Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rose Buns

Delicious, pretty little Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rose Buns, filled with chunks of apple and flavoured with a ribbon of cinnamon.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Ontario Apple Growers. As always, all opinions are my own.

I had planned to make these pretty little apple cinnamon rose buns as the last recipe I would develop for the Ontario Apples Growers, but when I realized that today was National Sticky Bun Day, well … I just had to make them sticky! The result was a lovely light cinnamon roll, studded with chunks of cinnamon-coated apples and a glaze that was reminiscent of honey buns. Delicious!

I absolutely love baking with apples! And did you know that the Ontario Apples are not just a “Fall thing”. They are available year round. Thanks to temperature controlled storage and year-round packing, great Ontario apples are available now and throughout the Spring and Summer.

A group of Ontario food bloggers witnessed this first hand in late-January, when they visited Martin’s Family Fruit Farm and toured the packing and processing facilities. No shortage of great Ontario apples here and they are headed to a store near you, so keep looking for Ontario apples in your local stores, as they are available and delicious!

Cook’s Notes for Sticky Apple Cinnamon Apple Rose Buns

Now about these buns. They are super easy to make, but it was easier to take pictures of the shaping than to try to explain in in words, so there is a small step-by-step how to shape photo in the recipe card below and the full large image here, just to show the process. Easy peasy!

Owing to the glaze, these buns are best eaten on the day they are made. While the inside stands up well, the outside gets more moist as it sits. If you can’t eat them all right away, I would freeze them and enjoy from the freezer.

I used a lovely Ontario grown Red Prince apple in my buns. Red Prince apples are harvested in the Fall and cellared until the new year – just like a fine wine. While they sleep, their flavour and texture enhances and when ready, have a tangy-sweet taste and a rich, crisp red skin that is high in antioxidants. Red Prince apples are available right now at stores in Ontario, so be sure to look for them. They are great for cooking and eating out of hand. Of course, if you can’t find Red Prince, any red apple that you have or enjoy is just fine.

Disclosure: Seasons and Suppers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Ever since I bought one of these apple peelers, I have never looked back. Apple season is so much more fun!

Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rose Buns

Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Servings: 12 buns

Energy: 234 kcal

Author: Jennifer Maloney

Delicious, sticky apple cinnamon buns, formed in to a rose shape.

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Ingredients

Dough:

• 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm
• 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant or dry active yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut in to 1/4 inch dice (I used Red Prince)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, add warm water, milk and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Stir to combine. Sprinkle yeast over-top and stir. Allow to stand 5 minutes, until frothy. Add remaining 3 Tbsp sugar, egg, butter, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Mix to combine. Begin adding more flour, a bit at a time, until dough comes together. Continue kneading, adding flour as necessary until you have a soft, moist and smooth dough. Remove dough to a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

2. Grease two 6-cup or one 12-cup muffin tins and set aside. Prepare apple filling by combining all ingredients and stirring to combine. Cover and set-aside.
3. Turn dough out on to a floured surface. Roll in to a thin rectangle 16x20-inch approximately. Using a 2 3/4-inch cutter, cut 30 circles of dough.
   
4. Take 5 circles of dough and place in a line over-lapping slightly. Use your rolling pin to lightly roll the line of dough to expand it slightly. Lay a row of apple mixture down the centre of the dough. Starting at the end closest to you, start rolling tightly until your have reached the end. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in half (see photo). Place the two pieces, cut side down in cups of the prepared muffin tins. Repeat making 5 more dough rolls like this. You will have 12 rolls when you are done. Cover your rolls with a towel and allow to rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. When buns have risen, remove towel and place in oven to bake for 15 minutes. While they are baking, heat the glaze mixture in a small saucepan until mixture boils. Remove from heat.

6. When buns have baked for 15 minutes, remove from oven and lightly coat all the buns with some of the glaze. Return to the oven and bake another 5 minutes, or until buns are golden and glaze is bubbling.
7. Allow to stand a few minutes, then remove rolls to a cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath. Allow to cool slightly, then brush rolls with remaining glaze mixture, glazing twice if you have more glaze left to use up. Allow to cool until glaze sets or completely.
8. These are best on the day they are baked. If you can't eat them all right away, they do freeze beautifully.