Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls are drizzled with caramel sauce for the ultimate morning treat. A simple step by step recipe perfect to serve with your morning coffee.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are my go-to breakfast treat for Christmas morning and for those lazy Sunday mornings when the whole family is gathered at our house.

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls ~ Homemade Sweet Rolls

Homemade sweet rolls take a bit of time to prepare but the end result is one of the most delicious treats you can bake at home. This recipe takes you through each step and doesn’t require a mixer. A tried and true favorite that the entire family will love.

Ingredients Needed for Homemade Apple Cinnamon Rolls

For the Rolls

• Milk
• Butter
• Instant Yeast
• Sugar
• Eggs
• All Purpose Flour
• Kosher Salt

For the Apples

• Granny Smith Apples
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon

For the Filling

• Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Toasted Walnuts

For the Caramel Icing

• Powdered Sugar
• Salted Caramel Sauce
• Milk

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Step-by-Step Instructions for Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

For the Yeast Dough

1. Heat milk to about 96- 100°.
2. Pour into a large bowl with butter, sugar and yeast. Stir together and set aside about 5 minutes.
3. Beat eggs and stir into the milk mixture.
4. Add 2 cups of flour and salt. Use a dough whisk or wooden spoon to combine.
5. Mix in additional flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
6. Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

7. Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, turning the dough over and pressing it into itself. The dough will be smooth and no longer be sticky. 
8. Place dough in a well greased bowl and turn to coat the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. 

For the Apple Pie Filling

1. Meanwhile, prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, slice into quarters. 
2. Dice apples.
3. Add butter, apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cook just until apples start to get tender. Remove from heat and pour apples into a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to fill the cinnamon rolls.

Rolling the Dough

1. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead out any air bubbles. 
2. Use a rolling pin to form a rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches. 
3. Spread dough with softened butter. 

Filling the Cinnamon Rolls

1. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts.
2. Spoon apples, draining excess juice, over the dough.
3. Starting for with the long side, roll up dough as tightly as you can.
4. Use a serrated knife to gently cut into 12 – 1 ½ inch rolls.

Second Rise

1. Grease 2 baking dishes. 9 inch pie plates or 11 x 9 -inch baking dishes or an 11 x 17 dish.
2. Place 6 rolls into each dish.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise 30 minutes to one hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Bake rolls for 20 – 25 minutes until rolls are golden brown on the top and the middles are set.

Icing the Cinnamon Rolls

1. Remove to a wire rack.
2. Mix the icing together by placing powdered sugar, caramel sauce and milk in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
3. Drizzle over rolls while they are warm.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Variations and Notes

• Nuts: Adding nuts to the filling is optional and can be left out if desired. Pecans are another great option if you aren’t a fan of walnuts.
• Icing: The caramel sauce is optional. Just mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for vanilla icing.
• Storage: Cool rolls completely. Cover with plastic wrap or place in zip top baggies and refrigerate up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Serve at room temperature. Warm for about 20 seconds in the microwave or in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes.
• Make Ahead: Rolls can be made to the point of the second rise, covered and refrigerated over night. Remove from refrigerator and rise for about 1 hour before baking as directed.

Occasions for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

• Christmas morning
• Easter Brunch
• Valentine’s Day
• Sunday Breakfast
• Bake Sales

You might also like these Mini Apple Cider Donuts for a quick and easy treat that will rival the ones from your favorite apple orchard!

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

1. Make sure that your yeast is fresh and not expired. 
2. Use quality ingredients. I prefer Red Star Yeast and King Arthur Flour. It really makes a difference.
3. Add flour to create the dough a bit at a time. Add 2 cups of flour to start mixing the dough and then add ½ cup at a time. Adding too much flour will make your rolls tough and heavy. 
4. Don’t over bake the rolls. Oven baking times and temperatures can vary. Check your rolls starting about 5 minutes early, so they are not over cooked and hard. 

More Sweet Rolls Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Chip Sweet Rolls
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Peach Pie Cinnamon Rolls
• Blackberry Pie Sweet Rolls
• Coconut Cream Pie Sweet Rolls

These Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls are perfect to bake and share for the holidays. A pan of fresh, warm sweet rolls fresh from the oven is the ultimate breakfast for Christmas morning!

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND A FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Rolls are drizzled with caramel sauce for the ultimate morning treat. A simple step by step recipe perfect to serve with your morning coffee.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Additional Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple rolls, cinnamon rolls, homemade cinnamon rolls with apples, sweet rolls

Servings: 12 rolls

Calories: 441kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH:

• 1 ⅓ cups milk heated to 96- 100°
• 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 package instant Red Star Platinum Yeast
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE APPLES:

• 4 granny smith apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter

FOR THE FILLING:

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

FOR THE ICING:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
• 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Pour warm milk into a large bowl with butter, sugar and yeast. Stir together and set aside about 5 minutes.
• Beat eggs and stir into the milk mixture.
• Add 2 cups of flour and salt. Use a dough whisk or wooden spoon to combine.
• Mix in additional flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl. I added about 3 1/2 cups total.
• Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, turning the dough over and pressing it into itself. The dough will be smooth and no longer be sticky. 
• Place dough in a well greased bowl and turn to coat the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. 
• Meanwhile, peel and core the apples, slice into quarters. 
• Dice apples.
• Add butter, apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Cook just until apples start to get tender. Remove from heat and pour apples into a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to fill the cinnamon rolls.
• Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead out any air bubbles. 
• Use a rolling pin to form a rectangle, about 12 inches by 18 inches. 
• Spread dough with softened butter. 
• Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped walnuts.
• Spoon apples, straining excess juice, over the dough.
• Starting for with the long side, roll up dough as tightly as you can.
• Use a serrated knife to gently cut into 12 - 1 ½ inch rolls.
• Grease 2 9-inch pie plates or 2 11 x 9 -inch baking dishes.
• Place 6 rolls into each dish.
• Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise 30 minutes to one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Bake rolls for 20 - 25 minutes until rolls are golden brown on the top and the middles are set.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• Mix the icing together by placing powdered sugar, caramel sauce and milk in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Drizzle over rolls while they are warm.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe Variations and Notes:

• Nuts: Adding nuts to the filling is optional and can be left out if desired. Pecans are another great option if you aren't a fan of walnuts.
• Icing: The caramel sauce is optional. Just mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for vanilla icing.
• Storage: Cool rolls completely. Cover with plastic wrap or place in zip top baggies and refrigerate up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Serve at room temperature. Warm for about 20 seconds in the microwave or in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes.
• Make Ahead: Rolls can be made to the point of the second rise, covered and refrigerated over night. Remove from refrigerator and rise for about 1 hour before baking as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 149mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g