Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

It’s almost fall which also means we are coming into apple season and these Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect fall treat! You are going to love the layers of swirled caramel and apple topped off with our yummy caramel frosting!

Featured with this recipe

1. Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients
2. Homemade Caramel Frosting
3. How to Make Apple Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
4. Shortcut to Making Dough
5. Tips and Modifications
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Storing and Making Ahead Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
8. More Cinnamon Roll Recipes
9. How to Make Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
10. Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These caramel apple cinnamon rolls combine two of my all-time favorites, gooey cinnamon rolls, and sweet caramel apples. Together it is the perfect combination! They are so easy to make with a few of my secret ingredients but still are delicious!

You can make these caramel apple cinnamon rolls any time of year, but I end up making them a lot during the fall thanks to an abundance of apples! This is a good recipe to make for a Saturday brunch at home. Make sure to serve them warm out of the oven. That is the best way!

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients

Only five ingredients to make this delicious breakfast treat! This recipe can be as simple or homemade as you would like it! For those of you that like things easy, try my trick and I promise I won’t tell your friends. Everyone will think you put so much work into making these from scratch, they won’t be able to tell the difference!

• Rhodes loaves – Skip the yeast and use these frozen bread loaves that are found in the freezer aisle at your local grocery store. This dough is already made and ready for making cinnamon rolls. You will want to thaw it overnight or according to the package directions.
• Caramel – You can use your favorite homemade caramel for this recipe or this store-bought Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel sauce. It is really yummy! You can find it next to where the ice cream cones are at the grocery store, or in the baking aisle.
• Granny smith apples – Slice and chop the apples into small pieces. I cored and then shred the apples in my food processor to make a thin spread. The green granny smith apples give this a sweet and tart flavor that combines well with the caramel.
• Cinnamon – Sprinkle the cinnamon overtop the brown sugar and dough. This will give the real flavor of a cinnamon roll.
• Brown sugar – Add sweetness to the cinnamon roll and balance it out with the cinnamon seasoning.

Homemade Caramel Frosting

These caramel apple cinnamon rolls have a yummy frosting that is drizzled with caramel on top. This frosting is a classic cream cheese frosting with a hidden ingredient, caramel! This will give the frosting a delicious sweetness!

• Cream cheese – Soften the cream cheese at room temperature. This will help it to mix together easily.
• Unsalted Butter – Set your butter out on the counter and warm it to room temperature before mixing it with the cream cheese. Softened butter will avoid any lumps in the frosting.
• Caramel – Stir in your favorite jar of caramel sauce into the frosting. When mixing make sure to be on low speed until well combined since caramel is gooey and sticky.
• Powdered sugar – This is the thickening agent that will add sweetness, and thickness, as well as give the frosting that smooth texture when mixed together.
• Cinnamon – A subtle hint of savory spice that is sweet to smell and taste.

How to Make Apple Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

Use a lightly floured surface to roll out the dough. All-purpose flour works best to avoid the dough to be sticky on the bottom. Layer the ingredients and bake until golden brown. These apple caramel cinnamon rolls are the next level of breakfast!

1. Prepare dough – Roll the dough out into a large rectangular shape. The rectangle shape will be easier to roll together and slice the cinnamon rolls.
2. Layer – Spread a little over half the jar of caramel sauce all over the dough. On top of the caramel, layer a thin even layer of sliced or shredded apples. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar, then lightly with cinnamon.
3. Roll dough – Carefully roll the dough up into a long tube. Cut 1 and 1/2-inch sections and place them on a greased cookie sheet.
4. Dough raises – Let rise until almost double in size then bake until golden brown at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Serving warm – Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and cool for 10 minutes, then spread on caramel frosting. Then I like to drizzle a little leftover caramel over the frosting.

Shortcut to Making Dough

Here’s an insider’s tip I use when I’m making these caramel apple cinnamon rolls. Sometimes, I want to make these quick and make the process a bit easier on myself. So, instead of making dough from scratch, I use Rhodes Bread Dough instead.

They actually have a sweet dough, but it’s hard to find, so I usually use their white bread dough. Honestly, I think it is every bit as good as dough from scratch but so much easier! I just put the dough in a bowl lined with cooking spray, cover it with plastic wrap, and let the dough raise overnight. It’s seriously one of my favorite cooking cheats!

Tips and Modifications

Follow these tips and modifications to make the best cinnamon roll with caramel apples! Make it all from scratch or use some of the helpful store-bought ingredients to make it quicker. Either way, this breakfast dessert will always be a favorite in your home!

• Store-bought caramel – If you opt to use caramel from the store, it will need to be warmed up for this recipe. That will help it spread easily over the dough. The best way to make these cinnamon rolls over-the-top incredible is to make your own butterscotch caramel sauce from scratch. It’s not as hard as you imagine!
• Homemade dough – For you traditionalists out there, we have an awesome dough base if you still want to make it from scratch or make these easy homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch.
• Baking pan – Use either a cookie sheet, a 9×13-inch pan, or a round 9-inch pan when baking cinnamon rolls. Just make sure that the cinnamon rolls are touching each other.
• Apples – Mix together gala, golden delicious, and granny apples for a delicious blend of sweet and savory apple mixture.
• Slicing dough- Use a sharp knife when slicing the cinnamon roll tube into pieces. Making sure that each slice is evenly cut to bake it all together. Some have used dental floss when cutting the cinnamon tube too.

“The fluffiest cinnamon rolls of my life!! I can’t get enough.”

-Lathiya

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Next: Homemade Orange Rolls

Storing and Making Ahead Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Usually, we don’t have any cinnamon rolls left but in the event that we do, we place them in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. Storing cinnamon rolls is a simple process and can be done quickly and easily. Try these options next time you are making homemade caramel apple cinnamon rolls!

• Making ahead of time – If you are wanting to make fresh cinnamon rolls ahead of time, make the cinnamon roll and the frosting. Instead of adding the frosting to the cinnamon roll, place the frosting in an airtight container until ready to serve. This will keep the cinnamon rolls from getting soggy.
• Refrigerated – Store any frosting and frosted cinnamon rolls in the fridge until ready to enjoy.
• Reheat – When ready to enjoy your cinnamon roll, place it in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds or until the frosting has softened and the cinnamon roll is warmed through.

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How to Make Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls