Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls

4.57 from 156 votes

Gooey, homemade Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls are filled with sweetened apple butter, baked to a soft, golden brown and spread with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time27

Rise Time1 10

Total Time2 7

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple butter recipes, breakfast recipes, brunch recipes, fall recipes, sweet rolls

Servings:

Calories: 558kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

Rolls:

1 cup 2% or higher fat milk warmed to 110-115ºFahrenheit
1 package Red Star Platinum Yeast (or any instant yeast)
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup salted butter (Melted, but make sure it isn't over 110º Fahrenheit. Just softened is fine.)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup apple butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cream drizzle:

1/2 cup heavy cream

Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
5 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop.
Add the eggs, butter and sugar. Mix until combined.
Add in salt and 4 cups (save the other 1/2 cup and add only if you need it) of flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
Beat the dough on medium speed, adding in up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed to form a dough. Knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. **The dough should be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That's ok! Don't be tempted to add more flour at this point. We generally add about 4 1/2 cups, but start with 4 cups.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl.
Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper.
Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until double. I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.
Sprinkle a pastry mat generously with flour. Turn out the dough onto the pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour.
Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a 24×15" rectangle. (the size of the rectangle can vary…it does not have to be exact!)
Spread the apple butter to cover the dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top.
Starting on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style.
Cut into 12 slices and place in a greased 9×13 baking pan.****
Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes or until nearly double.
Preheat the oven to 375º Fahrenheit.
Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot…you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. Note…the time will vary based on how big the rolls are, what type of pan, how close the rolls are packed, etc. Check the rolls at 20 minutes. If they are getting too browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.
While they are cooling, make the frosting. In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well.
Add in the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Beat until combined.
Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

*Different yeast calls for slightly different proofing methods. We follow Red Star Platinum’s temperature guidelines. Please check your yeast packet to see what temperature the milk should be at.

***If you don’t have cream, use half and half, coffee creamer, evaporated milk, whole milk or coconut cream. Any of these will work. Even 2% milk will work, but we prefer a higher fat milk.

****For smaller rolls, cut the dough into 15 slices and use a 10×15″ baking pan. The larger pan will also allow the rolls to rise more evenly.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 12 rolls, with 1 serving being 1 frosted sweet roll. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition