Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Pumpkin Butter
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What’s Up, Hungry People
Today we are making Pumpkin Butter Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. They’re all of the quintessential flavors of fall rolled up into a delicious cinnamon bun.
The ‘secret’ ingredient in this recipe is actually raw pizza dough! Most grocery stores I’ve been to have some sort of fresh, plain pizza dough available in their deli or bakery, and I’ve also used frozen varieties of raw pizza dough when I can’t find the fresh stuff. And of course, if you are in a pinch, you can also make your favorite pizza dough recipe from scratch.
These cinnamon rolls are packed with every fall flavor imaginable. I’m already obsessed with cinnamon rolls, but this recipe just takes them to a whole new level.
Here’s What You Need
- Pizza dough – The base of our rolls, providing a chewy, fluffy texture.
- Pumpkin puree – Adds moisture and a mild pumpkin flavor.
- Pumpkin butter – Intensifies the pumpkin flavor with spices and sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a warm, sweet aroma.
- Butter (melted) – Used for brushing the dough and enhancing richness.
- Lemon juice – Keeps the apples from browning and adds a slight tartness.
- Apples (finely chopped) – Adds a juicy, fresh crunch.
- Brown sugar – Sweetens the apple mixture and caramelizes during baking.
- Ground cloves – Provides a warm, slightly sweet spice.
- Allspice – Adds a complex, nutty flavor.
- Ground cinnamon – The classic cinnamon roll spice, warming and sweet.
- Sea salt – Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
- Flour – For dusting, prevents dough from sticking.
- Cream cheese – The base of our frosting, creamy and tangy.
- Maple syrup – Sweetens the frosting with a hint of maple flavor.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Let’s Cook
First, preheat your oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin butter, and vanilla extract, then set it aside.
In another bowl, toss the chopped apples with lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, melted butter, allspice, cloves, sea salt, and cinnamon. Stir everything until the apples are nicely coated, then pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Roll Out the Dough
Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the pizza dough to about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Aim for it to be about 12-14 inches long and 16 inches wide. Spread the pumpkin butter mixture evenly across the dough, leaving about a quarter inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the chopped apple mixture over the dough. Don’t over-stuff; you might have some leftover apple mixture.
Roll and Cut the Dough
Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a cylinder shape. Trim off the edges, then cut the roll in half. Cut each half into quarters, and each quarter into eighths to make even pieces. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the cinnamon rolls side by side. It’s fine if they’re touching. If there’s room, add the trimmed edges between the rolls.
Bake the Rolls
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes until they are puffed and pale. The apples should look dehydrated, not wet. Melt 3-4 tablespoons of salted butter. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven and brush them with the melted butter. Turn the oven up to 400°F. Return the cinnamon rolls to the oven and bake for another 10-30 minutes, keeping a close eye to avoid burning.
Make the Frosting
While the rolls are baking, grab a large bowl and use a hand mixer to whisk together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and powdered sugar until you get a thick frosting. Leave it at room temperature until the cinnamon rolls are done.
Finish and Serve
When the cinnamon rolls are golden brown and puffed in the center, take them out of the oven. Let them cool for about 5-10 minutes. Spread the frosting over the rolls so it melts into all the cracks and crevices.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Avoid Over-Stuffing: Too much filling can make the rolls difficult to seal and cause them to burst during baking.
- Watch the Oven Temperature: Keep a close eye during the final baking stage at 400°F to prevent burning.
- Chill the Filling: Chilling the apple mixture helps the flavors meld and keeps the dough from getting too soggy.
- Even Slices: Cutting the roll into even pieces ensures uniform baking.
- Rest Before Frosting: Let the rolls cool slightly before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting too much.
These pumpkin butter apple pie cinnamon rolls are everything we love about fall, wrapped up in one delicious treat. With the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, they’re sure to become a favorite. The raw pizza dough makes them easy to whip up, whether you’re using store-bought or homemade. The maple cream cheese frosting adds a sweet finish that you just can’t resist. Share them with family and friends, and watch them disappear. Happy baking, Hungry People!
Pumpkin Butter Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 16 oz raw pizza dough
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup pumpkin butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 tablespoons butter melted for brushing dough
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cups apples finely chopped
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 4 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup flour for dusting
- 16 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree and pumpkin butter along with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, toss the chopped apples in lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, melted butter, allspice, cloves, sea salt, and cinnamon, and stir until the apples are coated. Chill until ready to use.
- Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the pizza dough to about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. It should be about 12-14 inches in length and 16 inches wide.
- Spread the pumpkin butter mixture in an even layer across the dough, leaving about a quarter inch of a border around the crust.
- Sprinkle the chopped apple mixture across the dough in a single layer. You may have leftover apple mixture (make it into apple pie!). Don't over-stuff the cinnamon rolls!
- Starting at the short end of the dough, roll the dough over itself into a cylinder shape. Trim off the edges. Cut the roll in half, then into quarters, and finally into eighths to make even pieces.
- Grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the cinnamon rolls side by side. It's okay if they are touching. If there's room, add the trimmed edges between the rolls.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are puffed and pale. Melt 3-4 tablespoons of salted butter. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the oven. The apples should look dehydrated and not wet.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F. Brush the melted butter over the cinnamon rolls. Return the cinnamon rolls to the oven. Cook for 10-30 more minutes, keeping a close eye on the cinnamon rolls so they don't start burning.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whisk together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Mix until a thick frosting forms. Leave at room temperature until the cinnamon rolls are done.
- When ready, the cinnamon rolls will be golden brown and puffed in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. Spread the frosting over the rolls as desired, so that it melts into all the cracks and crevices. Serve warm. Enjoy!
