Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Maple Icing
Warm, fluffy cinnamon rolls filled with tender apples and topped with rich brown butter maple icing, perfect for brunch or dessert.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 3 ½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 pieces Honeycrisp apples, chopped
Icing
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation
- Gather your ingredients and tools. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine warm milk, active dry yeast, and brown sugar. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
- Add softened butter, eggs, flour, and kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until fully incorporated, about 4-5 minutes.
- Check and adjust the dough consistency, adding more flour if necessary. Knead until soft and elastic.
- Cover and let dough rise at room temperature for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
Make Filling
- In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon for the filling.
Assembly
- Punch down risen dough and roll it out into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches.
- Spread softened butter over the dough, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and distribute the chopped apples.
- Roll the dough into a tight log and cut into 12-15 equal pieces. Place in the baking dish cut side up.
- Cover and let the rolls rise for another 20-30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake and Glaze
- Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- In a saucepan, melt butter until just browned. Mix with cream cheese, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Drizzle warm icing over the baked rolls.
Notes
These rolls can be prepared ahead of time and stored. They freeze beautifully. If using store-bought dough, it will speed up the process but may sacrifice some flavor.