If you've ever wished cinnamon rolls tasted more like apple pie filling (count me in!) and were free from refined sugar - this is it. These apple cinnamon rolls are made with a tender yeast dough, naturally sweetened with honey, then layered with finely chopped apples and warm cinnamon. They bake up soft and doughy in the center, slightly caramel-y around the edges, and are meant to be pulled apart straight from the pan. I've made these for slow weekends and holiday mornings, and they disappear fast.
If you've spent some time on our blog, you'll probably have noticed that several cinnamon roll recipes are based on the same dough recipe. This is for a reason. After many trials and errors, this is finally a honey-sweetened cinnamon roll dough recipe that is soft, rises well, contains no refined sugar, and yields rolls that taste good for several days, not just the first day. Don't change it if it works, they say!
⭐ Some say cinnamon rolls originated in Denmark, while others claim they are a staple of Dutch pastry. Regardless of where the truth lies, they're ridiculously good. It comes as no surprise that we make them in many ways, including regular cinnamon buns, these cinnamon rolls with fresh apples, and cinnamon brioche rolls.
To make these cinnamon-apple buns, you'll need lightly sour apples (to balance out the sweetness of the filling), cinnamon, wheat flour, instant dry yeast (when using fresh yeast, you'll need 34g or approx. ⅓ of a block), warm milk, some eggs, regular unsalted butter, salt, honey, and sugar-free sweetener.
In this recipe, I'm using Sukrin Gold, a natural brown sweetener-our region's most popular brown sugar alternative. When paired with cinnamon and butter, it creates a perfectly caramel-y filling. Another great option is Finesse-a baking sweetener that's 2x sweeter than sugar and ideal for baked desserts. For US-based families, Swerve brown sweetener might also be a good choice.
Directions
1. Add the instant yeast to a mug or a small bowl with warm (not hot!) milk. Stir using a spoon and leave in a warm place for 10-15 mins. If the yeast is fresh, it will become bubbly. If not, check the "best before" date and repeat with a fresh portion of yeast, if needed.
2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with honey in a large bowl, then add melted butter and a pinch of salt, and continue mixing until combined.
3. Once the yeast has become bubbly after 10-15 mins, add it to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
4. Start adding sieved flour to the egg mixture. You'll want to add it in 2-3 batches to ensure it incorporates well.
There's no need to use a stand mixer or a bread machine. Combine all the ingredients using your hands until uniform and shape a ball. The dough won't be rollable just yet, but it doesn't have to be too sticky, either.
5. Cover the dough ball with a towel and set aside to rise in a warm place. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast, the sweetener used, and the temperature. To speed up the process, you can proof the dough in a warm oven (at 85 °F (30 °C)).
We've noticed that a honey-based dough tends to rise more slowly than a sugar-based dough. Check occasionally to see if the volume is rising (it needs to double in size).
For a honey-based dough, the proofing time is around 2-2.5 hours.
6. Once the dough has risen, transfer it to a clean, floured surface. Roll the dough into an approximately ¼-inch-thick rectangular shape. Aim for an even layer for best results.
7. Spread the soft butter over the dough, leaving 1 inch along the longest rectangular edges. This will allow you to close the roll once it's ready and ensure it doesn't open up while baking.
In a separate bowl, combine the brown sweetener with cinnamon. Then spread the cinnamon "sugar" over the butter-greased dough. Finally, spread finely cut apple cubes over the cinnamon filling. Leave the same 1 inch along the long edges untouched.
Roll the dough starting from one of the longer edges. Keep it tight, but don't press it. Once you've reached the other long edge, pinch it to close.
8. Cut the long roll into even pieces, approximately ¾-1 inch thick, using a sharp knife or an unflavored dental floss. You'll end up with approx. 18 -20 pieces.
Transfer all the roll pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper OR a baking dish, cover with a towel, and let it proof for another hour.
9. About 15-20 minutes before the estimated end of proofing, switch on the oven and preheat it, setting the temperature to 390 °F (200 °C).
Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Your kitchen will soon be filled with a delicious cinnamon and apple scent.
10. Once ready, remove them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
(Optional) Once cooled, brush with a cream-cheese-based frosting (I used the one from our cinnamon brioche rolls) or drizzle with some maple syrup.
⭐ You can also bake these apple cinnamon rolls as mini apple pies in a muffin pan. Simply add one roll to each muffin tin cavity. Keep in mind that you'll have about 18-20 rolls to bake, so you might need to bake them in batches.
Honey Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 tablespoon (10g) instant yeast
- 5 cups (600g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter
- 7 oz (200ml) fresh milk (warm)
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoon (100g) honey (or sugar)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 3.5 tablespoon (50g) butter
- 1 cup (180g) Sukrin Gold Brown natural sweetener (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large apples (chopped finely)
Instructions
Making the Dough:
- Add the instant yeast to a mug or a little bowl with warm (not hot!) milk. Stir using a spoon and leave in a warm place for 10-15 mins until the yeast becomes bubbly.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs with honey, then add melted butter and a pinch of salt, and continue mixing until combined.
- Add the yeast to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
- Start adding sieved flour to the egg mixture. Add it in 2-3 batches to ensure it incorporates well. Combine all the ingredients using your hands until uniform and shape a ball. The dough won't be rollable just yet, but it doesn't have to be too sticky, either.
- Cover the dough ball with a towel and set aside to rise in a warm place. Proof for 1.5-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface. Roll it into an approximately ¼-inch-thick rectangular shape.
Filling and Shaping the Roll:
- Spread the soft butter all over the dough, leaving 1 inch along the longest rectangular edges. This will allow you to close the roll once it's ready and ensure it doesn't open up while baking.
- In a separate bowl, combine the brown sweetener with cinnamon, then spread the "cinnamon sugar" on top of the dough greased with butter. Leave the same 1 inch along the edges untouched.
- Distribute finely chopped apples on top of the cinnamon filling.
- Roll dough starting from one of the longer edges. Keep it tight, but don't press it. Once you've reached the other long edge, pinch it to close.
- Cut the long roll into even pieces, approximately 1-inch thick. You'll end up with approx. 18-20 pieces.
- Transfer the roll pieces to a greased baking dish (alternatively, transfer to a baking tray, lined with parchment paper), cover with a towel, and leave it for a second rise (about an hour). Remember to leave some space between the rolls to allow for rising (I leave about an inch or so).
Baking:
- About 15-20 minutes before the estimated end of proofing, switch on the oven and preheat it, setting the oven temperature to 390 °F (200 °C).
- Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool.(Optional) Drizzle with some maple syrup.
Notes
- Consider adding some raisins to the filling for extra texture and flavor.
- For more traditional cinnamon rolls, bake on a baking tray rather than in a baking dish, and increase the spacing between rolls so they don't stick together.
- These cinnamon roll pies are perfectly suited to meal prep and freezer-friendly. Place them in an airtight container and store them for 2-3 days. For longer-term storage, freeze for up to 6 weeks.
Nutrition Information
Disclaimer: This nutritional value label has been created using an online analyzer and might not be 100% accurate.
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