Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup warm 2% milk (100-110°F)
- 1 packet quick rise yeast
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 5 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (1 tablespoon for sautéing apples, 4 tablespoons for butter layer)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups diced peeled honey crisp apples (about 4 small honey crisp apples)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg for the apples
Frosting:
- 3 tablespoons browned salted butter
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 oz. softened cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Begin by making the cinnamon rolls. In a large bowl, combine warm milk and yeast, and let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast blooms.
- Add maple syrup, melted butter, egg, and vanilla to the milk mixture, and whisk until well combined.
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, mix flour and salt into the wet ingredients until a smooth dough forms. Knead for 2-3 minutes until elastic.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours.
- While the dough rises, prepare the apple filling by combining brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Peel and dice the apples, then sauté them with 1 tablespoon of butter and nutmeg until soft.
- For the brown butter cream cheese frosting, brown 3 tablespoons of butter in a pot, let it cool, then mix it with cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Roll out the risen dough into a rectangle, spread softened butter over it, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and top with sautéed apples.
- Roll the dough into a log and slice into 1-inch rolls.
- Place the rolls in a buttered or parchment-lined baking dish, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes until set.
- Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before frosting with the brown butter cream cheese mixture.
Notes
- Rolling the dough from the short side yields larger rolls, while rolling from the long side yields smaller ones.
- Straining the brown butter is optional; the bits add flavor to the frosting.