rolls get an upgrade with freshly diced apples and caramel frosting in this recipe.
You already know that my family and I are huge fans of pretty much every variation of classic sweet rolls. There will never be enough cinnamon rolls in our life, that’s just the truth of it.
From these unforgettable Brown Butter Peach Cinnamon Rolls to Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls and Raspberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls, S’mores Cinnamon Rolls to Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, I love them all.
Naturally, we needed a caramel apple version to transition to fall and winter!
I took my favorite basic sweet yeast dough recipe, and these Classic Cinnamon Rolls, and added freshly diced apples, cinnamon, and sugar.
These rolls taste like a cross between an apple pie and a gooey irresistible cinnamon roll. You simply can’t go wrong with this flavor combination.
The recipe is similar to the best ever cinnamon rolls, with the addition of sweet fresh apples and a brown sugar caramel frosting instead of the cream cheese frosting.
However, if you would prefer a cream cheese frosting on your apple cinnamon rolls, go for it. They’re delicious both ways.
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
If you’ve ever made my Caramel Pecan Sticky Buns, you know how there is a sweet sticky syrup that coats the bottoms of the rolls when you take them out of the pan.
These caramel apple cinnamon rolls are similar because the juice from the apples cooks with the sugar and creates a sweet apple syrup on the bottom of the rolls. Yum!
These rolls are best served warm but are also delicious at room temperature. I like to warm any leftover rolls in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to recreate that fresh out of the oven taste.
How To Store Apple Cinnamon Rolls
These rolls will keep on the counter for a day or two, after that you should store them in the refrigerator.
They won’t last that long though. They are best served on the first or second day.
Can you make cinnamon rolls ahead of time?
Yes, you can! This post about basic sweet yeast dough has a lot of detail on making dough ahead of time.
To make these ahead of time, you’ll prepare the dough ahead of time, and then store it overnight in the refrigerator and roll them out, raise and bake them the next day. Or, you can make the dough and freeze it.
These caramel apple cinnamon rolls would make a great Sunday morning breakfast or dessert this fall. If you make them, let me know how you liked them in the comments below!
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- [1 recipe basic sweet yeast dough]
- For the Filling
- ½ cup of butter softened
- 1½ cups of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 3 cups finely diced apples
for the caramel frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make the sweet yeast dough as directed in the recipe through the first rise.
- After the first rise, knead the dough several times and let rest on the counter for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Divide the dough in half and work with one half of the dough at a time. Roll the dough into a 12 x 18 inch rectangle. Be patient with the dough.
- Spread ½ of the butter (¼ cup) on the rectangle. Spread it to the edges, leaving 1 inch section bare on one of the 12 inch sides. Sprinkle ½ of the brown sugar filling on top and then ½ of the finely diced apples. Roll up tightly starting with the 12 inch side. Cut into 1-1.5 inch sections with dental floss or a very sharp knife. Place ¾ inch apart in a greased baking dish. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough.
- Cover and let rise until double, 20-30 minutes. Time will vary based on how warm the room is. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown on top.
- While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt. Bring to a gently boil and let boil for 2 minutes. Add milk and cook for 30 seconds until no longer grainy. Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Frost the rolls while they are still warm so the frosting will melt a bit.
- They are best served warm, but will keep a day or two on the counter.
Nutrition
{originally published 9/5/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/1/21}
Caramel Apple Monkey Bread from Julie’s Eats and Treats
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Tara Kuczykowski says
OMG, I’m sitting here drooling on my keyboard. These are SO perfect for fall!
Jessica Burgess says
Holy cow these look amazing! It’s the perfect fall dish!
Liz says
These cinnamon rolls are a must make this Fall! I love caramel apple!
Jaide says
Holy moly!! These look amazing!!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
Wow! These look incredible!! Perfect for fall!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
These would disappear in our house!