It’s apple picking time, and I have a super easy apple recipe to try with your regular cinnamon roll recipe!
Apple & Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls
One of the best things about autumn is the bounty of seasonal fruits and vegetables to choose from. For me, some of the bounty to be had here in Michigan have memories attached to them: mental roots that go much deeper than organic ones ever could. Living in the Midwest means we have a lot of food memories attached to apples and those memories began for me in my mama’s kitchen. My mother was adept at turning Michigan apples into delicious delicacies. Her apple hand pies were creations of rustic beauty with their flaky buttery crust and cinnamon and clove-tinged apple filling. There was also bread pudding with apples, pancakes with pan roasted Galas. Now that I am all grown up I have created some of my own tasty apple creations. Below I have gathered together the flavors for my Sweet Tango & Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/3 all purpose flour
- 3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 whole milk
- 2 tablespoons 34% heavy cream
- 1 package yeast
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp of olive oil, reserved
Filling:
- 1 stick unsalted sweet cream butter, melted
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Sweet Tango apples, sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 teaspoon ground clove
Prep ahead
Directions:
- Cut Sweet Tango apples into 1″ wedges, place apples into a bowl adding a 2 tbsp of sugar and a single tsp of cinnamon. Transfer to skillet and cook apples over medium heat for about 15 minutes until apples start to soften. Place in the same bowl and add cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir until ingredients are incorporated. Set aside.
Glaze:
- 2 capfuls plus a 1/2 tbsp of Rum Chata
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp of heavy cream
Directions:
Prep
In a bowl add powdered sugar, heavy cream and Rum Chata. Stir together using a fork or wire whisk. Mix until smooth and there aren’t any lumps. Set aside until ready to use, do now refrigerate.
The thing with making cinnamon rolls is most people think it’s going to be an incredible time commitment. Now, I am not going to start lying. There will be work but not as much as you think and whatever time you put into making these babies will be rewarded a thousand times over because they’re so darn good.
Here comes the dough
- Let’s make some dough. First, beat a single room temperature egg in a small bowl and set aside. Next, in a medium size bowl add all of the dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cinnamon. Mix and set aside. Here’s what I did next. Using a saucepan over medium heat I poured in the whole milk, heavy cream, added the sweet cream unsalted butter and water. Stir until the milk mixture begins to show wisps of steam Remove from heat.
- Next little by ever so little and (with a fork in the other hand) add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture using the fork to combine the ingredients. If the dough is still a bit sticky add no more than a quarter cup (1/4) of flour. The dough should be soft and smooth, it should easily pull away from the sides of the bowl without sticking. Set aside.
- On a large work surface, scatter about a 1/3 cup of flour. Place the dough on the floured counter top and knead. Basically, you’re folding the dough in on itself over and over again. Do this for about 3 to 5 minutes. Why knead? Kneading allows air to get into your dough, and sufficient air means softer dough, which in turn equals better rolls.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and brush and coat the inside surface of the bowl Place the dough inside the bowl and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm (not hot) place for 15 minutes.
- Return dough the floured surface and punch it down. Then using a rolling pin work the dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle. I am crazy, so I measured the dough with a tape measure just to sure. Next. Using a brush spread the melted butter over the rolled out dough leaving a 1-inch area on all four sides.
- Use a rubber spatula spread the filling evening over dough. Now starting with the far edge away from you begin tightly rolling the dough towards you. Remember slow and tight. Using a dough cutter or butter knife, cut the dough into eight rolls and place cut side up in a buttered parchment paper lined 9 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ baking pan and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. We’re almost there. Hold your horses.
Every good cinnamon roll must rise and shine
7. Okay. We’re in the homestretch! Now we need to proof these babies. And I got an easy method. Heat the oven to 190 degrees. When the oven reaches the desired temp, turn off the oven and place the covered rolls inside. Let them proof for an hour and remove from oven and set aside. Set oven to 365 degrees and cook off cinnamon rolls for 25 minutes. Set rolls out away from a heat source to cool. While cinnamon rolls are cooling prepare the Rum Chata Glaze.
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 2 1/3 all purpose flour
- 3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 whole milk
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 package yeast
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- Filling:
- 1 stick unsalted sweet cream butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Michigan apples sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 teaspoon ground clove
- Glaze:
- 2 capfuls plus a 1/2 tbsp of Rum Chata
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp of heavy cream
Instructions
- Here comes the dough
- Let's make some dough. First, beat a single room temperature egg in a small bowl and set aside. Next, in a medium size bowl add all of the dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cinnamon. Mix and set aside. Here's what I did next. Using a saucepan over medium heat I poured in the whole milk, heavy cream, added the sweet cream unsalted butter and water. Stir until the milk mixture begins to show wisps of steam Remove from heat.
- Next little by ever so little and (with a fork in the other hand) add the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture using the fork to combine the ingredients. If the dough is still a bit sticky add no more than a quarter cup (1/4) of flour. The dough should be soft and smooth, it should easily pull away from the sides of the bowl without sticking. Set aside.
- On a large work surface, scatter about a 1/3 cup of flour. Place the dough on the floured counter top and knead. Basically, you're folding the dough in on itself over and over again. Do this for about 3 to 5 minutes. Why knead? Kneading allows air to get into your dough, and sufficient air means softer dough, which in turn equals better rolls.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and brush and coat the inside surface of the bowl Place the dough inside the bowl and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm (not hot) place for 15 minutes.
- Return dough the floured surface and punch it down. Then using a rolling pin work the dough into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle. I am crazy, so I measured the dough with a tape measure just to sure. Next. Using a brush spread the melted butter over the rolled out dough leaving a 1-inch area on all four sides.
- Use a rubber spatula spread the filling evening over dough. Now starting with the far edge away from you begin tightly rolling the dough towards you. Remember slow and tight. Using a dough cutter or butter knife, cut the dough into eight rolls and place cut side up in a buttered parchment paper lined 9 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. We're almost there. Hold your horses.
- Every good cinnamon roll must rise and shine
- Okay. We're in the homestretch! Now we need to proof these babies. And I got an easy method. Heat the oven to 190 degrees. When the oven reaches the desired temp, turn off the oven and place the covered rolls inside. Let them proof for an hour and remove from oven and set aside. Set oven to 365 degrees and cook off cinnamon rolls for 25 minutes. Set rolls out away from a heat source to cool. While cinnamon rolls are cooling prepare the Rum Chata Glaze.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I need this in my belly immediately. I’ve made home made cinnamon rolls before, but they were NOTHING compared to this!
Jennifer says
I have no words for this! It sounds absolutely to die for! Don’t think the Rum chata is kid friendly though lol
Rebecca Swenor says
These apple cranberry cinnamon rolls look so delicious. Yummy!! I have been thinking about making cinnamon rolls lately so I will have to try these ones. Thanks for the recipe.
Robin Masshole mommy says
Go sound absolutely phenomenal. Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite breakfast as it is, but you just made them even better.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I need this in my belly immediately. I’ve made home made cinnamon rolls before, but they were NOTHING compared to this!
T Worthey says
Definitely worth making Stacie, they are goooood!!
Savannah Miller says
AHhh you are killing me lol I just started my diet today and now I just have to try this recipe! It looks so good 🙂
T Worthey says
They are seriously delicious!!
Jeanette says
Tradition each year I make cinnamon rolls christmas eve to be baked christmas morning. I think I am going to try these this christmas and see how they like them.
Liz Mays says
Oh these sound really good. I think we’d all love a few of these for brunch. I love that combo!
Jennifer says
I have no words for this! It sounds absolutely to die for! Don’t think the Rum chata is kid friendly though lol
D. Durand Worthey says
Rum Chata not very kid friendly. But you can sub it out and use egg nog or maple syrup.
Ourfamilyworld says
My oh my, that looks mouth watering. I can’t wait to try your recipe. My family will love this.
jenni Eaves says
I will be making these this weekend. What a wonderful twist to the original cinnamon rolls!
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
This looks amazing. I have never had apple cranberry cinnamon rolls before. I see your bag says you have some Michigan apples. I live here in Michigan and I get overly excited for the early fall apple season! YUM!
Brandi @ penguinsinpink.com says
Oh my yum!! These look so amazingly good! My husband would be all over these!
Melissa says
This looks super yummy, I know my daughter would love it if I made this for her. I would have to save some for later because it looks so good I could see her devouring them right away!
Crystal Lopez says
These look amazing! I love the idea of incorporating seasonal fruits into the recipe!
Chubskulit Rose says
Wow! I have never tried making cinnamon rolls from scratch. I rely on store bought lol. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
D. Durand Worthey says
With my right hand over my heart I promise that is you make these you may never EVER EVER EVER buy another cinnamon roll from the store.
lisa says
These cinnamon rolls look absolutely amazing. I would love to make these every day (if I didn’t think it would make me a zillion pounds!!)!
Lynndee says
My husband is a huge cinnamon fan. He’s actually munching on cinnamon tarts right now. He would be over the moon if I’ll bake those for him. No doubt about that. 🙂
Erin says
Oh have mercy. This looks simply amazing. I cannot wait to make it!
Jeanine says
Oh my goodness. These look so good. I wouldn’t ever think to do cranberry cinnamon rolls. Very cool, I bet super tasty.
D. Durand Worthey says
You have no idea. The cranberries and Sweet Tango apples play very well together like the bust of buddies. True story.
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
I eat apples but tend not to be a fan of foods with apples (like I don’t eat apple pie), these look so good and with the rum in it even I would try it! 🙂
D. Durand Worthey says
Tracy you’ve just said a mouthful. Please let know if you try these babies. I would love your thoughts Ms. Non-cooked Apple Eater.
michele d says
I love easy desserts like these. So comforting and yummy. A perfect breakfast meal for on the go too!
Marielle Altenor says
This looks so mouthwatering! I haven’t had a good cinnamon roll in such a long time! Yumfest!
Rebecca Swenor says
These apple cranberry cinnamon rolls look so delicious. Yummy!! I have been thinking about making cinnamon rolls lately so I will have to try these ones. Thanks for the recipe.
Marielle Altenor says
This looks so mouthwatering! I haven’t had a good cinnamon roll in such a long time! Yumfest!
Yona Williams says
This might be the first time that I have heard of adding cranberries to a cinnamon roll recipe. They look really good! And, a bit of Rum Chata to boot…sounds tasty!
Clarissa says
This looks dangerously delicious!!!
Rosey says
I don’t mind a little work if the outcome is delicious. These look very good to me.
Clarissa says
This looks dangerously delicious!!!
Tiany - Social Savvy Mom says
Have never heard of Rum Chata but I bet it’s fabulous! These look absolutely wonderful, the perfect holiday breakfast!
Kristin says
These look so yummy. We love sweet treats Thank you for sharing.
Britni says
This looks like a mom Cinnamon Roll to me! I don’t think my kids would enjoy the apples and cranberries which would just leave more for me! I think it sounds yummy and I can’t wait to try it!
Jenni says
Wow, these look AMAZING!!! Love all the awesome flavors! I am definitely going to have to make these!!
Trish says
Looks delicious.
Emily @ The Benson Street says
Oh my yummy! Thank you for linking up with the Monday Funday Party! — Emily at thebensonstreet.com
CJ Huang says
I’m loving your seasonal twist on the usual cinnamon rolls! I like cranberries, and these sound even better than the usual. 🙂