Apple Cinnamon Rolls (Soft & Fluffy Homemade Recipe)

These Apple Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and packed with warm cinnamon apple flavor in every bite. Filled with tender apples and swirls of cinnamon sugar, they're like apple pie and cinnamon rolls combined into one cozy breakfast treat. Perfect for fall mornings, holiday brunches, and weekend baking!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls
• Filled with sweet cinnamon apples
• Tastes like apple pie in cinnamon roll form
• Perfect for fall and holiday mornings
• Great make-ahead breakfast recipe
• Vegan and gluten-free friendly options

Notes from Jill: I love using a pizza cutter to slice my cinnamon rolls! After rolling the dough into a log, use a pizza cutter to cut it into 9–12 even pieces. It glides through the dough easily, makes cleaner cuts than a knife, and helps keep the rolls nice and round instead of squishing them.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

• Apple Cinnamon Roll Dough:
  • 1 cup warmed almond milk
  • ¼ cup melted vegan butter (alternatively use regular butter if not strictly vegan)
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 3 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or 2 use cups of King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option)
  • 1 tablespoon non-dairy yogurt (only needed if using gluten-free flour)
• Vegan Apple Cinnamon Filling:
  • 1 large honeycrisp apple, peeled/diced (approx. 2 cups)
  • 6 tablespoon vegan softened butter (or regular butter)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon
  • ⅓ cup cane sugar
• Vanilla Icing:
  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon almond milk
  • 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter (or regular butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Cream Cheese Icing (optional):
  • 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz vegan cream cheese (or regular cream cheese)
  • 4 tablespoon softened vegan butter (or regular butter)

Apple Cinnamon Roll Instructions:

Preparation: Start by activating your yeast. Combine warm almond milk, melted vegan butter, and maple syrup in a bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let it sit for around 10 minutes.

Dough Formation: Add flour and mix to create a dough. If going gluten-free, mix in the non-dairy yogurt for added elasticity. Allow the dough to rest for an hour. A warm spot like above a preheating oven is ideal.

Apple Filling: As your dough rises, cook apples in melted vegan butter, cinnamon, and sugar on medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Assembly & Baking: On a floured surface, roll out your dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Spread butter, top with apple mixture, sprinkle cinnamon, and sugar. Roll and slice into 10 pieces. Let them rise for 30 more minutes in a baking dish. Bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes.

Finishing Touch: As the vegan apple cinnamon rolls bake, whip up your choice of vanilla or cream cheese icing. Once rolls are cool, smother them in your icing of choice. Serve and watch them disappear!

Pro Tip: These rolls are best served fresh and warm! Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea for a complete experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Jillian Glenn

Apple pie meets cinnamon roll and the results are outstanding! These vegan apple cinnamon rolls are golden on the outside, buttery and soft on the inside, and filled with delicious cinnamon baked apples! If you love cinnamon rolls, you will love this apple version!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings 10

Calories 382 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Apple Cinnamon Rolls Dough

• 1 cup warmed almond milk
• ¼ cup melted vegan butter
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 ½ cups regular all purpose flour or 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
• 1 tablespoon non dairy yogurt

Apple Cinnamon Rolls Filling

• 1 large honeycrisp apple, peeled and diced about 2 cups
• 6 tablespoon vegan softened butter, separated
• 1 ½ tablespoon cinnamon, separated
• ⅓ cup cane sugar

Vegan Vanilla Icing

• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon almond milk
• 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 oz vegan cream cheese
• 4 tablespoon softened vegan butter

Instructions

 

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

• Prepare the dough by mixing the warm almond milk, melted vegan butter, and maple syrup. Sprinkle the active dry yeast evenly across the top of the mixture, stir gently, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. If using gluten free flour, add the non dairy yogurt into the dough and use your hands to work it into the dough. This step will make the gluten free dough more elastic and hold together better while rolling. If using regular flour, this step isn't necessary.
• Form the dough into a round mound and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow it to sit for an hour. I like to sit my bowl on top of a preheated oven. The warmth from the oven helps the dough rise faster. Note, if using gluten free all purpose flour, the dough will rise slightly less than the dough containing gluten.
• While the dough is rising, prepare the apple cinnamon filling by bringing a saucepan to medium heat on the stove. Add two tablespoon of the vegan butter and melt. Once the butter has melted, add the apples, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ cup of the sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes - the apples should be tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
• After the dough has risen for an hour place it on a floured surface and roll the dough into a ¼ inch oval or rectangle (add more flour if the dough is too sticky to roll). Spread the remaining 4 tablespoon softened butter to cover the dough. Top with the apples mixture. Sprinkle the top with remaining cinnamon and sugar.
• Roll the dough into a log and cut it into about 10 pinwheels. Place the pinwheels into a baking dish so that they are close but not touching. Cover them with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• After the rolls have been sitting for 30 minutes, remove the towel and bake the rolls in the oven for about 35 minutes.
• While the rolls are baking, make the frosting by using an electric hand mixer to mix together the icing ingredients together. You may choose from either vanilla frosting or my preferred - vegan cream cheese frosting. Allow the rolls to cool and spread the icing over the top. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Click Here for my No-Yeast Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 1gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 228mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 437IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 0.2mg

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