After a recent trip to some orchards and cideries—yay fall—I came home with a few impulse purchases, including a jar of luscious apple butter. Now, I know there are countless ways to enjoy it, but all I could think about creating were Apple Butter Cinnamon Rolls. If you want to let the rolls speak for themselves, you can absolutely stop there (or add a simple icing on top); but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to elevate these rolls even further with a rich brown butter cream cheese frosting that’s purely indulgent. Don’t be intimidated by the name; these rolls are easier to make than they sound. With just a bit of time and love, you’ll have soft, fluffy rolls filled with a warm apple-cinnamon mixture, all smothered in that decadent frosting! So, grab your favorite drink, queue up a cozy movie, and get ready for the ultimate fall treat.
For the Dough:
· 1 cup warm milk (110ºF)
· 2 ¼ tsp. active yeast (¼-ounce packet)
· 1/3 cup sugar
· ¾ tsp. salt
· ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
· 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
· 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling:
· ½ cup butter, softened
· ¾ cup apple butter
· ½ cup brown sugar
· 3 tbsp. cinnamon
· ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
For the Frosting:
· 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
· ½ cup unsalted butter, browned & at room temperature
· 3 tbsp. milk
· 2 tsp. vanilla extract
· 2 cups powdered sugar
For the Dough:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let the mixture sit until slightly foamy (about 5-10 minutes).
2. Add the remaining sugar, salt, melted butter, egg, and egg yolk to the yeast mixture, stirring until everything is just combined.
3. Gradually add in the flour, kneading the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.
4. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (about 75ºF) until it doubles in size, roughly 1 ½ to 2 hours.
For the Filling:
5. While the dough rises, prepare the filing by mixing the softened butter, apple butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until fully combined. Set aside.
Assembly & Baking:
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air, then, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle (about a 12 x 18 inch rectangle with an even ¼ inch thickness).
7. Spread the apple butter mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border along one edge for sealing. (Note: the side you choose to leave blank will affect the number of cinnamon spirals—rolling from a short edge will create more spirals, while rolling from a long edge will result in fewer spirals but a longer log).
8. Starting from the edge opposite the empty border, roll the dough tightly into a log and seal it at the ½-inch border.
9. Trim the uneven ends, then slice the log into 12 even pieces using dental floss, string, or a sharp knife.
10. Arrange the slices in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, cover with a towel, and let rise for another 20 minutes until puffy.
11. While the rolls rise, preheat your oven to 350ºF.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
For the Frosting:
13. While the rolls bake, let’s whip up the frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 stick of unsalted butter, stirring frequently until the butter foams and turns a golden brown, with a nutty aroma and small brown flecks (about 5-7 minutes). Watch closely, as browned butter can quickly turn burnt.
14. Pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl, then place the bowl in an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and water) to cool it down quickly, stirring occasionally until the butter solidifies but remains soft (about 10-15 minutes).
15. In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter and 8 oz. of softened cream cheese, beating until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
16. Gradually add the powdered sugar and milk, beating until the frosting is fluffy and well combined.
17. After the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting generously over them while they’re still warm for a soft, gooey finish. Enjoy!
