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These Apple Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with fall flavor from apple cider, fresh apples, and plenty of cinnamon. Even the cream cheese icing gets an apple cider twist, so you get apple in every bite.

white pan of cinnamon rolls with one taken out

I love taking a classic recipe and giving it a seasonal spin, and these cinnamon rolls are basically fall baked into a pan. The apple cider adds extra flavor to the dough without making it heavy, while the chopped apples soften as the rolls bake and make the brown sugar cinnamon filling even better. The cream cheese icing is what really pulls it all together: it’s tangy, sweet, and flavored with apple cider.

I’ve been baking cinnamon rolls with a variation of this dough for years and I can tell you from first hand experience that these are one of my favorites to make! The cinnamon roll base I used for this recipe is the same one I used for the Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls, Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls, and the Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Bread, except that I took out the milk and used apple cider instead. It makes these extra fluffy!

Ingredients in cinnamon roll dough: egg sugar salt apple cider butter flour yeast
Ingredients in apple cinnamon roll filling

Apple Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

  • This recipe has been written for active dry yeast NOT instant! Be sure to buy the right kind because they’re very different.
  • Warm apple cider: Use apple juice if you can’t find cider.
  • The recipe uses all three kinds of sugar: granulated sugar and brown sugar and powdered sugar.
  • You’ll need butter for the dough and filling
  • I love adding an egg to cinnamon roll dough because it keeps it light and fluffy.
  • All-purpose flour: Measure your flour correctly
  • Diced apples: Use your favorite kind – I like Gala or Fuji or similar. I also cook them for a few minutes in the microwave to soften. I prefer a little sweeter of an apple for this recipe (I usually bake with Granny Smith, but for this I want something less tart).
  • The best frosting for cinnamon rolls is cream cheese icing. This frosting uses melted butter to help it be more pourable and drizzly. Be sure your cream cheese is room temperature.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.

one cinnamon roll on a grey plate with a fork next to it

Dorothy’s Expert Tips and Notes

  • How to make overnight cinnamon rolls: These are the best make-ahead cinnamon rolls because you can do most of the work a day ahead. Prepare the dough, assemble the rolls, and keep them in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning let them sit out at room temperature while you preheat the oven. While they bake, make the frosting and then enjoy fresh-baked from-scratch apple cinnamon rolls.
  • Be sure to check the expiration date on your yeast. If the yeast is old it may cause your dough not to rise.
  • If you’re making these in a cold house, they might take longer to rise. Place them near the preheating oven or heater vent to help the process.
  • When making the cream cheese frosting, add a little cider at a time. The icing should be pourable but not so liquid it’s watery. If you add too much cider, add a bit more powdered sugar and a pinch of salt to compensate.
5 from 10 votes

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

By: Dorothy Kern
These rolls have apple cider in the dough and the glaze, and apples inside. They’re soft and gooey and full of apple flavor!
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls
a white pan full of cinnamon rolls with icing on top
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Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 package active dry yeast, (about 2 ¼ teaspoons or 7g)
  • ¾ cup apple cider (177ml), heated to about 110-120°F, about 30-45 seconds in the microwave
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42g), softened
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3 – 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (372-403g), plus more for dusting

For the Filling:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (70g), softened
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar (134g)
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 heaping cup diced apple, about 1 medium peeled (your favorite kind)
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

For the Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g), melted
  • 3 ounces cream cheese (85g), softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (226g)
  • 3-4 tablespoons apple cider (15-60ml)

Instructions 

Make the Dough:

  • Place apple cider in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for about seconds in the microwave, until it’s about 110-120°F. (The time you heat it will need to be adjusted depending on your microwave. You can use a candy or a meat thermometer to test the temperature. Also, think very hot bathwater.) Add yeast and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes until it's foamy.
  • Place sugar, butter, salt, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the cider/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
  • Add 3 cups of flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl. If dough is still very sticky, you can add an additional 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 1-3 hours until it doubles in size. Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise.

Fill Rolls:

  • Stir together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until it forms a paste.
  • Place apple in a small microwave safe bowl and add a few tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap and heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until the apples start to soften. Drain really well and pat them dry. Let cool at least 10 minutes before filling.
  • Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 10” by 14”. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling. Sprinkle with the chopped apple and nuts (if using).
  • Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Decide how many rolls you want. Divide the dough into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a 9×13-inch pan that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Cover the rolls with plastic wrap.

Rising and Baking: Overnight or Right Away

  • If you want to make these the night before: once they're covered with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator overnight. Before baking, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them warm up to room temperature while the oven is preheating.
  • If making the same day (right away), allow the rolls to puff and almost double in size, about one hour, before baking.
  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 23-28 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Make the frosting:

  • Whisk the melted butter and softened cream cheese until mostly smooth. If your cream cheese is too stiff, you can use a hand mixer. Whisk/beat in powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons apple cider. Add more cider as you want for consistency. Pour over warm rolls and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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How to Store Cinnamon Rolls

  • Leftover cinnamon rolls can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You can warm them in the oven or in the microwave.
  • You can also freeze cinnamon rolls – I suggest freezing cooled rolls before icing them (or you can freeze the unbaked rolls and allow to thaw before baking).

How to make Overnight Apple Cinnamon Rolls

  • Option one: after kneading, place the covered bowl in the fridge overnight. The dough will need to come to room temperature and then rise for 2-3 hours before continuing with the recipe.
  • Option two: Make the cinnamon rolls and place them in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, allow to come to room temperature and rise about 1-2 hours, then bake.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Roll Recipe

stand mixer with butter and sugar.

1. The sugar mixed with butter will be crumbly. Don’t add the yeast until it’s foamy.

stand mixer with flour and dough.

2. Add flour slowly, not all at once.

stand mixer with yeast dough inside.

3. Once the mixture sticks to the paddle, switch to the dough hook and keep mixing.

dough in bowl with plastic wrap.

4. The dough will form a ball around the hook and then it’s time for the first rise.

bowl of risen dough.

5. The dough will double in size.

rolled out dough spread with cinnamon mixture and apples.

6. Instead of spreading melted butter, I mix softened butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Be sure to cook the apples a bit so they finish cooking in the oven.

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cut cinnamon rolls on cutting board.

7. It’s easiest to slice cinnamon rolls with a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss.

cut cinnamon rolls in pan.

8. They will need to rise again until puffy before baking.

Apple Cider Rolls FAQ

Why are my cinnamon rolls too dense?

Too dense cinnamon roll dough means your dough didn’t rise properly or you used too much flour. Be sure to allow the active dry yeast to be foamy before adding to the mixture and do not add all the flour at once; add as you go. Make sure your yeast is not expired.

How to fix dense cinnamon rolls?

If the dough is too dense, make sure you used yeast that was not expired and that it foamed before adding it. Chances are it needs longer time rising, so place in a warm area and let it sit longer. If it’s very heavy and dense before rising, continue kneading it and add 1 tablespoon warm water at a time until it’s more workable.

Favorite Cinnamon Roll Recipes

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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69 Comments

  1. Hi!!!
    Could I use fresh appels to make this recipe??
    I can’t get dried appel where Iive.
    Thanks in advance!!!

    Reply

  4. Simply delicious. Just started baking six months ago and have made three sweet roll recipes so far. These were definitely the best.

    Reply

  5. Hi, you should shred the apple so you don’t have hard chunks and it will be even gooier filling! Can’t wait to try!

    Reply