From scratch cinnamon buns stuffed with apples, topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel and topped with maple glaze — the ultimate cinnamon roll for fall!
I know what you’re thinking and you’re right.
I plan on making Apple Crisp Everything.
Because Apple Crisp is pretty much the best fall dessert ever, and why not? It turns out apples and streusel are awesome on anything.
I love cinnamon buns (I mean, tell me you’re not surprised), but I actually rarely make them. First, there’s the whole issue with having a pan of cinnamon buns sitting in my house. Mostly because you know they’re not going to be sitting there for very long.
Second, they’re not anything new or exciting, and sometimes I feel like I can’t give you boring old recipes you probably already have. That you’d rather New and Exciting.
These Cinnamon Buns are the best of both worlds: they’re an old favorite made New and Exciting.
You can easily skip the apples and/or the streusel and you’d have some pretty fabulous plain Cinnamon Buns. But I kind of think you’d be crazy to do that.
I use my regular bun dough recipe, which has bread machine and stand mixer instructions because I used to make it in a bread maker, and then it broke, so now I strictly use my stand mixer. I like to make a double batch and make some plain buns and some cinnamon buns. This way I can limit the amount of cinnamon rolls that I’m actually going to eat (which is all of them, BTW), and I feel a little more like a responsible adult. Plus, fresh homemade buns are perfect for dipping in soup, which is one of my favorite fall meals!
Maple Glazed Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
Bun dough:
- 1 cup warm milk I put mine in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/4-1/2 cup additional milk or water or flour
Streusel:
- 1/4 cup butter cold
- 1/4 cup whole wheat or all purpose flour
- 1 cup large oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 apple peeled and finely diced
Glaze:
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup powdered icing sugar
Instructions
- Bun dough: In a stand mixer, add milk, butter, sugar and eggs and beat on medium-low until combined (not necessarily smooth). Add salt, flour, and yeast and mix with a dough hook until a smooth dough forms. If dough is dry, add ¼-1/2 cup additional liquid. If dough is quite sticky, add ¼-1/2 cup additional flour.
- Sprinkle flour on the dough, turn over and flour the other side. Cover in plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 hour.
- Prepare streusel: Combine butter, flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon until combined. It will hold together if you press it between your fingers, but I prefer my streusel this way! It will get nice and crunchy as it bakes.
- Make Cinnamon Buns:Lightly grease a 9x13" and an 8x8" pan and set aside.
- Roll out dough into a large rectangle roughly 12" wide and 18-24" long. Spread softened butter over dough to within 1" of the edge.
- Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. Top with diced apples.
- Roll up dough as tightly as possible, standing at the long end. Pinch dough together where it meets. Slice into rolls about 1.5" thick and place in prepared pans. Sprinkle streusel over top of buns. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 22-25 minutes until light golden brown from the edge to the middle of the pan. (we don't want a doughy interior!).
- Glaze: Combine all glaze ingredients with a whisk and drizzle over buns. Will firm up as it cools.
Nutrition (this is an estimate)
- Bun dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (I put mine in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds)
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast
- ¼-1/2 cup additional milk or water, or flour
- Streusel:
- 1/4 cup butter, cold
- 1/4 cup whole wheat (or all purpose) flour
- 1 cup large oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 apple, peeled and finely diced
- Glaze:
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup powdered icing sugar
- In a stand mixer, add milk, butter, sugar and eggs and beat on medium-low until combined (not necessarily smooth). Add salt, flour, and yeast and mix with a dough hook until a smooth dough forms. If dough is dry, add 1/4-1/2 cup additional liquid. If dough is quite sticky, add 1/4-1/2 cup additional flour.
- Sprinkle flour on the dough, turn over and flour the other side. Cover in plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 hour.
- Combine butter, flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon until combined. It will hold together if you press it between your fingers, but I prefer my streusel this way! It will get nice and crunchy as it bakes.
- Lightly grease a 9×13″ and an 8×8″ pan and set aside.
- Roll out dough into a large rectangle roughly 12″ wide and 18-24″ long. Spread softened butter over dough to within 1″ of the edge.
- Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. Top with diced apples.
- Roll up dough as tightly as possible, standing at the long end. Pinch dough together where it meets. Slice into rolls about 1.5″ thick and place in prepared pans. Sprinkle streusel over top of buns. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 22-25 minutes until light golden brown from the edge to the middle of the pan. (we don’t want a doughy interior!).
- Combine all glaze ingredients with a whisk and drizzle over buns. Will firm up as it cools.
More Cinnamon Buns!
Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls from Jo Cooks
Quickie Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from The Kitchen Magpie
Ana | Espresso My Kitchen says
This looks amazing! apples + cinnamon rolls are the perfect combo! Can’t wait to try this! Pinned! 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Ana!
Laura Dembowski says
Yes to apple crisp everything! Cinnamon rolls are pretty awesome on their own, but they’re dangerously good with apples and crumb topping.
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
Wow! So decadent!
Heather says
Can this recipe be done without a standard mixer and dough hook? I have a hand mixer and rolling pin! Lol.. I really want to try this for some friends tomorrow!
Shey says
You could just irk the dough with your hands on the counter or large cutting board with a little flour not a lot of flour maybe a tablespoon just to keep it from sticking to the surface…It’s called kneading the dough..I’m probably late answering you thought I would try to help you out take care Shey
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Uhm, these are amazing! I love the idea of apples in my cinnamon rolls! Apples and cinnamon are a perfect combo so this makes so much sense!! Yum! 🙂
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! This is a perfect marriage! I always put chopped pecans in my cinnamon rolls which would go perfectly with the apples. I think this is a wonerful Sunday brunch item! PS I do let my bread maker do the initial work and it never fails! 🙂
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Apple crisp is definitely the best fall dessert! Love this combination!
Amanda | The Cinnamon Scrolls says
Ahh, be still my beating heart! How amazing do these look?! I’m giving you a round of applause right now. You probably know that cinnamon buns are my weakness, and at this time of year – with the apples tasting as crazy good as they do – I can imagine these apple crisp rolls would be the best thing ever. DEFINITELY pinning to make later. (In like, twenty seconds.)
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! Cinnamon buns are everyone’s weakness though, right?!? Thanks Amanda!
marcie says
I can almost smell these through the screen, Ashley — these must make the house smell so good! I love the streusel topping — these look delicious!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
I’m so glad to see you didn’t stuff any vegetables in these 😉 I’m all for making everything Apple Crips! These look fabulous!
Ashley Fehr says
Hahaha, thanks Julie!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
I’m right there with you on making everything full of apples and topped with lots of crumble. These cinnamon buns look like the ULTIMATE!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Rachel! They are pretty fantastic!
Celia at Chicago Jogger says
What a smart idea! I love the combination of apple crisp with a cinnamon bun. Can’t wait to try this – so perfect for fall. Pinned to my Everything Apples board.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Celia! And thanks for sharing!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I hardly ever make cinnamon rolls either because then I end up devouring the entire batch by myself! But I think I could definitely make an expcetion for these. I love that they’re filled with apples and a maple glaze. So perfect for fall!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha, that may have happened once or twice here…. Thanks Gayle!
Nora | Savory Nothings says
Hands down, that’s EXACTLY what I was thinking when I opened your blog just now. Haha, I don’t mind though, apple crisp is the best! I love cinnamon rolls too, but like you I hardly ever make them exactly because I know my pants won’t be fitting anymore within a couple days. I should totally try this recipe of yours though, they look so good! And they have fruit in them, so they’re kind of healthy, right? 😉
Ashley Fehr says
Haha Nora! I get in a rut and I can’t ever get out 😉 But I think Apple Crisp is a rut I don’t mind being in! 🙂