Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

Celebrate the season by baking a batch of big, fluffy Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze. These easy, made from scratch cinnamon rolls make a wonderful sweet breakfast treat or a delightful homemade anytime treat!

Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Cinnamon rolls are great, but homemade cinnamon rolls are even better!

Every year, as the weather starts to turn cooler, I get the baking itch. I want to turn on my oven and create all things warm and cozy.

To me, baking is therapy. Baking with yeast is even more fulfilling, because you use your hands to knead and create. It's such a rewarding process! Presenting those you love with your finished products makes it come full circle.

These cinnamon apple buns are my version of what Fall would taste like if it were a cinnamon roll! They start with a basic recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls using a trusted Fleischmann's® RapidRise® Yeast recipe. But, they are elevated by adding fresh apples and a delicious maple glaze.

Making cinnamon rolls from scratch doesn't have to be difficult. This recipe is so easy even the novice baker can successfully make a beautiful pan of cinnamon rolls.

I love using instant yeast in this recipe, because it only requires one rise after the dough is filled and shaped into rolls. Other yeasts, generally require two rises (one before the dough is filled and shaped and one after.)

Tips for baking with yeast 

I'm no stranger to baking with yeast. If you've read this blog for any length of time, you might remember my recipes for Easy Hot Cross Buns and Homemade French Bread. Baking with yeast is not hard, but there are a few important tips to keep in mind!

• Use the correct yeast product. This particular recipe calls for rapid rise yeast. Take care to make sure you are using the right product. This yeast is great for beginners, because it does not require proofing or a second rise. 
• Check the date on the yeast you are using to make sure it's not expired. Yeast is a living organism. If it's expired, it won't be able to do its job and your cinnamon rolls won't rise! 
• Follow directions on the back of the package of yeast when adding liquids to the dough. Since yeast is a living organism, liquids that are too hot will kill it and your dough will not rise. The best way to check for the correct temperature of liquids is to use a thermometer. Make sure it's between 120 -130 degrees F before adding. If you don't have a thermometer to check the temperature, it should feel warm to touch, but not hot. Hot water will kill the yeast. Cold water won't let it activate.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Rolls from scratch

Begin by gathering your ingredients (amounts found in recipe card below):

• apples
• all purpose flour
• granulated sugar
• Fleischmann's® RapidRise® Yeast (instant yeast)
• salt
• water
• unsalted butter
• egg
• ground cinnamon
• powdered sugar
• milk
• pure maple syrup

Prepare chopped apples as instructed in recipe card below. Set aside to cool. (If not using a hard apple, like Granny Smith, you can skip the precook step if you like.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl using an electric hand mixer) combine 2 cups of flour, sugar, instant yeast, and salt.

Measure the water (I used a 4 cup glass measuring cup) and add butter.

Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F. Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture with egg.

Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour.

Beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a shaggy ball.

Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. ( I used a dough hook to knead the dough, then dumped it onto a lightly floured surface and kneaded by hand for a minute or two. ) Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp. flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.

Spread 3 tablespoons butter over dough stopping at least 1/2-inch from the edges on the long sides.
Spread apples evenly over the buttered dough.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar flour mixture.

Beginning at long end of the rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams to seal.

TIP: Use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife to cut rolls. To do, cut a piece of floss about 12 inches long. Slide floss under the roll; bring the ends up and crossover to cut each slice. Or use a serrated knife to cut slices.

Place, cut sides down, in greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan .

Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Frost with Maple Glaze (recipe for glaze below in recipe card.)

Apple Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dessert, Breakfast

American

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Renee Paj

Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze

Prep time: 1 H & 40 MCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 2 H & 5 M

Soft, tender, easy to make, homemade cinnamon rolls with tender apple chunks embedded throughout the cinnamon layers and drizzled with a sweet maple glaze. Makes a delightful breakfast or sweet treat anytime of the day!

Ingredients

For the Apple Cinnamon Rolls:

• 2 to 2 1/2 cups peeled, cored and chopped fresh apples (Granny Smith)
• 4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 (4-1/2 tsp.) packets Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1- 1/2 cups water
• 6 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. all purpose flour
• 3 TBSP unsalted butter, very soft

For Maple Glaze:

• 1 cups powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 TBSP pure maple syrup

Instructions

To Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls:

1. Place cut apples in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes to 2 minutes 30 seconds to partially cook apples. Drain off any liquid that comes off the apples. Set warm apples aside and allow to cool to room temperature while you make the cinnamon roll dough.
2. Combine 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, dry yeast and salt in a large mixer bowl and stir until blended. Place water and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 15 second increments until very warm but not hot to the touch (120° to 130°F. Butter won’t melt completely). Add to flour mixture with egg.
3. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in just enough remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
4. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed with 2 fingers, about 6 to 8 minutes. ( I used a dough hook to knead the dough, then dumped it onto a lightly floured surface and kneaded by hand for a minute or two. ) Cover with a towel; let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp. flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. Roll dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle using a rolling pin. Spread 3 tablespoons butter over dough stopping at least 1/2-inch from the edges on the long sides.
7. Spread apples evenly over the buttered dough and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar flour mixture.
8. Beginning at long end of the rectangle, roll up tightly. Pinch seams to seal. Cut into 12 equal pieces. TIP: Use unflavored dental floss instead of a knife to cut rolls. To do, cut a piece of floss about 12 inches long. Slide floss under the roll; bring the ends up and cross over to cut each slice. Place, cut sides down, in greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan .
9. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour .
10. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes.

To make Maple Glaze:

1. Combine all glaze ingredients with a whisk in a medium sized bowl until smooth and pourable. Drizzle on warm rolls.

Notes

If you cut the rolls less thick, you may end up with more than 12. Just put the extra rolls in another pan and bake alongside the 13" by 9" pan. (I've made this recipe numerous times and I usually end up with more than 12 rolls.)I have the bake times set at 20 to 30 minutes. I like my rolls soft and doughy, so I bake them for 20 minutes in my oven and they are perfect for us. But if you like your rolls more well done, you should bake them for 25 to 30 minutes. You can skip the step for precooking the apples if you wish. The apples in the cinnamon rolls will be firmer. Skipping the precook on apples that are less firm than granny smith is perfectly fine.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

570.94

Fat (grams)

12.07 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.89 g

Carbs (grams)

103.03 g

Fiber (grams)

3.44 g

Net carbs

99.58 g

Sugar (grams)

22.41 g

Protein (grams)

11.79 g

Sodium (milligrams)

205.68 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

43.61 mg

Nutritional Information provided is an estimate.

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These homemade Apple Cinnamon Rolls are out of this world. Big, soft, and fluffy with chunks of apple goodness throughout the filling. The maple glaze just puts them over the top!

Because of their 150 years of experience, with Fleischmann’s® I know I can bake quality, yeast recipes I'm proud to share with family and friends.

Bake up a batch of homemade goodness for someone you love today! For more baking inspiration follow Fleischmann's® RapidRise® Yeast ​ on their social channels:  Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest