I’ve loved playing around with my quick yeast cinnamon rolls recipe, and this week I wanted to make caramel apple cinnamon rolls!

Apples give this recipe such fun Fall spin, and it’s the perfect way to start any day.

What Type of Apples Should I Use in This Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Recipe?

There isn’t really a single right answer to this question! I personally love using Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but that’s mostly because they’re my favorite apples to eat.

In general, as long as it’s a firmer apple variety (like Red Delicious, Gala, Pink Lady, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious) it should work great!

You can even mix and match the apples you use in this recipe! The most important thing is that you use 5 large, firm apples that weigh about 1000 grams or about 2.2 lbs.

Packing These Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Apple Flavor

To pack these caramel apple cinnamon rolls with flavor, I use a homemade apple filling and top them with a caramel glaze.

I love this filling because once it cools it sets pretty firmly and bakes up beautifully! It’s easy to spread into an even layer and tastes so incredible in these cinnamon rolls!

How Much Flour Am I Supposed to Use in the Cinnamon Roll Dough??

We start this recipe with 4 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour.

But as you add in your wet ingredients and the eggs, a sticky dough ball forms and you might need to add in additional flour.

I find kneading an additional 3-4 Tbsp of flour into the dough at that stage is the perfect amount. It makes it easier to handle and knead by hand, but it’s still a bit tacky and soft.

You need just enough flour to make the dough workable.

If you add too much flour you can end up with dense, chewy cinnamon rolls that are difficult to roll.

This is why you want to be careful with how much flour you add. We want these to turn out fluffy and soft!

Making These Cinnamon Rolls by Hand vs. a Stand Mixer

This recipe can be made by hand or with a dough hook / stand mixer.

My first couple batches of cinnamon rolls were made when I was home for the holidays, and I didn’t have a stand mixer.

It is definitely easier to make using a stand mixer, but a little elbow grease never hurt anyone. I also find it’s easier to get the consistency of the dough right if you knead by hand.

I’ve found that starting the dough in my stand mixer and finishing the kneading process by hand gives me the best results.

The best way to know that the dough is ready to be rested is to do a test with your finger.

I like press into the dough with my finger and see how it feels. It should feel tacky, but not leave any residue on your finger when you pull it away.

Whichever method you use to make the dough, just be sure to knead or mix the dough until it gets an elastic texture and pulls away from the bowl or counter.

Once you get to this point, stop, and let the dough rest for about 10-20 minutes. This little break allows the gluten to relax a bit and makes the dough easier to roll out.

Topping These Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

The finishing touch on any cinnamon roll has to be its topping!

A cinnamon roll isn’t complete without some type of melty glaze or frosting. I decided to top these caramel apple cinnamon rolls with a delicious caramel glaze!

While I was tempted to use my cream cheese buttercream or my American buttercream, for some reason a caramel glaze with an extra drizzle of caramel just felt right.

You can use a more traditional frosting if you prefer your cinnamon rolls that way though!

Cinnamon Roll Dough – Substitutions and Swaps

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know you might not have all these ingredients on hand!

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

• All Purpose Flour – I haven’t tested this recipe out with gluten free flour, but it should work if you use a good blend like King Arthur’s GF flour. Just be sure to knead the dough a bit longer to help give it structure.
• Instant / Rapid Rise Yeast – You can use active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast in this recipe, just be sure to activate it before adding it into the dough and allow the dough to rise for a bit longer. Active yeast takes longer to rise than instant.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Whole Milk – Most alternative milks work fine in this recipe, including soy, oat, and almond milk.
• Granulated Sugar – I don’t recommend changing the type or amount of sugar used in the dough.
• Large Eggs – This is an enriched dough, so it uses eggs. You can use a vegan egg replacer in its place to make eggless caramel apple cinnamon rolls.
• Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar to make the filling for these cinnamon rolls. I prefer using light in this recipe!

Tips for Making the Best Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

• If you have the time, make the caramel from scratch! It only takes about 10 minutes to make.
• Dice your apples into 1/4 inch, uniformly sized pieces. It makes them easier to cook down.
• Don’t over-cook your apples! You want them to be soft, but not falling apart. If they get too soft the mixture will start to resemble apple sauce and that is not what we’re after with this recipe.
• Chill the apple filling in the fridge before spreading it on the dough. It’ll make it much easier to cut the cinnamon rolls.
• Use a ruler to make sure your dough is rolled out to the right size (14in x 18in) and cut into even pieces.
• Use dental floss to easily cut each cinnamon roll rather than a knife.
• If you’re struggling to cut your cinnamon rolls, place the cinnamon roll log on a baking sheet and chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. It will make it easier to cut.
• Cut 12 equally sized cinnamon rolls from your log to make sure they all bake evenly.
• Bake the cinnamon rolls in a greased rectangular pan (mine is 9 in x 13 in).
• Try to let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then add the glaze. This will allow it to perfectly melt over your cinnamon rolls!

Making These Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls in Advance

If you want to make these caramel apple cinnamon rolls ahead of time, be my guest! I’m all about working ahead and making life easier.

This recipe can be made the evening before and baked the following morning.

You can refrigerate these cinnamon rolls after they have been cut in a greased or lined pan.

Cover the cinnamon roll pan tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the seal is airtight. If the cinnamon rolls are exposed to air, they can dry out and no one wants dry cinnamon rolls!

The morning you want to bake them, take them out 1 hour before you plan to bake them, then follow the recipe instructions to bake.

You can also bake the cinnamon rolls, then let them cool and freeze them individually.

This is what I do with our leftover cinnamon rolls. I leave the leftover rolls unfrosted, then tightly wrap each roll in a layer of plastic wrap then foil.

I move individual cinnamon rolls from the freezer to the fridge the night before I want to eat them.

Then in the morning, I unwrap the cinnamon roll and heat it up in the microwave until it’s warm and gooey (usually about 30 seconds!).

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for caramel apple cinnamon rolls, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and a comment with your thoughts.

You can also tag me on social media @chelsweets or use #chelsweets so I can see your creations!!

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