Apple Cinnamon Rolls (Twists) | Ask Chef Dennis

When you’re looking for a breakfast treat that your whole family will love, look no further than our version of Apple Cinnamon Rolls.

After one bite, ordinary cinnamon rolls won’t cut it. Our cinnamon and apple rolls feature soft, pillowy dough wrapped around tender caramel apples and baked until golden brown and slightly crunchy on the outside.

Our apple cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and loaded with bite-sized pieces of caramel apples. They’re the perfect breakfast treat, anytime of the year, and easier to make than you might think.

In fact, you can set them up the night before and just bake them in the morning.

Whether you make them just to treat your family, or for a brunch or breakfast buffet for friends and family, our cinnamon and apple rolls are guaranteed to disappear faster than anything else on the table!

If you love making ooey-gooey breakfast treats, try our cinnamon roll cake and our easy cinnamon rolls recipes.

Ingredients

Gather the ingredients to prepare our apple cinnamon roll recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only speeds up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary items on hand to make the recipe.

Recipe Variations

Apple Pecan Cinnamon Twists: Add chopped pecans to the apple mixture.

Apple Bourbon Cinnamon Twists: Add 2 tablespoons of your favorite bourbon to the apple mixture as it cooks. The alcohol will cook out, leaving you with the flavor.

Spiced Apple-Cardamom Twists: Mix 1-2 teaspoons of cardamom with the cinnamon before applying it to the rolled-out dough.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Follow my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make cinnamon and apple rolls in your home kitchen.

Finely chop the apples and place them in a small saucepan with a tablespoon of butter.

Place the pan over medium heat, and cook the apples for about 4-5 minutes, just until they begin to soften.

Add the caramel sauce and mix to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool.

Add 1 tsp. of the granulated sugar, the warm water, and the packet of yeast to a large bowl. Stir, then allow to sit for about 5 minutes until frothy.

Add the room temperature buttermilk, egg, salt, softened butter, and the remaining granulated sugar.

Mix well, then slowly add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until it forms a soft dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it into an approximately 14 x 8-inch rectangle.

Brush about half of the melted butter evenly over the dough.

Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the buttered dough.

Spoon the Apples out of the saucepan using a slotted spoon to avoid any excess juice. Sprinkle the cooked apple mixture evenly over the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

On the long side, fold the dough a third way into the center.

Repeat on the other side to create 3 layers. Gently roll the top of the dough now to seal all layers as one. Some of the filling may ooze out of the ends. Push it back in.

Using a pastry wheel (or sharp knife), cut approximately 1-inch strips along the wide end. You should be able to get 12- 14 strips.

Twist each strip several times to create a spiral.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Twist the spiral strips around in a circle and tuck the ends under. It should be tightly woven together. Repeat with the remaining strips and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1-2″ apart.
*This will get a little messy, and some of the apples may fall out. You can tuck those back in after the twist is made.

Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Brush the twists with the remaining melted butter, then place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove the twists from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef Tips

When cutting the apples, cut them into very small pieces. Cook the apples just until tender; overcooked apples turn mushy.

Let the dough rise fully. Don’t rush it

Be sure to tuck the ends of the dough in when creating the twist. This will help hold their shape as they rise and bake.

For an even richer caramel flavor, you can drizzle additional caramel over the baked rolls. They will be sticky, but so tasty!

Chill filled logs for 15 minutes before slicing for sharper spirals

Bake until the internal temperature reaches 190°F for perfectly set rolls.

Raw apples in cinnamon rolls sound good on paper, but they bake unevenly and release too much moisture. Cooking the apples first is non-negotiable; it concentrates the flavor, controls the texture, and prevents the dough from becoming gummy.

Borrowing from our apple pie traditions, turning our apple cinnamon rolls into everything you want from a homemade breakfast treat; they’re soft, pillowy, and packed with real apple flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Drizzle with a warm vanilla glaze for a restaurant-style finish.

Serve with coffee, espresso, spiced latte, chai, hot apple cider, or bourbon-spiked coffee

Pair with a dessert wine or cream sherry for brunch.

Serve with a dollop of whipped mascarpone

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover cinnamon and apple rolls in an airtight container or a well-covered container at room temperature for 1 day. Refrigerate up to 4 days. The baked or unbaked rolls can be stored frozen for up to 2 months.

Reheat gently in a 300°F oven or short bursts in the microwave.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes You’ll Love!