Description
These Soft-Baked Apple Cinnamon Rolls are fall comfort in every bite—featuring fluffy brioche dough swirled with gooey cinnamon filling, tender spiced apples, and toasted pecans. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect treat for brunch, holidays, or cozy mornings at home.
Ingredients
For the brioche dough:
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1 cup lukewarm whole milk
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¼ cup granulated sugar, divided
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2¼ tsp active dried yeast
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2 large eggs, room temp
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½ tsp kosher salt
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4½ cups all-purpose flour
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7 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
For the apple pie filling:
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4 medium apples, peeled and diced
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2 tbsp unsalted butter
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⅓ cup granulated sugar
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½ tsp ground cinnamon
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¼ tsp kosher salt
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1 tbsp cornstarch
For toasted pecans:
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1 cup pecan halves
For the cinnamon filling:
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¾ cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
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1¼ cups brown sugar
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2 tbsp + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
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⅛ tsp kosher salt
For cream cheese frosting:
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½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
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1 cup cream cheese, room temp
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2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
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1–2 tbsp heavy cream
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½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the dough: Mix lukewarm milk, half the sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy (10–15 min). Combine flour, salt, and remaining sugar in a mixer. Add yeast mix and eggs, knead for 2–3 min on low and 5 min on medium. Add butter gradually and knead 7–10 min until smooth. Chill dough 2 hours or overnight.
- Prepare apple filling: Sauté diced apples with butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for 3–5 minutes until softened. Add cornstarch, stir until thickened, then cool completely.
- Toast pecans: Bake pecans at 350°F (175°C) for 10 min until fragrant.
- Make cinnamon filling: Mix all ingredients until creamy.
- Assemble: Roll dough into a 24×16 inch rectangle. Spread cinnamon mixture, top with apples and chopped pecans. Roll tightly, chill 20 min. Slice into 12 pieces. Place in a greased 9×13-inch pan and let rise 45–60 min.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 min until golden brown. Cool for 15 min.
- Frost: Beat frosting ingredients until fluffy. Spread generously over warm rolls.
Notes
Room temperature ingredients ensure better dough texture.
Chilling before slicing makes neat, even rolls.
Add a splash of warm heavy cream over the rolls before baking for extra moisture.
It can be prepped a day ahead and baked fresh the next morning.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 2 hours chilling/rising)
- Chilling Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35–40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American