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These Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls are everything you want from a fall bake: soft, fluffy dough, a generous swirl of apple butter, and a maple cream cheese frosting that melts into all the warm corners.
What’s to love
- Soft, fluffy dough: A straightforward yeast dough that turns out tender rolls without any complicated steps.
- Maple cream cheese frosting: Just sweet enough, with a hint of maple and cinnamon that fits right in with fall mornings.
- Great for weekends and holidays: Easy enough for a slow Saturday, special enough for guests or a holiday breakfast.
Simple ingredients, cozy flavor, and the kind of weekend treat that makes the whole house smell like fall!
Printable recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 envelope active dry yeast ((1 tablespoon))
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 cup apple butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (feel free to add more, keep in mind the apple butter is spiced as well!)
Frosting
- ¾ cup cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Tips
- Make sure the milk and melted butter are just warm, not hot (around 100°F), before adding them to the yeast mixture; hot liquid can kill the yeast and keep the dough from rising.
- Keep the dough on the softer side and resist the urge to add too much extra flour; a soft, slightly tacky dough bakes into much fluffier rolls.
- Give the dough enough time to rise until almost doubled on both proofs; underproofed dough leads to dense, tight rolls.
- Check the rolls early and tent the pan with foil if they are browning too quickly; properly baked but not overdone rolls stay soft and moist, especially in the center.
Instructions
- Prep:Get your ingredients ready. A stand mixer with the dough hook attachment makes it easy to knead the dough, but you can also knead it by hand – it just takes a while.
- Activate yeast:Activate the yeast according to package directions (I usually mix it in a large measuring jug with 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon sugar, then let it sit 5 minutes until it’s bubbly.)Tip: The mixture should look foamy and smell pleasantly yeasty; if it stays flat, discard it and start again with fresh yeast.1 envelope active dry yeast
- Add remaining liquid ingredients:Once the yeast is bubbly, whisk in remaining milk, remaining sugar, eggs and melted butter (add the butter last so the yeast doesn’t get too hot.)1 cup whole milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons butter
- Knead dough:In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture, knead with the dough hook attachment on medium speed for 8-10 minutes, or until dough is soft and stretchy.If needed, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a soft ball.Tip: The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but not stick in large clumps to your fingers.4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Let dough rise:Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover and let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.Tip: If your kitchen is cool, place the bowl in a slightly warm (but turned off) oven or near a warm spot to help it rise – make sure it's not hotter than 100°F.
- Roll out and add filling:Punch dough down, then remove to a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle, about ¼-inch thick and about 18×12 inches in size. Spread apple butter evenly over dough. Combine both sugars for filling with cinnamon. Evenly sprinkle over apple butter.Tip: Leave a small border along one long edge bare so the roll seals more easily when you roll it up.1 cup apple butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Assemble rolls:Starting on one long edge, roll up dough jelly-roll style. Slice into 12 rounds; arrange in a well-greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise one more time until puffy, about 20-30 minutes.Tip: Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls cleanly without squashing the spiral.
- Bake rolls:While rolls are resting, heat oven to 350°F. Once ready, bake rolls for 18-25 minutes, until golden and just done in the middle. Be sure to check the rolls often.If middle rolls aren't baked after 20 minutes or tops are getting too dark, tent pan with foil and continue baking until done. Place pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.Tip: The centers should look set and no longer doughy, but still feel soft; overbaking yields dry rolls.
- Make frosting:In the meantime, beat all frosting ingredients together. While rolls are still hot, spread with frosting.¾ cup cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch salt
- Serve:The rolls are amazing served warm, but they also taste great cold the next day!
Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls
make your kitchen smell like home?Apple butter cinnamon roll questions, answered
Yes. Assemble the rolls in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for about 45–60 minutes, until puffy, before baking as directed.
Absolutely. Homemade or store-bought apple butter both work here. Just make sure it’s thick enough to spread without being too runny, so it stays put in the rolls.
Homemade Apple Butter
1.5 pounds apples, cored and diced (no need to peel)
¼ cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch salt
Dash of vanilla extract
Cook everything in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until simmering. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and simmer until the apples are fully soft (if the apples seem dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the saucepan.)
Cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring often (watch out for splatters!)
Keep cooled rolls covered in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven until just warm and soft again (although they are also tasty cold!)
Yes. You can freeze the baked, unfrosted rolls once they are fully cooled, then thaw and warm them in the oven before adding frosting.
Usually, it’s because the dough didn’t rise long enough, the yeast was old, or too much flour was added. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, and it should almost double in size during the first rise.
Perfect to serve with
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