If you love apples and cinnamon, try this recipe for Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls. It's a creative way to jazz up refrigerated cinnamon rolls, making them perfect for a quick sweet breakfast or a tasty dessert anytime.
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The apple pie filling adds sweetness and juicy chunks of apple throughout the cinnamon roll bake. We also add raisins for texture, along with pecans if you decide to include the bottom layer.
If you like cinnamon recipes, you will love Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls, Pull-Apart Cinnamon Rolls, Snickerdoodle Bars or these Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Easy to make: This is an easy sweet recipe that uses store-bought ingredients.
- Budget-friendly: The components of this recipe are affordable so you won’t break the bank.
- Tasty breakfast option: Make these to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
Ingredients
Pecan Layer
- Butter: I use unsalted butter for the bottom layer, but you can use salted butter if you prefer. I like to have it melted and ready to go before I measure out the other ingredients.
- Brown sugar: The brown sugar caramelizes as it bakes and allows the pecans to stick to the rolls.
- Pecans: Halved or chopped pecans are great here. I add them for a crunch, so there’s a contrast in texture with the rolls and pie filling.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Pillsbury cinnamon rolls: I like the fluffy Grands cinnamon rolls best, but feel free to use any refrigerated cinnamon rolls that you like.
- Apple pie filling: Any canned apple pie filling is perfect for this recipe. It typically has cinnamon and other spices in it, so you don’t have to add them.
- Raisins: The chewy texture of the raisins complements the other ingredients perfectly..
- Vanilla: Not only does it add authentic vanilla flavor, but it also enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Lemon juice: I add lemon juice to both the cinnamon roll layer and the icing, as its acidity pairs beautifully with the apples.
- Icing: Choose one of the simple options in the recipe card if you want to add icing on top.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Peach: Try this recipe with peach pie filling instead of apple for a creative twist.
- Cranberry apple: Swap the raisins for dried cranberries to add a pop of tartness to the apple pie rolls.
- Bacon apple: Garnish the apple rolls with crumbled bacon for a sweet and savory version.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Here are the instructions on how to make these apple pie filling cinnamon rolls. It’s a straightforward process that only takes about 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350° F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish before you get started.
Step 1: Combine the butter and sugar. Mix the melted butter and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Then, pour it into the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 2: Add the pecans. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top of the butter mixture.
Step 3: Cut the cinnamon rolls. Cut the cinnamon rolls into quarters and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Step 4: Mix the apples and cinnamon rolls. Remove the apples from the filling and roughly chop them into smaller pieces, if desired. Then, pour the apples and filling into the bowl. Stir in lemon juice, vanilla, and raisins until everything is well coated.
Step 5: Prepare for baking. Transfer the cinnamon roll and apple mixture to the prepared casserole dish
Step 6: Bake. Bake the apple pie filling and cinnamon rolls for about 45-50 minutes. Let the cinnamon rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a serving platter.
PRO TIP: Cover the pan with foil during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking if the rolls are becoming too browned.
⭐ Hint: Enjoy these cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling with or without one of the icing options. You may also use the icing it comes with and not add anything to it.
If you love recipes with apple pie filling like this, you may also enjoy Apple French Toast Casserole, Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls or Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm them for 30 seconds in the microwave if desired.
- Freezing: Cool them completely and store tightly wrapped in the freezer for 2-3 months. You can thaw them before reheating them, but it’s not necessary.
Serving Suggestions
- Make them with Sunday brunch. Serve the cinnamon rolls alongside other breakfast favorites such as Crockpot Breakfast Potatoes, Toaster Oven Bacon, and Crustless Quiche.
- Enjoy one with a hot drink. Sip on a Caramel Mocha or Kahlua Hot Chocolate with a portion of apple cinnamon rolls.
- Top with ice cream. Have the ultimate dessert and serve this recipe with a scoop of classic vanilla or Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t chop the apples: Keep the apples in the pie filling as slices instead of chopping them to save time.
- Keep the cinnamon rolls whole: If you prefer whole cinnamon rolls, don’t cut them and then spoon the apple pie filling on top instead of mixing them together.
- Add heavy cream: To add more moisture, mix some heavy cream into these cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! Use your favorite cinnamon roll recipe and add apple pie filling.
Yes! Use your favorite recipe or try the apple filling we made in this Smoked Apple Pie.
Video
More Delicious Apple Dishes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan or casserole dish
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ heaping cup pecan morsels or chopped pecans
Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Layer
- 2 tubes (17.5 oz) Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 cans (21 oz) apple pie filling apples chopped on cutting board before adding to cinnamon rolls, if desired, I never do.
- ⅓ - ½ cup raisins I used sultana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Icing From Package, Optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice divided
- ½ teaspoon caramel or butterscotch extract if desired
Cream Cheese Icing, Optional
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk to desired consistency
Instructions
Bottom Layer, Optional
- Set oven to 350°F. Place rack in second position from bottom of oven.
- Prepare baking pan or dish with cooking spray.
- Combine melted butter with the brown sugar and stir until until blended. Spread onto the bottom of your pan or casserole dish.
- Evenly sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top. Set aside.
Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Layer
- Cut each of the 10 cinnamon rolls into 4 even pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Using a sharp knife carefully roughly chop apples on cutting board, if desired. Using sharp knife carefully scrape chopped apples and filling into a mixing bowl.
- Add lemon juice, vanilla and raisins. Evenly mix.
- Add the apple mix to the dough pieces in the large bowl and stir until evenly coated.
- Evenly spread mixture inside the casserole dish.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until no longer doughy in center and top is well browned.
- If edges starting to brown too much cover with aluminum foil in last 5 minutes of baking.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes.
- Invert or dump onto serving platter.
Icing From Package, Optional
- Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and the caramel or butterscotch extract to the icing from the dough packages and stir until blended.
- Drizzle over top. Icing may be slightly warmed and put into a resealable bag with the corner cut off and drizzled, if desired.
- Best served soon after baking. If not serving immediately, omit icing and invert casserole onto a large plate or board (or the base will become hard and stick to the pan/casserole dish.)
Cream Cheese Icing, Optional
- Beat cream cheese until whipped and smooth.
- Gradually beat in powdered or icing sugar and then milk as needed.
- Add to corner of small resealable bag. Cut corner off and squeeze icing over top in any pattern you wish.
Video
Notes
- Don’t chop the apples: Keep the apples in the pie filling as slices instead of chopping them to save time.
- Keep the cinnamon rolls whole: If you prefer whole cinnamon rolls, don’t cut them and then spoon the apple pie filling on top instead of mixing them together.
- Add heavy cream: To add more moisture, mix some heavy cream into these cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling.
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