Apple Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

What's better than apple pie and cinnamon rolls? You guessed it, apple pie cinnamon rolls! Nothing is better than the smell of these freshly baked apples infused into soft and gooey cinnamon rolls. The cherry on top is the delicious creamy frosting. The recipe below is a step by step of making homemade from scratch apple pie cinnamon rolls, that everyone at your family gathering will clear right out!

Note: This recipce uses a stand mixer. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can make the cinnamon rolls by hand, but it will take a little longer due to the hand kneading process.

For the Dough

1. 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2. ⅓ cup granulated sugar
3. 1 packet instant yeast (i used Fleischmann's brand)
4. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
5. 1 tsp salt
6. 1 ½ cups whole milk (at room temperature)
7. 6 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature)
8. 1 large egg (at room temperature)

For the Apple Pie Filling

1. ⅔ cup light brown sugar
2. 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
3. ½ tsp nutmeg
4. ½ tsp ginger
5. ¼ tsp cloves
6. Pinch of salt
7. ¼ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
8. 3 small peeled and diced apples (i used granny smith)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. 4 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
2. ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3. 3 cups powdered sugar
4. 2–3 tbsp milk
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. 2 tbsp maple syrup
7. 1/2 tsp maple extract
8. Pinch of salt

Equipment

1. Stand mixer
2. Baking dish
3. Dish towel/plastic wrap
4. Parchment paper
5. Kitchen thermometer
6. Measuring spoons
7. Measuring cups
8. Apple peeler

Combine 2 cups of the spooned and leveled flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment of the stand mixer to combine all ingredients until evenly mixed.

Use a microwave safe bowl to combine the milk and room temperature butter. Microwave for 45 seconds, or until the butter is almost melted and the milk mixture is warm to the touch. In this case, its smart to use a kitchen thermometer and make sure the mixture is between 100-110°F

. Anything warmer will kill the yeast.

Now take the milk mixture and combine it into the mixing bowl with the flour. Add in the room temperature egg, and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly increase the speed to high an mix for 2-3 minutes. The batter will be thick, this means that the yeast is activating.

Time to switch to the dough hook of the stand mixer. Add in 1 ½ more cups of flour to the mixture and knead on low speed until no flour streaks remain. Next, add in the remaining flour, an scrape the sides of the mixing bowl down. Knead on low until a dough forms and starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. Slowly increase the speed to medium low and knead the dough for 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.

Note: You know its ready when you can stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers without it tearing.

Its time to let the dough rise. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with either plastic wrap or a dish cloth and place it somewhere warm for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.

Note: I like to turn my oven on for a few minutes to get it warm, and then place the dough in the oven to let rise.

While the dough rises, make the apple pie mixture, and cut and peel the apples. When the dough is done rising, place it on a lightly floured working place and roll it into a rectangle. I like to roll mine into 12x18 inches. Take the softened butter and a spatula and spread the butter evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the apple pie mixture all over the butter and press the mixture into the butter. Next, layer the apples evenly on top of the mixture.

Start from the long edge of the cinnamon rolls (18 inches), and tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam and edges to seal. Use floss to cut the log into 12 even rolls.

Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish (or use parchment paper) an place the rolls inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish cloth and let the rise again in a warm place for 1 hour, or until they double in size.

Note: I like to let my cinnamon rolls rise, and then stick them in the fridge overnight to let the flavors incorporate more.

While the cinnamon rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls uncovered for 30 minutes, or until they become golden brown on top. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes before frosting.

While the rolls are baking, use a stand mixer mixing bowl to beat the frosting ingredients together. Start on a low speed, and slowly increase to high until it becomes light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add extra milk until it becomes a spreadable consistency.

As soon as the rolls have cooled for 10 minutes, spread the frosting all over the warm rolls. Serve right away and enjoy with a nice cup of hot chocolate!