Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
These caramel apple cinnamon rolls are filled with a gooey brown sugar apple filling and topped with caramel cream cheese icing and an extra drizzle of homemade caramel sauce.
They combine everything I love about homemade cinnamon rolls with warm apple pie flavors, which makes them such a cozy fall treat!
This Recipe At a Glance
- Flavor: Buttery cinnamon rolls with brown sugar apples, caramel, and tangy cream cheese icing
- Texture: Soft and fluffy with a gooey apple filling
- Skill level: Intermediate, but each step is straightforward
- Perfect for: Fall breakfasts, brunch, holidays, and make-ahead mornings
- Makes: 12 cinnamon rolls in a 9×13-inch pan
- Make ahead: Assemble the rolls the night before, refrigerate, then proof and bake in the morning
How to Make Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Let’s walk through each step so your caramel apple cinnamon rolls turn out soft, fluffy, and easy to roll. I’ve also included a video tutorial in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Make the Apple Filling
Make the caramel apple filling first because it needs time to cool down. Peel the apples, remove the core, and cut them into small pieces.
Add the apple pieces, unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, and stir occasionally. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then reduce the heat to medium.
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch to make a cornstarch slurry. This will help thicken the filling. Pour into the apple mixture and cook for 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook just until the apples are soft.
Transfer the filling into a large bowl or tray (the wider it is, the faster it’ll cool down) and chill in the fridge.
Once fully cooled, the filling can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week (it doesn’t freeze well).
Be sure the filling is completely cooled and thickened before you spread it onto the cinnamon roll dough. A warm filling will make the dough much harder to cut and roll.
Step 2: Make the Cinnamon Roll Dough
Next, we tackle the dough! In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, instant dry yeast, and fine salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and granulated sugar. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave, then stir to combine the ingredients.
The butter should be mostly melted, and the mixture should feel warm but not hot to the touch. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast!
Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium-low speed with a dough hook or by hand with a dough whisk.
If you don’t have a dough whisk, you can use a large wooden spoon. Continue to mix the dough on a medium-low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes more elastic and looks smooth.
Then it’s time to test the dough. My favorite way to know if my dough is ready is to poke it with my finger. It should feel tacky but not sticky. As you pull your finger away, there should be no residue on your finger.
If it still feels sticky and seems like it would be difficult to roll out, keep mixing the dough and add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough is tacky but no longer sticky (it usually takes me 1-2 additional Tbsp of flour).
It should pull away/no longer stick to the sides of your mixing bowl once it’s ready to rest.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the dough rest for 10-20 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.
Step 3: Cut, Roll, and Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
If you’re making these the day you plan to bake them, preheat the oven to 200°F/93°C (to help the cinnamon rolls rise), and line a 9×13-inch pan.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that’s about 24 in x 18 in.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, then spread the cooled filling on top of the butter.
Then, use a pastry rolling cutter or pizza cutter to cut 12 equal strips, and roll each cinnamon roll individually. Place them in the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
Alternatively, you can also roll the dough into a log and cut each piece with dental floss.
If you are making these cinnamon rolls the night before, cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. Then take them out of the fridge and preheat your oven to 200 F/93 C, then turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and let the rolls rise in the oven for about 30 minutes.
If you make these the morning of, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and let the rolls rise in the oven for about 30 minutes. MAKE SURE YOU’VE TURNED THE OVEN OFF. We want a nice cozy place for the rolls to rise, but we don’t want to bake them yet.
At this point, the rolls should look noticeably puffier and have grown in size.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Remove the foil from the pan and bake for 28-34 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
Step 4: Make the Caramel Sauce
While the cinnamon rolls rise and bake, make the homemade caramel. If you’re short on time, you can always use store-bought caramel sauce, but this only takes about 10 minutes to make and is totally worth it in my opinion.
Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, pour in 1 cup sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Wait until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then add the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts, it will slowly deepen in color.
Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and has become a deep amber color, then turn off the heat.
Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter (2 Tbsp at a time), then stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. The mixture will be thin but will thicken as it cools.
Pour into a separate container, then set aside to cool. If you make this in advance, store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to use it, heat the caramel in the microwave in short 15-second intervals until it’s a workable consistency.
Step 5: Make the Caramel Cream Cheese Icing
The last step is to make the icing. Mix the softened butter, room-temperature cream cheese, caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and salt together with a spoon or electric hand mixer.
Add the powdered sugar and mix until the icing is smooth.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon the icing over the cinnamon rolls, drizzle the rest of the caramel on top, and enjoy them warm!
Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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 4 large, firm apples that weigh about 1000 grams or about 2.2 lbs.
Making These Cinnamon Rolls by Hand vs. a Stand Mixer
This recipe can be made by hand or with a dough hook / 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.
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.
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 to 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.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – You can use 2 large eggs in place of the applesauce if needed.
- 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!
Make-Ahead & Storage
To make these the night before: Assemble the rolls in the pan, cover them tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, place them in the warm, turned-off oven for about 30 minutes or until they look puffy, then bake as directed.
To store leftovers: Keep the frosted cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days because the icing contains cream cheese. Reheat individual rolls briefly in the microwave before serving.
To freeze: I recommend freezing the baked rolls without the icing. Wrap them well and freeze for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before adding the icing and caramel.
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll FAQs
Can I Make These Cinnamon Rolls the Night Before?
Yes! Assemble the rolls, cover the pan tightly, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let them rise in a warm place until they look puffy, then bake them as directed.
What Are the Best Apples for Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls?
I love using Honeycrisp apples because they have a great balance of sweetness and tartness and hold their shape as they cook. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Braeburn apples also work well.
Can I Use Store-Bought Caramel Sauce?
Definitely. Homemade caramel gives these rolls the best flavor, but a thick store-bought caramel sauce works well if you want to save time.
Can I Use Active Dry Yeast Instead of Instant Yeast?
Yes, but activate it according to the package directions before adding it to the dough. The rolls may also need a little more time to rise.
How Do I Know When the Cinnamon Rolls Are Done?
The tops should be golden brown and the center rolls should look fully baked rather than doughy. If the tops are browning too quickly before the centers are done, loosely cover the pan with foil for the final few minutes.
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 small (about 1 cm), uniformly sized pieces. It makes them easier to cook down.
- Don’t overcook the 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 (24 x 18 in.) and cut into even pieces.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls in a greased, metal rectangular pan if possible (mine is 9 x 13 inches).
- Try to let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then add the icing. This will allow it to perfectly melt over your cinnamon rolls!
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!!
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples 1000g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar 300g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 1/4 cup water 60g
- 1/4 cup cornstarch 30g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened – to be spread on later 113g
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 550g
- 4 1/2 tsp or 2 packets instant dry yeast 14g, 1/2 oz.
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 cup whole milk 245g
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or 2 large eggs 125g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 85g
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
Caramel Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature 56g
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 56g
- 1/4 cup caramel sauce – made above 60g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 190g
Instructions
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Filling
- Make the caramel apple filling first because it needs time to cool down. Peel 4 large apples (about 1000g before being peeled and cored), remove the cores, and cut them into small pieces (roughly 1 cm cubes).
- Add the apple pieces, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt to a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, and stir occasionally. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then reduce the heat to medium.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of cornstarch to make a cornstarch slurry. This will help thicken the filling. Pour into the apple mixture and cook for 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook just until the apples are soft – I like to test them with a fork!
- Transfer the filling into a large bowl or tray (the wider it is, the faster it'll cool down) and chill in the fridge. Once fully cooled, the filling can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week (it doesn't freeze well). Be sure the filling is completely cooled and thickened before you spread it onto the cinnamon roll dough. A warm filling will make the dough much harder to cut and roll.
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 1/4 cups of flour, 2 packets or 4 1/2 tsp of instant dry yeast, and 1 tsp salt.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup room-temperature unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Heat for about 1 minute in the microwave and stir to combine the ingredients. The butter should be mostly melted, and the mixture should feel warm but not hot to the touch. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast!
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix at a medium-low speed with a dough hook or wooden spoon. Scrape around the edges to make sure all the flour gets incorporated. Continue to mix the dough on a medium-low speed for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes more elastic and looks smooth.
- At this stage, I like to test the dough with my finger. It should be tacky, but shouldn't stick to your finger or leave any residue on your fingertip. If it still feels sticky and seems like it would be difficult to roll out, keep mixing the dough and add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough is tacky but no longer sticky (it usually takes me 1-2 additional Tbsp of flour). It should pull away/no longer stick to the sides of your mixing bowl once it's ready to rest.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 10-20 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. This will make it easier to roll out.
Cut, Roll & Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- If you're making these the day you plan to bake them, preheat the oven to 200 F/93 C (to help the cinnamon rolls rise), and line a 9×13-inch, light-colored metal pan. Set aside.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle that's about 24 in x 18 in (I use a ruler and recommend you do too!). Spread 1/2 cup of softened butter evenly over the dough, then spread the cooled filling on top of the butter.
- Use a pastry rolling cutter, pizza cutter, or long knife to cut 12 equal strips (roughly 2 inches in width) and then roll each cinnamon roll up individually. Place them in the prepared 9 in x 13 in pan. Alternatively, you can also roll the dough into a log and cut each piece with dental floss.
- If you are making these cinnamon rolls the night before, cover the cinnamon rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight. Then take them out of the fridge the following morning, preheat your oven to 200 F/93 C, turn off the oven, cover the rolls with foil, and let the rolls rise in the warm oven for about 30 minutes.
- If you are making these the day of, turn off the preheated 200 F oven, cover the rolls with foil, and let the rolls rise in the oven for about 30 minutes. MAKE SURE YOU'VE TURNED THE OVEN OFF before placing the rolls in to rise. We want a nice cozy place for the rolls to rise, but we don't want to bake them yet.
- At this point, the rolls should look noticeably puffier and have grown in size. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Remove the foil from the pan and bake for 28-34 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
Make the Caramel Sauce
- While the cinnamon rolls rise and bake, make the homemade caramel. If you're short on time, you can always use store-bought caramel sauce, but this only takes about 10 minutes to make and is totally worth it, in my opinion.
- Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, pour in 1 cup of sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Wait until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then add the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts, it will slowly deepen in color.
- Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and has become a deep amber color, then turn off the heat.
- Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter (2 Tbsp at a time) then stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. The mixture will be thin but will thicken as it cools.
- Pour into a separate container, then set aside to cool. If you make this in advance, store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to use it, heat the caramel in the microwave in short 15-second intervals until it's a workable consistency.
Caramel Cream Cheese Icing
- The last step is to make the caramel cream cheese icing. Mix 1/4 cup of room-temperature cream cheese, 1/4 cup of softened butter, 1/4 cup caramel sauce, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp salt together with a spoon or an electric hand mixer.
- Then add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture and stir until smooth.
- Let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10 minutes, then spoon the icing over the cinnamon rolls, drizzle the rest of the caramel on top, and enjoy them warm! Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few hours, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Using the Right Type of Yeast: Active vs. Instant Yeast
Be sure you are using instant yeast! It comes in small packets that can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can use active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast in this recipe, just be sure to activate it in a small bowl with 2 Tbsp of warm water and 1 tsp sugar before adding it to the dough, and allow the dough to rise for longer (active yeast takes longer to rise than instant).Making These Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls in Advance
This recipe can be made the evening before and baked the following morning. I walk through this option in step 4 of “Roll, Cut, and Bake the Cinnamon Rolls.”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 cm, uniformly-sized pieces. It makes them easier to cook down.
- Don’t overcook the 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.
- Cool 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 (24 x 18 in) and cut into even pieces.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls in a metal, rectangular pan if possible (mine is 9 in x 13 in).
- Try to let the cinnamon rolls cool for about 10-20 minutes, then add the icing. This will allow it to melt perfectly over your cinnamon rolls!
Nutrition
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Made these over the weekend. They were to DIE for. The whole family was obsessed with them. I used instant yeast and let the dough proof for 1hr before rolling out. The apples cooked beautifully and tasted delicious. We wanted to just eat them by the spoonful.
Can I replace instant dry yeast with active dry yeast? If so, how would I go about this?
In the recipe, the ingredient list for the filling says 1/2 cup butter + 3 T but the instructions for the filling only mentions the 3 T to add to the apples to cook. Is the 1/2 cup to spread on the dough before spreading the apple filling? I’m just not sure where to put that half cup butter.
Hi Andrea,
Apologies for any confusion! The 1/2 cup of butter is the part that’s spread onto the dough before being topped with the apple filling. It’s technically part of the cinnamon roll filling, but it’s not cooked down with the apples. The way the recipe card was written was confusing, so I’ve broken the two amounts of butter apart to make it clearer. Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it!
Can I use apple pie filling I stead of fresh apples??
Hi Krissy,
You can totally use apple pie filling! It might make the cinnamon rolls a bit more soft / goopy because it has a different consistency, but I think it would still be delicious!
Your Quick rise cinnamon buns are absolutely the best, they turn out perfect every time, a firm favourite with my family, can’t wait to try these!!
Aw I’m so happy to hear that Claudia!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
These are delicious and decadent and worth all the work. I struggled and failed twice with the caramel recipe as listed and was finally successful with this one instead: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/caramel_sauce/
These are AMAZING!!!! I had to stop mid eating to write the review. 10/10 recommend making. Instructions are easy to follow and love that everything can be made ahead of time.
Hi Alaina,
Ahh I love this!! 🙂 Stopping mid-bite to leave a review is the ultimate compliment, thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad the make-ahead tips worked well for you too!!
In the video you add an egg to your dough but it says nothing about an egg in the recipe.
Hi Sammi,
In this recipe you can use either 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce or 2 large eggs while you make the dough. Hope that your cinnamon rolls turn out great, and apologies for any confusion!
These were fun to make and absolutely glorious to eat. An absolute hit!
So happy to hear that Loes!!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
My poor rolls didn’t really rise and I was doubting the whole process. Then I baked them and WOW they really blossomed. They’re so big and beautiful! This is an instant favorite and until today I did not know I needed caramel cream cheese icing in my life. Thank you for the recipe and making our Christmas morning even more special. I’m definitely putting this my holiday recipe musts list.
Aw I am so happy to hear that Michelle! Sounds like they turned out perfect 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!