I know it is not even fall yet (Sept 3), but when this idea came to me, I had to give in to the urge to start the fall baking. These soft and gooey apple cinnamon rolls are filled with buttery brown sugar, tender apples, and warm chai spices, then topped with a rich brown butter frosting. They’re sort of every fall flavor stuffed into one.
The chai-inspired filling adds extra warmth from cardamom, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, while the brown butter frosting gives every bite a nutty, caramel-like finish. They’re perfect for fall brunches, holiday mornings, or anytime you want an excuse to make your kitchen smell incredible.
The dough comes only slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction and her gorgeous overnight cinnamon rolls!
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cinnamon Rolls
These homemade apple cinnamon rolls take the classic version up a notch without making the recipe overly complicated.
You’ll love them because they’re:
- Soft, fluffy, and gooey in the center
- Filled with real apples
- Warmly spiced with cinnamon and chai spices
- Topped with creamy brown butter frosting
- Perfect for fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas morning, or weekend brunch
- Easy to prepare ahead of time
And while technically these are apple chai cinnamon rolls, you don’t need to be a chai lover to enjoy them. Cinnamon remains the star, while the additional spices add warmth and depth.
How to get the most beautiful spirals in the rolls
With the apple chunks in the dough, it can be a little tricky to get clean slices. Don’t get me wrong, the rustic slices are absolutely just as delicious as the perfect ones BUT if you are going for perfection, try this trick after spreading on the apples, butter, and spices. Shout out Cooking with Karli for that one!
The Best Apples for Cinnamon Rolls
For the best apple cinnamon rolls, choose an apple that holds its shape while baking and has enough tartness to balance the sweet filling. I could honestly talk about the best apples for different recipes all day. I’m so passionate about it that I even contributed to an article on the topic last year. If ya feel like doing a little apple deep dive, you can read the article here.
I like to use Gala or Honeycrisp apples here because they’re firm and not too tart.
Remember to dice the apples fairly small so they roll easily into the dough and you get apple in every bite. If the chunks are too big, they will still be delicious but it will be more difficult to get a perfect slice.
How to Make Brown Butter Frosting
The brown butter frosting might be the best part of these apple cinnamon rolls.
Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
Allow it to melt, then continue cooking as it bubbles and foams. Stir or swirl the pan occasionally.
After several minutes, you’ll notice golden brown specks forming on the bottom of the pan, and the butter will begin to smell nutty and toasted. Remove it from the heat immediately. Let the brown butter cool, then refrigerate until solidified. Bring it back to room temperature before making the frosting.
Can You Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time?
Yes. If you want to make these overnight rolls, make the recipe through the slicing step, then cover the rolls and refrigerate overnight. Don’t let them stay in the fridge longer than 16 hours. Remove them from the refrigerator, keeping them covered, and let them rise and come to room temperature for about 11.5–2 hours. Bake as instructed.
How to Store Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days because the frosting contains cream cheese.
For the best texture, warm an individual cinnamon roll in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds before serving.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls FAQ
Can I make these without the chai spices?
Absolutely. For more traditional apple cinnamon rolls, use the cinnamon and nutmeg and leave out the cardamom, ginger, and cloves.
Do I need to peel the apples?
Peeling them gives the filling the softest texture, so it’s recommended. If you prefer the extra texture, however, you can leave the peel on.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk slightly warm, 110°F- 115F, 240 grams
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar divided, 130 grams
- 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast 2 packets, 14 grams
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, 113 grams
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 563 grams
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tsp oil or spray oil, to grease the bowl
Chai Apples
- 3 Gala or Honeycrisp apples diced into small cubes
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 Tbsp water 15ml
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice 30ml
- 2 tsp cornstarch 6g
- 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Cinnamon Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 113 grams
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 100 grams
- 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113 grams, browned then cooled to room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar 360 grams
- 1/4 cup heavy cream 56 grams
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Dough
- Add the warm milk, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes, until it is foamy on top and you can see the yeast is active.
- Add in the remaining sugar and the eggs to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on medium low speed to combine.
- Add in the flour and mix on medium low speed until a dry, shaggy dough starts to come together, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the room temperature butter, all at once, and continue mixing until the butter is completely incorporated, about 5 minutes, then continue mixing until a smooth dough forms, at least 5 more minutes.
- Place the smooth dough ball in a clean bowl, greased with the reserved 2 tsp of oil or oil spray. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Make the filling while the dough rises.
Make the apple chai filling
- In a medium saucepan, add the diced apples, sugar, water, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. In a small separate bowl, add the lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix to form a slurry and set aside.
- Stir the apples and spices over medium heat until the juice releases. Add in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until it thickens and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a heat proof container to cool completely. Place in the fridge while the dough rises.
Roll out the dough
- After the first rise, punch down the dough to release the air. On a heavily floured surface, place the dough and roll it with a floured rolling pin into a 12×18-inch rectangle.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter across the entire dough then sprinkle the brown sugar and remaining cinnamon evenly on top. Add the cooled apple filling and spread this evenly as well.
- Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut it into 12 rolls, each about 1½ inches thick. I the apples fall out while rolling or slicing, do not fret, just place them on top of the rolls. Alternatively, use the method I described above to cut the dough into strips and roll each cinnamon roll individually. I find this method creates more picture-perfect rolls.
- Add the cut rolls to a 9×13 baking pan and loosely cover for the final rise. Let the rolls rise until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour. Make the frosting while the rolls are rising.
- Bake the rolls at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately top with the brown butter frosting.
Brown Butter Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the room temperature browned butter and cream cheese. Whip on medium speed until combined, light, and fluffy. Use a nonstick spatula to scrape down the paddle and the bowl, then add in half of the powdered sugar and mix again. The mixture will be thick; add in the heavy cream and whip for another 2–3 minutes. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar and whip the frosting for another 3–4 minutes.
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