Delicious and pretty rose shaped apple cinnamon rolls, filled with cinnamon coated chunks of apple and finished with a sticky maple glaze.
Why you’ll love these apple cinnamon rolls
It is hard to beat the combination of apples and cinnamon in a sweet, baked treat. These apple cinnamon rolls feature chunks of apples and a ribbon of cinnamon, all in a pretty rose shape! They are also finished with a fabulous sticky maple glaze!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Yeast – you can use either Active Dry yeast or Instant yeast to make these rolls.
Apples – you can use any type of apple, but a baking apple that holds its shape well when baked is a good choice.
How to shape these apple cinnamon rolls
They rolls are super easy to make, but it was easier to take pictures of the shaping than to try to explain in in words, so here is a small step-by-step how to shape them. Easy peasy!
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Store baked and cooled rolls in an air-tight container. 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.
Get the Recipe: Sticky Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm
- 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant or dry active yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 1 large apple , peeled, cored and cut in to 1/4 inch dice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Glaze:
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- *If shaping instructions are unclear, refer to the photo above this Recipe Card, that demonstrates the shaping technique. 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 you have reached the end. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in half. 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- These are best on the day they are baked. If you can't eat them all right away, they do freeze beautifully.
More Apple Baking Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
HOW did I miss national sticky bun day?!?! WHAT? Obviously I’m going to have to make up for it by eating sticky buns on repeat today AND tomorrow. :) These look beyond amazing, Jennifer! So much drool is happening on this side of the computer screen!!! Love the apple cinnamon combination and the cute rose shape! Pinned! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne and yes, you must make up for it by getting your fill :) I mark it with a big star on my calendar!
I’ve never met a sweet or sticky bun that I didn’t like and these look amazing. Because I live in the States, though, I’m dying to get my hands on those Red Prince apples!!!
I haven’t either, Cindy! Sweet rolls are my weakness, for sure (and my love of baking with yeast). I bet these Red Prince will start to be grown in the States before long. They are delicious – a perfect blend of sweet and tangy.
So gorgeous, I love the rose shape! :)
Thanks Laura :)
These look absolutely dreamy Jennifer! Love the apple filling!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann :)
You know these speak to me and they are calling to me by name! What a great sweet bun Jennifer – they are absolutely beautiful. I love your method of putting them together. Fascinating :) Thanks for the wonderful recipe – sharing and pinning!
Thanks Tricia :) These buns really hit the spot and while the glaze was a last-minute addition, I loved it! Reminded me of honey bun glaze (which I have always loved)