Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls

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These Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and buttery, filled with warm cinnamon brown sugar and a sweet-tart apple filling. Each roll is baked until golden and tender with a buttery oat crumble and finished with a vanilla glaze.

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Adding fruit to cinnamon rolls sounded a little crazy to me at first, but it actually balances everything out. The apples cut through the richness of the buttery cinnamon rolls, adding a touch of sweetness and a fresh, fruity flavor that keeps you going back for another bite. With the soft cinnamon roll, warm apples, buttery crumble, and glaze, there’s a lot going on but in all the right ways, trust me your going to love this one!

If you love cinnamon rolls and want to try different flavors take a look at these Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls, Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls, Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls, Oreo Cinnamon Rolls and Blueberry Crumble Cinnamon Rolls.

Apple Crumble Cinnamon rolls ingredients

Brioche Dough

• Bread Flour: Gives the cinnamon rolls the perfect structure while keeping them soft and fluffy. All-purpose flour can be used, but your rolls will be a bit different.
• Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt works.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a tender dough.
• Yeast: Active dry or instant yeast can be used.
• Milk: Use Whole Milk
• Eggs: Use Large Eggs
• Butter: Use Real Butter

Brown Sugar Filling

• Brown Sugar: My personal preference is Dark Brown Sugar, adds more flavor but light brown works
• Cinnamon/Nutmeg: I use Saigon Vietnamese Cinnamon
• Butter: Provides Moisture and helps create the spreading

Apple Filling

• Granny Smith Apples: Used for structure and tartness. Feel free to use whatever you'd like.
• Brown Sugar: White granulated sugar works also
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Give the apples that classic apple pie flavor
• Salt: Balances the sweetness
• Cornstarch: Thickens the apple filling
• Water: Helps create the apple filling and mix the cornstarch slurry. I reduced the sugar in the apple filling to make it not too sweet, so I had to add additional water.
• Butter: Unsalted Butter

Crumble Topping:

• Flour: All Purpose flour
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Butter: Unsalted Butter 
• Cinnamon: Saigon Vietnamese Cinnamon 
• Oats: Recipe calls for quick oats, rolled oats will work out just fine! 

Icing:

• Powdered Sugar
• Butter: Unsalted Butter
• Heavy Cream

Full list of ingredients including measurements are listed in the recipe card below. 

Let's Make Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls:

Cinnamon Roll DOugh:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm milk 110F or lower and active dry yeast. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy.

Add the granulated sugar and eggs. Mix on low speed until the ingredients begin to come together.  And then add the flour and salt and continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

With the mixer running on low speed, add the softened butter one or two tablespoons at a time, allowing each piece to fully incorporate before adding the next. Once all of the butter has been added, continue kneading for 10–15 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (see photo).

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate overnight. If you're short on time, allow the dough to chill for at least 2 hours before shaping.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Roll Filling:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, dark brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and well combined. Set aside.

Apple Filling:

First, peel and dice 4 large apples into 1in cubes.

Place them into a medium saucepan and add the sugar, lemon, spices, water and vanilla. Allow them to cook under tender for 5 minutes on medium heat. Stirring every so often.

Once the apples have finished cooking in a small bowl mix in the cornstarch and the water to create a slurry. Quickly add the cornstarch mixture to the cooked apples and mix. The apple pie filling should thicken immediately.

Take the pot off the stove and allow it to cool. Once cooled transfer to an airtight container.

Oat Crumble:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and old-fashioned oats.

Pour in the cooled melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Glaze:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and heavy cream until smooth. Add a little more cream if needed to reach your desired consistency.

Assembly:

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a large rectangle about ¼-inch thick. For my large cinnamon rolls I roll it out 12 inches wide and 20 inches long. 

Spread the cinnamon brown sugar filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border at the top. 

Evenly spoon the cooled Apple filling over the cinnamon filling.

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2-inch-wide strips. Roll each strip individually into a cinnamon roll.

Line a 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment paper . Arrange the cinnamon rolls on the pan, leaving a little space between each roll.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the remaining Apple filling into the center of each cinnamon roll.

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow the cinnamon rolls to rise until doubled in size, about 45–60 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen

Bake Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat Oven to 350F

Pour over additional heavy cream over the tops and sprinkle tops generously with crumb topping.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the centers reach an internal temperature of 200°F.

Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool for about 10 minutes before glazing.

Drizzle the glaze generously over the warm Apple Crumble cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.

Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls Storage: 

Store leftover Apple Crumble cinnamon rolls in an airtight container. Place in fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or until the cinnamon rolls are warm and soft again. 

Do I have to refrigerate my dough?

• Method One: One day Process-Make Dough, let it rise on the counter top until doubled, roll out, spread filling, roll up scrolls, Second Rise, Bake
• Method Two: One day Process- Make Dough, Rise on counter until almost Doubled, Refrigerate dough for 2 Hrs at least, Roll out dough. Fill, Roll Up, Second Rise, Bake
• Method Three: Two Day Process-Make Dough, Let it sit in the fridge, Next Day, Roll, Filling, Roll up, Second rise, Bake Apple Crumble Cinnamon Rolls

Why do you refrigerate the dough?

• Much easier to roll out
• Flavor is so much better the 2nd day

Active Dry Yeast Vs Instant

Active Dry Yeast	Instant Dry Yeast
Needs warm liquid between 100–110°F (38–43°C) to activate.	Works faster because the granules dissolve more quickly in the dough.
Many recipes call for mixing it with warm milk or water and a little sugar for 5–10 minutes until foamy.	Can be added directly to the flour.
If it doesn't foam, the yeast may be expired or the liquid was too hot or too cold	Doesn't need to be proofed, although you still can if you want to check that it's alive.