Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Streusel

These Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls are soft, airy, sweet rolls with a creamy brown sugar cinnamon apple filling, topped with cinnamon streusel and a warm caramel glaze. They're a favorite breakfast or brunch treat that's a strong match for the fall season!

This Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls recipe post is sponsored by Ankarsrum. The notes here are independent. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Sovuh possible!

Why this bake works

These Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls, adapted from the House-made Sticky Buns recipe, are made with the Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer, plus the dough roller and dough knife attachments from their Essential Package. The dough roller works especially well with all dough recipes, and it also works cleanly for mixing batters, cookie doughs, whipping cream, and more.

You may like this cinnamon rolls recipe for its soft, airy golden-brown texture, creamy brown sugar filling with chopped apples, and thick, warm caramel sauce. You can also top them with a simple cream cheese frosting, which is included in the method below!

You can easily make them the night before and bake them in either a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or two 8-inch or 9-inch pie or cake plates! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

What goes in

You'll need the following ingredients to make these house-made apple cinnamon rolls with streusel and caramel glaze topping. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.

• Instant Dry Yeast. You can also use active dry yeast, but expect a longer initial rise time.
• Water and Milk. For best results, heat your water and milk to 105ºF-115ºF. For the milk, whole milk is recommended, but you can also use skim, 1%, or 2%. I didn't test the method with any non-dairy milk alternative such as oat, soy, or almond.
• All-Purpose Flour. My brand preference is King Arthur, but use what you have.
• Ground Cinnamon. I used King Arthur Vietnamese ground cinnamon, but any ground cinnamon works!
• Granny Smith Apples. Granny Smith apples are preferred because they bake well, but Stayman, McIntosh, and Gala also work. The smaller the apple cubes, the easier it will be to roll up the cinnamon rolls.
• Heavy Cream. Used to thicken the caramel glaze topping.
• Powdered Sugar. Used for the caramel glaze and cream cheese frosting. Try sifting this to avoid any clumps in the glaze.
• Cream Cheese. Not shown in the image above, but use the full-fat brick of cream cheese, not the tub.

For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.

How it comes together

Below is a quick overview of how to make these apple streusel cinnamon rolls. For the full printable recipe, with US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.

Recipe Tip: If you're using your Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer, use the 7-liter stainless steel bowl, dough roller, and dough knife attachments to make this method.

Dough

Step 1. Warm the water and milk together in a saucepan until the temperature reaches between 105ºF-115ºF.

Step 2. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, egg, sugar, and salt until well blended. Hold to the side.

Step 3. To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the warmed water and milk mixture, butter mixture, and instant yeast. Give it a quick whisk to blend it all together.

Step 4. Add the flour, then knead on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, until smooth and slightly tacky to the touch.

Step 5. Lightly grease your mixer bowl, or use a 9 x 13 inch pan. Place the dough into the bowl/pan.

Step 6. Cover the bowl/pan lightly with plastic wrap and/or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Filling

Step 1. In a small bowl, add brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

Step 2. Blend together until the mixture is a spreadable paste consistency. Cover and hold to the side.

Step 3. Wash, peel, then dice the apples into small cubes. Place them in a saucepan with a teaspoon of water.

Step 4. Stir over low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the apples soften. Hold to the side to cool.

Streusel Topping

Step 1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well blended.

Step 2. With a pastry cutter (or forks), blend in cold, cubed butter until you have small streusel crumbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling the Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to an 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle.

Step 2. Spread the brown sugar cinnamon filling using an offset spatula. Leave 1/2 inch of space from the edge of the dough. Top with about 3/4 of the softened chopped apples.

Step 3. Roll up the dough, pinch the seams to seal, then slice into 12 equally sized pieces (1 1/2 inches). Place the rolls cut-side down in the 9 x 13 pan, leaving about 1 inch of space.

Step 4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and/or a clean kitchen towel. Set in a warm spot and let rise for 30-60 minutes or until the rolls have doubled in size.

Step 5. Top each cinnamon roll with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, then top with streusel topping.

Step 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375ºF, until the internal temperature reaches 190°F-200°F or the center bounces back when you gently press it.

Caramel Apple Glaze

Step 1. Whisk together the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream over medium-high heat until the mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

Step 2. Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth, then stir in the remaining chopped apples. Immediately pour over the apple streusel cinnamon rolls.

Keeping and freezing

Store these apple cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To reheat, microwave cinnamon rolls for 30-60 seconds.

To freeze baked cinnamon rolls, skip the caramel apple glaze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 375ºF oven for 10-15 minutes or microwave individually for 30-60 seconds.

To freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls, skip the heavy cream and streusel topping. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let them rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. Brush on the heavy cream, top with the streusel, then bake as directed in the method card below.

Baker notes

• Read through the method. This apple streusel cinnamon rolls recipe has several parts. It's good to know what you need, how much, and when to make it. As with any recipe, though, it's always a good idea to read through it before you start.
• Initial rise. I recently learned that doing the initial rise in the 9 x 13 pan you plan to bake the cinnamon rolls in helps form the shape you want to roll them out in, instead of in the bowl. Plus, the pan will already be greased for the second rise.
• Trouble rolling out the dough. If your dough keeps shrinking back after rolling it out, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
• Digital Thermometer. Try using a digital thermometer when warming the milk-and-water mixture and when checking the internal temperature of the baked cinnamon rolls. The internal temp should be 190ºF-200ºF, or until the center bounces back when you gently press it.
• Slicing the rolls. Try using a serrated knife to cut the rolls.

Questions on this bake

Can I make cinnamon rolls the night before?

Yes! You can prepare them up to the second rise or proof time (already cut and placed into the prepared 9 x 13 inch baking pan). This is also called cold proofing. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them rise for about 45-60 minutes at room temperature before baking. You can keep the plastic wrap on loosely, or replace it with a clean, dry kitchen towel.

Can you make house-made cinnamon rolls in different-size baking pans?

Yes! You can bake these sticky buns in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or two 8-inch or 9-inch pie or cake plates!

Why isn't my dough rising?

A few reasons could be causing this issue. 1) The yeast has expired. Before starting any recipe that calls for yeast, ensure this key ingredient hasn't expired. 2) The water/milk mixture was too hot (over 115ºF), which can kill the yeast. Always use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is in the right range (105ºF-115ºF). 3) Your kitchen environment is too cold or drafty. It's best to find a warm spot or area in your kitchen when proofing dough. Some ovens nowadays have a proofing setting you can use.