Gooey cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven are a treat during the holiday season! Make these easy cinnamon rolls that have the added bonus of apple pie filling rolled inside. Top the warm cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese frosting for a treat the whole family will love!
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Table of contents
Why These Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls are the Best!
Freshly baked cinnamon rolls are a special treat, but sometimes there is not enough time to make the homemade cinnamon rolls completely from scratch! That's where the help from a can of cinnamon rolls comes in handy. With this cinnamon roll recipe, there's no instant yeast to deal with, no waiting for the rolls to rise, or the need for a rolling pin. All you need are 3 simple ingredients for a delicious breakfast, although really this could be considered a dessert recipe!
What I love best about these apple cinnamon rolls, besides how is they are to make, is how you can take something store bought and with just a few ingredients make something that is special enough to serve for a holiday breakfast or dessert. When I have family visiting, I love to cook special meals for everyone. However, spending countless hours in the kitchen is not ideal. I want to enjoy time with my family, so getting a little help with store bought cinnamon rolls is the best way I can manage both.
This apple cinnamon roll bake smells absolutely amazing while it's baking in the oven. Trust me, no one will know you didn't wake up at 5 am to make the homemade rolls, but they will have a smile on their face when they see this breakfast bake come out of the oven!
Equipment Needed
casserole dish- I love this dish set because it has 3 common sizes used in the kitchen.
Key Ingredients
Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls- the key to this recipe is to be able to roll out the premade cinnamon rolls so that you can add the apple pie filling. Pillsbury brand makes different kinds of cinnamon rolls so it is crucial that you by the Grands variety because the other type does not roll out.
apple pie filling- you can use a can of apple pie filling or make your own homemade apple pie filling with fresh apples if you prefer.
cream cheese- this is completely optional, however I love adding the cream cheese to the icing that comes with the rolls.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Prepare the apple filling. Chop the apples into very small pieces. This will make it much easier to roll the cinnamon roll back together.
On a clean work surface, roll the cinnamon roll dough out while keeping the sections tightly together. Spread the diced apples over the cinnamon sugar. You will not need an entire can, save the remaining apples to serve on the side or maybe on top of some vanilla ice cream
Carefully roll the cinnamon rolls back together. This is a little messy because they do have a lot of cinnamon on both sides of the roll. Once rolled back together, remove each cinnamon roll section and place in casserole dish. The easiest way to do this is to find the individual sections and carefully separate by hand. You may need to tuck a few pieces of the apple mixture back inside the roll.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-27 minutes or until golden brown. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. Allow time for the cream cheese to come to room temperature. It makes it much easier to whip the cheese making it smooth and spreadable. An electric mixer works perfectly to mix the cream cheese and the icing that comes with the premade cinnamon rolls. I love the tangy contrast of the cream cheese with the apples, but you can just use the icing that comes with the rolls if you prefer!
Use a spoon or a spatula to smooth the frosting over the cinnamon roll apple bake.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting these must be refrigerated. When reheating the next morning, microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
Looking For Other Easy Recipes? Try These!
Easy Peach Galette Recipe with Puff Pastry
Easy Peach Cobbler With Puff Pastry Recipe
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Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls *see note
- ¾ 21 ounce can apple pie filling, chopped
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish.
- Chop the apples into small pieces.
- Carefully unroll the cinnamon rolls onto a clean work surface. Keep the rolls close together in a large sheet. Spread the chopped apples over the top of the cinnamon rolls.
- Tightly roll back together. Separate the individual roll sections and place in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly while making frosting.
- Using a hand mixer, whip the room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the packaged icing to the cream cheese and mix together. If you want to make this a thinner consistency you can add milk or heavy cream. This is optional and not pictured in the ingredients.
- Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
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