One of Joels, and myn let’s be honest here, favorite donuts of all time is crispy and goey apple fritter. Nothing really can compare when it comes fresh out of the fryer, drizzled with a sticky frosting, and then straight into your mouth. I am drooling just thinking of it!
Just the other day even, we attempted to make a homemade apple fritter and wow, it turned out absolutely amazing! Infact you should just check out our homemade apple fritter donuts recipe after you make these babies.
So why apple fritter donut you say? Well, after making out apple fritter donuts, both Joel and I started talking about how we could somehow incorporate the apple fritter filling into other recipes because it was just so good. Then ding ding ding like a light bolt it hit me. What about an apple fritter cinnamon roll. And behold, the apple fritter cinnamon roll concoction was born.
It really is as good as it looks. The dough is fluffy and pulls apart like a dream. The frosting is made with both butter and cream cheese, best of both worlds. Then the filling it self has apple bits sautéed in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Then, if that wasn’t enough, we add another layer of melted butter and brown sugar on the rolled out dough before we even spread the apple filling on top. Oh annnnnndddddd, the cinnamon roll dough has cinnamon and nutmeg in it. Whoah! Talk about a party in your mouth!
We seriously couldn’t be more pleased with how these yummy fritter rolls turned out, and we are so happy we get to share them with you. Please try these rolls out and give us your opinions below in the comments cause we are excited to hear what you think about them. Cause in our book, these are a winner!
Apple Fritter Cinnamon Rolls
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Loading...Behold the best of a cinnamon roll and apple fritter donut. The apple fritter cinnamon roll! A wonderful and deliciou cinnamon roll bun packed with a ooey gooey apple cinnamon butter filling sure to make your tummy oh so happy!
Ingredients
- -Fritter Dough-
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 TBLS active dry yeast
- 1 TBLS white sugar
- 1/3 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- Brown Sugar Topping
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Apple Filling
- 2 tsp butter
- 2 medium tart apples peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 TBLS cinnamon
- 1 TBLS flour
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1 stick softened salted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp half and half
Instructions
To make the dough:
In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow to sit until yeast begins to "bloom".
While yeast is blooming, melt shortening and milk in a small saucepan over low heat until bubbles appear on the surface.
Remove from heat and transfer into a large bowl.
Add salt and sugar and mix until sugar has dissolved.
Add 1 cup of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and eggs to the milk mixture and beat until combined.
Beat in yeast mixture and remaining 3 cups of flour until combined.
Replace your whisk attachment with the kneading hook, or place dough on a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and no longer sticking to bowl or hands.
Once dough is smooth, place in a large greased bowl, cover and let rest until dough has doubled in size. Typically 1-2 hours.
To make the apple filling:
In a small frying pan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add apples, lemon juice, sugar, and spices and cook while stirring frequently, until apples are soft- about 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in flour. Bring mixture to room temperature.
To make the brown sugar topping
Mix brown sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside until ready to spread onto rolled out dough.
Assembly:
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Punch down the dough and put onto a flowered surface.
Roll out the dough until about 1/4 inch thick, and shaped into a large rectangle.
Spread the brown sugar topping over the rolled out dough until evenly spread.
Then spread the cooled apple filling on top of the brown sugar until evenly spread as well.
Roll up tightly length wise until it becomes a nice long roll.
Using a sharp knife or piece of string, cut the roll into 1.5 inch slices. Should get about 12-15 rolls.
Then place each roll in a 9x 13 greased pan. Each roll shouldn't touch, but be close together so when they rise, they will touch and puff up.
Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 min, or until the tops of the buns are golden.
Then cover the rolls with tin foil, and cook for another 10 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
While the rolls are baking, in a bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt. Then add powdered sugar and mix well. Add half and half to thin out frosting if too thick.
Once the cinnamon rolls are pulled out and cooled, spread frosting on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
1. These fritter rolls are great as normal cinnamon rolls as well! Just omit the apple fritter filling, and spices in the dough. --- 2. It is important to peel your apples before chopping them. The peel adds an extra texture within the roll that makes it taste weird! --- 3. If you don't have half and half, feel free to use milk, or heavy cream as alternatives. --- 4. It is also important to place the tin foil on top of the rolls mid baking. The tin foil will protect them from getting too brown or burnt, but still allowing the center of the rolls to cook. --- 5. The dough can sit for more than a few if needed. We have let ours sit overnight and the dough still turns out perfect! --- 6. Quick tip, the end sliced roll of the long roll doesn't puff up well if placed cut side down. Instead, place it end side down, thus allowing the roll to rise perfectly like its fellow rolls! --- 7. It is important for your cream cheese and butter to be very soft before mixing together. This will allow them to mix together with no clumps. We want that frosting to be smooth in texture! --- 8. If all of your rolls don't fit in the 9x13 pan, place the extra rolls into a smaller pan to rise. Don't you worry!
