Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls

Name: Homemade Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 115 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup Water; 3/4 cup Whole Milk; 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature); 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar; 1 large Egg (room temperature); 1 teaspoon Salt; 2 1/4 tsp Instant Dry Yeast; 5 cups All-Purpose Flour; 1 cup Light Brown Sugar; ½ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature); 3 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 3 cups Granny Smith Apples (diced very small, divided); 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour; 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar; 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (cold and cut into small cubes); 1/4 cup Heavy Cream; 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar; 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter; 2 tbsp Heavy Cream; 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (sifted); 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 4 oz Full Fat Cream Cheese (room temperature); 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature); 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1 cup Powdered Sugar (sifted)

These Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, sweet rolls with a creamy brown sugar cinnamon apple filling, topped with cinnamon streusel and a warm caramel glaze. They’re an absolute must-bake breakfast or brunch treat that’s perfect for the fall season!

Apple streusel cinnamon roll on a ceramic dessert plate on a dark wood table with a pan of cinnamon rolls and apples in the background.

This Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls recipe post is sponsored by Ankarsrum®. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Beyond the Butter® possible!

Why you’ll love this recipe

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

You’ll love this cinnamon rolls recipe for its soft, fluffy 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 recipe 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!

Cinnamon roll dough being kneaded in an Ankarsrum Assistent Original mixer in nordic sage.

Apple cinnamon rolls on ceramic dessert plates in front of an Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer in nordic sage on a dark wood background.

Ingredients Needed
How to Make the Recipe
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Helpful Tips
Recipe FAQs
Homemade Apple Streusel Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
More Breakfast Treats to Enjoy!

Ingredients Needed

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

Ingredients in various size bowls labeled as vanilla extract, water, whole milk, granulated sugar, all purpose flour, salt, egg, instant yeast, heavy cream, ground cinnamon,apples, light brown sugar, butter, and powdered sugar on a white marbled background.

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 recipe 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. I recommend 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 recipe card below.

Metal pan with apple streusel cinnamon rolls topped with caramel glaze placed in the center of a dark wood table with apples, ceramic dessert plates, a server spatula, and mauve colored linen napkin surrounding it.

How to Make the Recipe

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 recipe 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 recipe.

Dough

Milk and water in saucepan warmed to 110 degrees fahrenheit using a blue digital thermometer.

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

Butter, egg, sugar, and salt whisked together in a glass mixing bowl on a light grey marbled background.

Step 2. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, egg, sugar, and salt until well blended. Set aside.

Yeast, egg mixture, and warmed milk whisked together in an Ankarsrum mixing bowl.

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.

Kneaded cinnamon roll dough in the mixing bowl of an Ankarsrum mixer.

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

Dough placed in a greased nine inch by thirteen inch metal pan on a light grey marbled background.

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

Cinnamon roll dough lightly covered with a clean kitchen towel on a light grey marbled background.

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

Brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a small glass mixing bowl on a light grey marbled background.

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

Brown sugar cinnamon filling in a small glass mixing bowl on a light grey marbled background.

Step 2. Blend together until the mixture is a spreadable paste consistency. Cover and set aside.

Peeled and chopped apples in a medium saucepan on a light grey marbled background.

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

Cooked and softened apples in a medium saucepan on a light grey marbled background.

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

Streusel Topping

Whisked flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium glass mixing bowl on a light grey marbled background.

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

Cinnamon streusel topping in a medium glass mixing bowl on a light grey marbled background.

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

Cinnamon roll dough rolled out to an eighteen inch by 12 inch rectangle on a silicone mat.

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

Brown sugar cinnamon filling spread across rolled out cinnamon roll dough and topped with chopped and softened apples on a silicone mat.

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.

Apple cinnamon rolls sliced into 12 equally sized rolls and placed in a greased nine inch by thirteen inch metal pan on a light grey marbled background.

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.

Apple cinnamon rolls loosely covered with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel on a light grey marbled background.

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.

Apple cinnamon rolls topped with heavy cream and cinnamon streusel.

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

Baked apple cinnamon rolls topped with cinnamon streusel in a nine inch by thirteen inch metal baking pan on a light grey marbled background.

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

Brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream blended together and heated to a boil in a medium saucepan on a light grey marbled background.

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.

Caramel apple glaze in a medium saucepan on a light grey marbled background.

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.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

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 recipe card below.

Apple cinnamon rolls topped with streusel and caramel apple glaze on ceramic dessert plates on a dark wood table.

Helpful Tips

Read through the recipe. 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. I recommend 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. I recommend using a serrated knife to cut the rolls.

Recipe FAQs

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 homemade 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.

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