Fluffy pillows of heaven are the only way to describe these Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Cider Frosting. Excellent for any time of the year or occasion, there isn’t a reason not to make these babies.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Best Cinnamon Rolls
There isn’t a whole back story on these Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Cider Frosting, except that I love cinnamon rolls, and I wish I had them readily available for consumption whenever I want. I’m sharing this recipe with you, so you can do the same. I have made cinnamon rolls a lot and have always struggled to find the right balance of flavor and texture. My ideal roll has a slightly sweet dough, with a spicy cinnamon sugar swirl and texture somewhere between heaven and a cotton candy cloud. (If you don’t know what that texture is, make these rolls and find out!) I want to cut into the swirl perfection and have the bun bounce back. Soft and cake-like is what I envisioned. Follow this recipe, and you will not be disappointed. Oh! And this frosting, an apple cider cream cheese, that’s perfect for Fall. The frosting is just sweet enough with the tang of the cream cheese and cider. I’m thinking of more desserts to top with this magic.
Helpful Tools For These Cinnamon Rolls
- Electric stand mixer– I use my KitchenAid stand mixer all the time, and it especially comes in handy for kneading the dough in this recipe.
- Electric hand mixer– Whip up frosting fast with a hand mixer.
- Baking dish– Not only is this dish super practical for anything from lasagna to cinnamon rolls, it looks beautiful for serving.
- Rolling pin– An essential kitchen gadget.
Ingredients For Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Cider Frosting
Dough
- Flour-I use all-purpose flour and have great results. I feel the biggest difference is measuring the flour correctly (spoon and level). Too much flour produces dry rolls and measuring incorrectly is the biggest culprit.
- Yeast- Use a dry active yeast. I always have a jar in the fridge.
- Milk- Try and use whole milk (full fat)
- Brown sugar- Gives the dough some sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
- Salt, vanilla and cinnamon- Bumps up the flavor of the rolls.
- Salted butter- Adds flavor and helps develop texture.
- Egg- Adds flavor and helps develop texture.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar- a nice blend together and the brown sugar gives the cinnamon bun its iconic swirl.
- Cinnamon- You can’t have a cinnamon bun without cinnamon!
- Fresh nutmeg (optional)- If your making these in the fall, the fresh nutmeg is a nice flavor to add.
- Salted butter- Room temperature and spreadable.
Apple Cider Frosting
- Butter- I prefer to use salted butter and at room temperature.
- Cream cheese- Adds a little tang to the frosting
- Apple cider- The spice apple flavor is perfect to make these cinnamon rolls Fall apropriate.
- Confectionery sugar- Makes the frosting smooth and sweet.
- Salt and vanilla- Adds flavor to the frosting.
- Heavy cream- Thins out the frosting and makes it creamy.
The cinnamon rolls are a small labor of love, but they are totally worth it. If you are making these cinnamon rolls for breakfast or brunch, you can start them the night before and finish them off in the morning.
Making The Dough
Start by melting and letting your butter cool. Heat the milk to 110-115 F. degrees and add it to the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, waiting 5 minutes while the yeast blooms. Mix together 2 ½ cups (spoon and level method) flour, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl. After 5 minutes, add your vanilla, egg, and brown sugar to the yeast/milk mixture. Run the mixer on low to combine the ingredients. Slowly add in your flour. After all the flour is in, the mixture should still be very loose and sticky.
This part is crucial and where a lot of cinnamon rolls go wrong. Add your remaining flour, 1/8th of a cup at a time. Just let it barely mix in, and then add the next 1/8th. I found that ¼ cup extra flour was perfect; my dough was starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl and still slightly tacky. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour. Knead until the dough is springy and not sticking to your hands or surface. Sprinkle flour as needed. Place dough back into the bowl, cover with a tea towel and place in a nice cozy area for about an hour until dough doubles in size.
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
While your dough is rising, make your filling. Combine granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (optional) in a small bowl. Let your salted butter reach a spreadable consistency.
Making The Cinnamon Buns
Once the dough has doubled in size, flour your surface and dump the dough onto your counter. Using a rolling pin, roll your dough into a large rectangle roughly 12×16 inches. Spread your soft, room temperature butter all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle your cinnamon and sugar filling and give it a light press into the dough. Starting with your longest side, begin tightly rolling. Once you have a log, use plain dental floss or, as I did, all-purpose thread and slice through the dough resulting in 8-10 rolls. I like a taller cinnamon roll, so I cut 8 rolls at about 1.75-2 inches thick. You could certainly do 10-12, and they would be just a bit shorter, but still just as delicious. Place your rolls in a greased baking dish, leaving some room in between. Place in a warm cozy place a let rise again for about 30 minutes. You want the rolls to puff up, but still, bounce back when you touch them. Bake in the oven at 350 F degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until dough is just golden brown.
Apple Cider Frosting
While your cinnamon rolls are baking, whip up the frosting. Reduce ½ cup of apple cider to ¼ cup on low-medium heat. Beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and salt until fluffy with your electric hand mixer. Drizzle in the reduced apple cider and mix again. Add your confectionery sugar and mix until all combined. Add your heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. This frosting recipe makes a lot, but I like to add additional frosting to the sides of the roll once cut.
Storage And Reheating
Leave the Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Cider Frosting covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 7. Any longer and you can freeze in an air-tight container for 2-3 months.
Allow cinnamon rolls to reach room temperature and then place in the oven at about 250 F. degrees until nice and toasty. Remove from oven and spread leftover frosting on top and sides.
Making Ahead Of Time
To save some time. Make the rolls the night before and refrigerate after you have placed the rolls in your greased baking dish. Covered with plastic wrap to keep rolls from drying out. Allow rolls to reach room temperature and rise for their second proofing. Then bake according to the recipe.
YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE, YOU’LL WANT TO TRY THESE!
Leave a Reply