Apple Cinnamon Rolls

It is hot like normal summer here (upper 80’s), but it’s close enough to fall I can validate making cinnamon rolls.  I loved trying the Bread machine Cinnamon Roll here which everyone says tastes like Cinnabon.  I’ve never tried them at the mall, but I’ll take their word for it.  Especially since it probably costs half to make a batch of 12 then purchase 1 cinnamon roll.  I also love the honey wheat bread dough I make in my machine for rolls and such.  Therefore, why not make the two together and throw some apples in there?

Now, if I were serving these to company I would have pre cooked the apples a little bit on the stove top in a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.  But, these were for just us and I used raw apple when making the rolls.  They were still delicious.  The apple gave it a bit of a crunch especially since I used Granny Smith.  I really like Jonathon apples in my baking, too.

I think these would be fabulous with some drizzled caramel topping.  If you don’t have or don’t want to use the whole wheat flour, these taste just fabulous as well using the plain bread machine cinnamon roll dough.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls
yield 12 rolls

1 1/4 cups warm milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling:

3 Tbs. butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 and 1/2 Tbs. cinnamon
Optional: sprinkle of nutmeg, allspice, cloves or ground ginger
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped (It depends on you if you want chunky or small and thin)
1/2 cup raisins (optional, but tasty)  feel free to increase or decrease the amount to what you like

Icing:

3 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 cup butter, room temp.
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1.  Place the ingredients into your bread machine according to its directions.  My Oster brand bread machine has me add all the wet ingredients (basically everything but the flour) first.  Then, pile on the flour into a heap.  Poke a hole in the heap of flour and add the yeast into the hole.  Put on the “Dough” cycle.
2.  Filling: Roll out the dough into a 16″x21″ rectangle.  I always try to get it at least 12″ long to make 1″ rolls.  Brush the melted butter onto the dough except for the top 1/2″.  Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and any optional spices.  Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture, apples and raisins on top and gently press into the dough.  Roll like a jelly roll tightly away from you.  Cut it in the middle.  Cut the two halves so you have 4 pieces.  Then, cut each of those 4 pieces into 3 pieces.
3.  Place the cut rolls into a 9×13″ sprayed pan.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Or instead, put them in fridge overnight and bake the next morning.  Bake at 350 degrees for 17-23 minutes.  At 17 minutes, they were perfect and some a little gooey in the middle.  They should just barely begin to brown.
4.  Allow to cool and eat.  Or make the frosting.  Or drizzle caramel topping on them.
5.  For icing, beat cream cheese and butter on medium high.  Add vanilla and salt.  On low, add powdered sugar little by little.  Ice cooled rolls.