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Easy Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Icing. Just the autumn breakfast we’re all looking for. Buttery, soft, and fluffy dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and sweet Honeycrisp apples. Each roll is frosted generously with a warming brown butter and maple icing that melts into every nook and cranny. There’s nothing not to love, every bite is melt in your mouth delicious.
Cinnamon rolls hold a special place in my kitchen, and by that, I really just mean that we love them to pieces. Growing up, my mom would occasionally buy the cinnamon rolls that come from the can around the holidays. My brothers and I LOVED them. We looked forward to these cinnamon roll breakfasts every single year.
These days we all know I choose to make my own, but still, we love a good cinnamon roll. And you know? Homemade really is best, and they’re really not that difficult to make.
These apple cinnamon rolls are no exception. Everything from the rolls to the icing is pretty close to perfect. They might take a little time to make, because of the rising. But besides that, they really are quite easy.
And the smells coming from the kitchen as they bake? Mmm, too good.
The dough is the simplest to make. Simply mix the yeast with warm milk and a small touch of brown sugar. It’s important to let that mix sit for a few minutes to allow the yeast to “activate”.
Next, add the butter, eggs, flour, and salt. Mix until smooth and let the dough rest until doubled in size. Then it’s time to shape the rolls.
It’s super simple. I love to use a mix of brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon for the best consistency. The brown sugar adds a nice depth of flavor. And I go heavy on the cinnamon for sweet cinnamon swirls throughout.
And of course, the apples. I like to use Honeycrisp apples, and yes, I do leave the skin on! If you prefer no skin, be sure to peel the apples first.
Spread the dough with butter, then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, and apples. Roll the dough up into a log, slice, and bake.
The smells coming from the oven will be perfect. Think…fall candle and Christmas morning combined.
Brown the butter and mix it with the cream cheese, maple syrup, sugar, and a touch of vanilla. The maple is key. It pairs so well with the apples and cinnamon.
As soon as the rolls come out of the oven, frost, serve, and enjoy every last sweet and delicious bite. They’re soft, fluffy, heavy in the cinnamon swirl, and perfectly spiced with warm autumn flavors.
And gooey, SO gooey. These rolls are beyond good. Great for all the crisp fall weekends to come!
Looking for other cinnamon recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Icing be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Question… I am preparing to make these for Christmas morning… Do I peel the apples or skin on?
Hi Amber! It’s totally up to you! I usually just leave the skin on because it’s easier, but feel free to peel them if you’d like 🙂 xT
Hello! I have made these several times and LOVE this recipe. I am wanting to make a batch to freeze and then bake for Christmas. I’m just wondering do I let the rolls rise or put them straight in the freezer once they’re in the baking dish?
Thank you!
Hi Julia! I would let them rise and then freeze them! 🙂 xT
Thank you!!
If I have a very simple mixer, can I just mix by hand and knead the dough until it’s smooth?
I have an maple butter from Vermont I’ve been wanting to use but I don’t want to ruin this recipe by making it too sweet!? Would you adjust the butter if substituting with this for the filling? (Probably not the cream cheese too!)
Hi Madison,
I might just go ahead and use it as is:) I would think it would be just fine! Let me know how the recipe turns out for you! xT
These turned out so well, and tasted absolutely delicious! Will make again, and again, and again! 🙂
Hey Kristin,
Happy Sunday!!🍂 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your review, so glad it was enjoyed:) xx
these are in the oven right now. Wow can’t wait to try them.
IDK what I did and when I re-checked the recipe for the 100th time I couldn’t find anything wrong with what I did. But the dough was pure goop no matter what I tried to do to fix it after the initial instructions didn’t work.
Big melty mess, wouldn’t recommend. Which is a shame because we love most of the recipes on this website.
Hi Erin,
I just made these for the first time and kept your review in mind, as I cautiously checked on them. I believe if you checked the recipe twice and you have all the right measurements, the problem would be in the rising. I have made baked goods before, and if I didn’t allow the rise time to occur, I would end up with a dense and gooey product. One important suggestion is to make sure your milk is warm enough, but not too warm, as it will kill the yeast. Then, make sure you let the dough rise in the initial phase as well as after they are rolled up in the pan. You want to have a warm area for rising. One suggestion with that is to use your microwave with the door closed and a hot mug of water in the corner. You should definitely try this one again. The icing is unbelievably delicious!
Thanks so much for sharing Diana!!
So so good! I added nuts. Easy to make.
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! 🙂 xT
Made them for the first time this week, making them again now for my in laws — safe to say, delicious!!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you’re having a great Halloween weekend! 🙂 xT
I make these every year after apple picking and they always come out so good! How would you adapt this recipe to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls?
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried this with pumpkin, but I would maybe just mix in some pumpkin puree with the dough! xT
Just made these. So good! I used double the apples.
Also my son has a dairy allergy so I used pea based milk, vegan butter, and vegan cream cheese. Turned out perfect
Thank you so much Kristen! xT
does the yeast need to be fully incorporated and mixed before you let it sit?
Yes! xT
Perfect fluffy rolls. Obsessed
First time making cinnamon rolls and this recipe is excellent! I used my instant read thermometer to check for doneness and 195 degrees was just perfect. For the frosting, I let the brown butter cool in the bowl before adding the other ingredients and that worked well. The maple syrup really made it special and complimented the cinnamon apples perfectly.
Thank you so much Laura! xT
Made these today – and they were absolutely amazing! No problem with the directions, and everything was so easy! They came out perfectly fluffy, and the maple icing is to die for!! This is going to be my go-to going forward. 🙂 Thanks again – everything I make of yours is always amazing!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Have a great fall season! 🙂 xT
No words for how good these are!!
Thank you so so much Pam! xT
I made these this morning for my family and they were a hit! Might be a thanksgiving morning breakfast as well!
Thank you so much!! Love to hear you enjoyed these rolls! xT