Apple Cinnamon Rolls

I made these cinnamon rolls for you and I almost died of an overdose. Number one, I’m a total bread freak. You combine that with gooey apple cinnamon and sugar and well… I just couldn’t stop myself.  Especially when I topped the roll with a slice of butter and gobs of cream cheese frosting. I was in like heart attack mode.

I love to make cinnamon rolls. Better yet…I love to EAT cinnamon rolls (especially the centers!) with a large glass of milk to swallow them down.

At my job I help oversee a week-long sales training program for new hires. At the end of the training I usually treat them with homemade cinnamon rolls. Picture me at 4 in the morning making, baking, and eating…I mean, frosting the cinnamon rolls. It’s amazing that they turn out so well considering I’m working in the kitchen half asleep.

I think at our next training session I’ll treat them to these apple cinnamon rolls. They are incredible. I think my buddy who begs me to bring them to each training will die for them, too.

Easily one of the best things I’ve eaten.

Prep time: 3 hours (includes rising time)
Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields: 12 rolls

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs

Filling:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

• 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
• dental floss to cut slices (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine 2 1/4 cups flour and active dry yeast. Set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, and salt. Heat and stir until warm and butter is melted. Add to flour mixture. With an electric mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time and incorporate well. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes scraping down sides of the bowl. Stir in remaining flour.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface.  Knead dough for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. About 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  (I like to warm the oven on 170 degrees F for a couple of minutes, turn off the oven, and place dough in the oven to rise.)
4. Once dough has doubled in size, remove from oven and punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle of approximately 18 x 12-inches.
5. For filling: Combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon or apple pie spice. With your hand, spread the softened butter out evenly across the dough. You can use a pastry brush to spread it, but I find my hands are a better substitute. Heavily sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly over rolled-out dough. Sprinkle apples and if desired, raisins, over dough.
6. Starting from the long side, tightly roll up the dough into a spiral log. Firmly pinch the seam of the log to seal it up. Cut the log into twelve 1 1/2-inch wide slices. An easy way to do this is to score the log to mark 12 rolls. Using the dental floss, slide the floss under the roll at the score marks. Cross the floss at the top of the roll, pull until it cuts through. You’ll get a nice, sharp cut.
7. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Arrange slices  cut side down into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes).
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Cover with foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove rolls from pan onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Spread with cream cheese frosting.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publication: Holiday Recipes 2011

Learn how to cut cinnamon roll dough with dental floss >> 

 

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Ingredients

• 4½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• ⅓ cup butter, softened
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• Filling:
• ¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
• ½ cup butter
• 1¼ cups apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• ½ cup raisins (optional)
• 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
• dental floss to cut slices (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine 2¼ cups flour and active dry yeast. Set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, ⅓ cup butter, sugar, and salt. Heat and stir until warm and butter is melted. Add to flour mixture. With an electric mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time and incorporate well. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes scraping down sides of the bowl. Stir in remaining flour.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. About 1 to 1½ hours. (I like to warm the oven on 170 degrees F for a couple of minutes, turn off the oven, and place dough in the oven to rise.)
4. Once dough has doubled in size, remove from oven and punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle of approximately 18 x 12-inches.
5. For filling:
6. Combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon or apple pie spice. With your hand, spread the softened butter out evenly across the dough. You can use a pastry brush to spread it, but I find my hands are a better substitute. Heavily sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly over rolled-out dough. Sprinkle apples and if desired, raisins, over dough.
7. Starting from the long side, tightly roll up the dough into a spiral log. Firmly pinch the seam of the log to seal it up. Cut the log into twelve 1½-inch wide slices. An easy way to do this is to score the log to mark 12 rolls. Using the dental floss, slide the floss under the roll at the score marks. Cross the floss at the top of the roll, pull until it cuts through. You’ll get a nice, sharp cut.
8. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Arrange slices cut side down into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes).
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Cover with foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove rolls from pan onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Spread with cream cheese frosting.

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