Best Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
These caramel apple cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and buttery, filled with warm cinnamon, brown sugar, and sweet-tart Granny Smith apples. Each roll is baked until golden and tender, then topped with a cream cheese icing and finished with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. They’re everything you love about a classic bakery style cinnamon roll, making them the perfect fall breakfast or sweet treat.
Jump to Recipe
Recipe testing Caramel Apple Cinnamon rolls:
I use my base cinnamon roll dough. I tested fresh apples, and a cooked apple pie filling. Would caramel in the filling make it too sweet? Can you even taste the caramel inside?
My final verdict- brown sugar cinnamon filling, cooked apple pie filling, cream cheese icing and the caramel drizzle on top.
The caramel drips and caramelizes on the bottom of the cinnamon roll. Drizzling it on the top with the icing still allows the flavor to shine without it being overly sweet.
If you love cinnamon rolls and want to try different flavors take a look at these Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls, Oreo Cinnamon Rolls and Blueberry Crumble Cinnamon Rolls.
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Soft and gooey: These cinnamon rolls bake up fluffy, buttery, and perfectly soft in the center.
- Packed with apple flavor: Tart Granny Smith apples add the perfect balance to the sweet cinnamon and brown sugar filling.
- Caramel in every bite: The caramel drizzle on top makes it perfectly decadent
- Perfect fall flavors: Warm cinnamon, brown sugar, apples, and caramel come together for the ultimate cozy fall treat.
- Bakery at home: These rolls have that soft, buttery texture and rich flavor you’d expect from your favorite bakery.
Caramel apple cinnamon roll 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 Pie 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
Salted Caramel
- Water: Wet vs the Dry caramel I prefer the wet method
- Granulated Sugar: Don't use brown sugar, brown sugar in caramel sauce is now a butterscotch sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Adds Richness and makes it creamy
- Vanilla: Use Vanilla Extract or Vanilla bean Paste
- Salt: Balances the sweetness
- Butter: Makes the caramel rich, smooth, and glossy
Let's Make Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls:
Brioche 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 Pie 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.
Caramel Sauce:
In a heavy sauce pan add in the sugar and water and place on medium to high heat.
The sugar mixture will bubble and then will begin to caramelize.
Once the color has reached an amber color take it off the stove add in the heavy cream and whisk carefully.
Add in the butter, vanilla bean paste, and the sea salt flakes. Adjust the salt to your liking.
Allow it to cool and pour into a jar when cooled and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks so you can make these caramel apple cinnamon rolls easier.
For my details: How to make Caramel Sauce
Assemble:
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 Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Preheat Oven to 350F
Pour over additional heavy cream over the tops.
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.
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese, butter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and then add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract until smooth.
Spread the cream cheese glaze generously over the warm cinnamon rolls and then drizzle the top with caramel sauce.
Caramel apple Cinnamon Rolls Storage:
Store leftover caramel apple 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 Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Why do you refrigerate the dough?
- Much easier to roll out
- Flavor is so much better the 2nd day
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Brioche Dough:
- 1 cup Whole Milk warm 85- 110F
- 2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- 2 large Whole Eggs
- 3 ¾ cup Bread Flour
- 2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 6 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temp
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling:
- 4 ounces Unsalted Butter Room Temp
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- pinch Sea Salt
Apple Filling:
- 4 cups Granny Smith Apples peeled, diced small
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon Lemon
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon Water
Cream cheese glaze:
- 4 ounces Cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste vanilla extract
Salted caramel
- 4 tablespoon Water
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Additional
- ½ cup Heavy Cream pour over cinnamon rolls
Instructions
Brioche Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine warm milk (110°F or below) and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.
- Add sugar and eggs and mix on low until combined. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- With the mixer running on low, gradually add the softened butter 1–2 tablespoons at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding more. Knead for 10–15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test.
- Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. For a quicker option, chill for at least 2 hours.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Filling
- Using the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, dark brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Apple Pie Filling
- Peel and dice the apples into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a saucepan with the water, sugar, lemon juice, spices, water and vanilla. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Stir it into the apples and cook until the filling thickens. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns amber in color.
- Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Add the butter, vanilla bean paste, and sea salt. Stir until smooth and allow to cool.
Assemble
- Remove the chilled dough and roll it into a 12×20-inch rectangle, about ¼-inch thick.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border at the top. Spoon the cooled apple pie filling evenly over the cinnamon layer.
- Cut the dough into 2-inch-wide strips and roll each strip tightly into a cinnamon roll.
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and drizzle caramel on the bottom and then arrange the rolls with a little space between them. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the remaining apple filling into the center of each roll.
- Cover and let rise for 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour over the Heavy Cream.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown and the centers reach 200°F. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
- For the cream cheese frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and then add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Spread the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls and drizzle generously with caramel sauce.
Storage
- Store leftover caramel apple cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 15–20 seconds or until warmed through.
