Indulge in these sticky delicious Apple Cinnamon Buns, made with soft, fluffy dough, a sweet cinnamon-apple filling, a creamy cream cheese glaze, a sticky apple topping and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Serve as a fall treat or dessert.
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These easy apple cinnamon buns are every apple lover's dream! Soft, fluffy dough is filled with a warm cinnamon-apple filling, topped with a silky cream cheese glaze, and finished with caramelized apples for the ultimate homemade fall dessert. They taste just like the bakery-style cinnamon rolls you find during fall, but this recipe lets you recreate that magic right in your own kitchen. With a few simple steps and a little time, you'll bake impressive, crowd-pleasing apple cinnamon buns that will fill your home with cozy fall aromas.
You may also enjoy this pumpkin cinnamon bun and puff pastry apple pie.
Why This Recipe Works
- These tasty apple cinnamon buns are filled with all the delicious flavors of fall! They include cinnamon, apple and caramel making it a great themed dessert option.
- This cinnamon bun filling is unique as it combines a delicious homemade apple paste.
- This apple cinnamon bun recipe comes together in just one day, and no overnight rise is required, which means less waiting.
- The dough is prepared in a mixer so you can skip the kneading!
- These apple cinnamon buns can be doubled or trippled easily to feed a larger crowd.
Apple Cinnamon Buns Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
For the Dough
- Unsalted Butter: Ensure that the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to mix before preparing the dough.
- Milk: Use full-fat warm milk to add rich flavor to the buns.
- Warm Water: Use warm water to activate the yeast. Ensure that the water is not hot as it will kill the yeast and effect the rise of the dough.
- Active Dry Yeast: Check the expiration date on the yeast to ensure that it has not expired before mixing.
- Sugar: Select granulated sugar for the buns.
- All-Purpose Flour: Sift the flour to remove lumps and dirt.
Filling
- Unsalted Butter: Use room temperature or softened butter for the filling. This will ensure that filling has a smooth paste-like texture.
- Brown Sugar: Select brown sugar for the filling to add a caramel-like flavor to the filling.
Topping
- Apples: Select granny smith apples for the apple cinnamon buns recipe as they are great for cooking ang baking.
For the Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Select full-fat cream cheese for the frosting and ensure that it is at room temperature before mixing. This will ensure that the cream cheese glaze has a silky, smooth texture.
- Powdered/Icing Sugar: Sift the sugar to remove any lumps.
Tips and Substitutions
- Measuring ingredients: To ensure the best results, use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients accurately. If you're using measuring cups, make sure to level them off for precision.
- Wait times: Making cinnamon buns can be considered a labour of love as the process involves some patience. Make sure you set aside enough time, as they will need to rise twice before baking.
- Fillings and Toppings: While you are waiting for the dough to rise, prepare the filling, this way the filling will be ready once the dough has risen. I also suggest that you start making the apple topping and cream cheese glaze about ten minutes before baking the apple cinnamon buns in the oven so the toppings can be added as soon as the buns are baked.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Buns
Step 1: Melt the butter in a microwave and set aside to cool. Add warm water, yeast, and sugar to the mixing bowl.
Step 2: Then, whisk.
Step 3: Next, add in the eggs, butter and milk.
Step 4: Add the salt, 2 cups of the flour.
Step 5: Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
Step 6: Use a dough attachment and mix while gradually adding the last 2 cups of flour.
Step 7: Knead for 8 minutes or until the dough forms a ball. If the dough is still sticky then add ¼ or ½ cup more of flour. As an alternative, you c an knead the dough by hand. Once the dough is ready, shape it into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl.
Step 8: Cover a cloth and let it rise for 1 ½ hours or until it doubles in size.
Step 9: As the dough rises lightly grease a baking dish and set aside for later. Then prepare the filling. In a small saucepan, add apples.
Step 10: Then, add water and sugar and cook on medium het for 8-12 minutes or until soft.
Step 11: Once the apples are ready, remove them from the heat then mash them into a paste using a fork. Set aiside to cool completely.
Step 12: Once the dough has risen, flour a surface and rolling pin.
Filling
Step 13: Roll it out to about 16 X 12.
Step 14: Next prepare the filling by mixing together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, apple paste and salt.
Step 15: Add the filling to the dough.
Step 16: Spread the filling as shown in image 16.
Step 17: Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 9 or 12 horizontal equal-sized strips.
Step 18: Roll the dough as shown in image 18.
Step 19: Place the dough in the prepared baking dish, leaving some space in between for the buns to rise. Then, cover them with a cloth and let them rise for 1 ½ hours.
Step 20: Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Bake the apple cinnamon buns for 25-30 minutes or until golden. While the buns bake, prepare the apple topping. Peel and chop apples and discard the core. Dice the apples and add them to a bowl. Next, add the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, cornstarch, a pinch of salt, water and stir.
Step 21: Add the ingredients to a pot and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until caramelized.
Step 22: As the sticky apple topping cools, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, icing suga, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy and smooth.
Step 23: Once the apple cinnamon buns are ready, remove them from the oven, spread the frosting on top of each bun.
Step 24: Add the apple topping and drizzle ready made caramel sauce on top (optional).
Step 25: Finally, serve these maginificent fall-flavored apple cinnamon buns as a cozy treat.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can add cooked, apples or apple paste to the cinnamon roll filling and top it with caramelized apples when serving.
Cinnamon rolls can be served with hot beverages like, tea, coffee, milk or hot chocolate.
Place leftover apple cinnamon buns in an airtight container and refridgerate for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave.
More Delicious Fall Recipes
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Apple Cinnamon Buns
Equipment
- Large Baking dish rectangle
- Clean cloth
- Electric mixer
- Small pots
- Pizza Cutter
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup or 113g of Unsalted Butter room temperature
- ½ cup or 120ml of cup Milk warm
- ½ cup or 120 ml of Warm Water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- ¼ cup or 50g of Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg + 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 4-4 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour sifted
Filling
- 1 apple peeled, chopped and cored
- 3 tablespoon water
- 5 tablespoon or 70g of butter room temperature
- ¾ cup or 150g of Brown Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- A pinch of Salt
Apple Topping
- 4 large granny smith or any other baking apples peeled, diced and cored
- 3 tbsp of sugar
- ¼ cup or 56 g butter
- ½ cup or 110g of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch/cornflour
- 2 teaspoon water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup or 225g of Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1 cup or 120g Powdered Sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- A pinch of Salt
- Caramel topping optional
Instructions
Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar, then whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and milk.
- Stir in the salt and 2 cups of flour using a spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Switch to a dough hook or paddle attachment and gradually mix in the remaining 2 cups of flour. Knead for about 8 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth ball. If the dough is sticky, add ¼-½ cup more flour as needed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean large oiled bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise for about 1½ hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Lightly grease your baking dish and set it aside.
- In a small saucepan, cook the apples, water, and sugar over medium heat for 8-12 minutes or until the apples are soft. Mash the cooked apples into a paste using a fork and let it cool completely.
- Once risen, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 16 × 12-inch rectangle.
Filling
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cooled apple paste, and a pinch of salt. Spread this mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough.
- Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into 9-12 equal strips. Roll up each strip and place them in the prepared baking dish, leaving space between each bun. Cover with a cloth and let them rise again for 1½ hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Apple Topping
- Add the diced apples to a pan with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and a little water. Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally or until caramelized.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
- Once the buns are baked, spread the frosting on top, spoon over the apple topping, and drizzle with caramel sauce (optional).
- Serve these warm, sticky, and cozy apple cinnamon buns as a delicious fall treat!
Video
Notes
- Measuring ingredients: For the best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients accurately. If you want to use measuring cups, level them off for consistent measurements.
- Wait times: Making cinnamon buns is truly a labour of love that requires a little patience. Set aside enough time for the process, as the dough will need to rise twice before baking.
- Fillings and toppings: While the dough is rising, prepare the filling so it's ready to use once the dough has doubled in size. About ten minutes before the buns go into the oven, start making the apple topping and cream cheese glaze this way, you can add them right after the buns come out of the oven for the freshest, most delicious finish.
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