How to Turn a Classic Cinnamon Roll into a Fall Favorite

How do you turn a classic cinnamon roll into a fall favorite? You add a fruit or squash puree and an alternative spice mixture to turn your classic cinnamon roll into an autumnal favorite. Below I recommend a recipe for Apple Spice Cinnamon Rolls with a Maple and Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze. Sound delicious? Read on.

Use Vegetable or Fruit Puree

My two favorite fall recipes are apple spice cinnamon rolls and pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls. Depending on which one you choose, you can substitute apple puree or pumpkin puree to get the flavors you desire. You can buy apple sauce or pumpkin puree or create your own puree from your favorite fall harvest.

Mix it up with spices

Create a signature spice mix. Some spices that go well with fall flavors are cinnamon, cardamon, mace, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves, and apple or pumpkin pie spice (pre-mixes of classic fall spices). For best flavor, always use high quality, fresh spices. I highly recommend Penzey’s spices, the freshest, highest quality spices you can find. These are far superior to what you buy in your local grocery.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS FOR THIS RECIPE:

To make a tasty filling for your cinnamon rolls, mix up one of the following spice mixes:

Pumpkin Spice: 1 T Cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp ground cloves.

Apple Spice: 1.5 T Cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp allspice.

To make a cinnamon roll filling, just add your chosen spice mixture to 200g (1 cup) of light brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt.

Classic Cinnamon Rolls

Classic cinnamon rolls are swirled, soft dough rolls filled with a spicy sweet filling, rolled, cut and baked. They are typically topped with a sweet cream cheese icing. Check out my story about Cinnamon’s Bakery in Estes Park who have perfected the classic cinnamon roll. Nothing wrong with the classic!

Apple Spice Cinnamon Roll Recipe

In the recipe below, I offer a twist on classic cinnamon rolls. an apple spice cinnamon roll with a maple and vanilla bean cream cheese glaze. These are perfect for baking in the fall when you first feel the hint of cooler weather and the trees begin to turn golden.

I top these delicious apple spice cinnamon rolls with a maple syrup and vanilla bean cream cheese glaze. As always, I use the finest ingredients to give my baked goods the best flavor. In this recipe, I use organic maple syrup from Vermont. Plus, the best Tahitian vanilla pod seeds from Java Sisters Vanilla to add a special vanilla kick to the glaze.

Variations

For an added something special you can sprinkle the dough with chopped nuts and/or raisins before you roll it up. In the recipe below, I do not include raisins or nuts as my family prefers these rolls without the additions. If I was making an Apple Spice Cinnamon Rolls just for me, I would load them up!

How do I form a cinnamon roll?

I provide simple instructions and photos to follow in the recipe instructions below. To start, I roll out the dough into a rectangle using a rolling pin or pushing with my fingers. I then layer on the butter, puree and spices (and any other additions) leaving a 2 cm gap around the edge. Starting with the dough closest to me, I roll it away from me, pulling and tightening the roll as I go. Then pinch the seam to seal and turn the roll over on top of the seam. This recipe makes twelve good size rolls. Using a bench scraper, I cut the roll in half, then each half into six pieces for a total of twelve. Then place in the prepared 9″ x 13″ cake pan three across and four down.

Sharing is Caring

Now that you know how to turn a classic cinnamon roll into a fall favorite, what signature flavors will you come up with? Remember, sharing is caring, so keep half the pan for yourself and share half with a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family member. Take some pictures and share on social media and tag me @christinasbreadbakes! I always love to see your creations.

Apple Spice Cinnamon Rolls with Maple & Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze

Christina

This recipe turns a classic cinnamon roll into a favorite fall classic – apple spice cinnamon rolls with a maple syrup sweetened, vanilla bean and cream cheese glaze.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course afternoon tea, Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Equipment

• Sauce Pan with lid
• Stick Blender
• 9" x 13" x 2" Cake Pan (metal or glass)
• Aluminum Foil
• Digital Scale for metric measurement
• Electric Mixer with Paddle attachment, Dough Hook and Whisk
• 4 Liter food container (or bowl)
• Cover for container (or plastic wrap)
• Bench scraper

Ingredients

  

Apple Puree

• 4 ea Sweet Apples, Medium size (peeled, cored, chopped)
• 1 T Water or apple juice

Dough

• 12 g Active Dry Yeast (1 Tbsp)
• 30 ml Warm Water (110 F or 38 C degrees) (¼ cup)
• 240 ml Buttermilk (110 F or 38 C degrees) (1 cup / or substitute Kefir or scan 1 cup of milk + 2 tsp vinegar)
• 250 g Apple Puree, homemade or store bought (1 cup) – reserve remaining
• 85 g Maple Syrup (¼ cup)
• 55 g Butter, unsalted, room temperature (¼ cup)
• 1 ea Egg, room temperature
• 7 g Sea Salt (1 tsp)
• 750 g All Purpose Flour (6 ¼ – 6 ½ cups)
• 40 g Corn Starch (⅕ cup corn starch)

Apple Spice Filling

• 200 g Light Brown Sugar (1 cup)
• 1 ½ T Cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp Cardamom
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Allspice
• ¼ tsp Sea Salt
• 55 g Unsalted Butter, room temperature (¼ cup)
• Remaining Apple Puree

Glaze Topping

• 120 g Powdered Sugar
• 115 g Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 2 T Maple Syrup
• 1 ea Vanilla Bean (seeds scraped) (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Instructions

 

Apple Puree

• Place diced apples into a sauce pan.
• Add 1 T of water to steam apples. Cover pan with lid.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until apples are softened and water is evaporated.
• Using a stick blender, puree apples until they are smooth.
  
• Measure 250 g of apple puree for the dough and reserve the remainder.

Dough

• Scaling:
• Scale all ingredients using a digital metric scale. Set aside.
  
• Warm buttermilk to 110 F or 38 C degrees.
• Mixing:
• Add the yeast to the warm water (110 F or 38 C degrees), mix and set aside for 10 minutes until foamy.
• Mix flour and cornstarch together by hand, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the warm buttermilk (110 F or 38 C degrees), apple puree, maple syrup, soft butter, egg, salt.
  
• Stir on low speed with paddle attachment until mixed.
  
• Add one third of the flour mixture, stir on medium speed with paddle attachment until smooth.
  
• Scrape down the bowl and switch to dough hook.
• Add the foamy yeast and two-thirds of the remaining flour mixture.
  
• Mix on low speed until all dry ingredients are hydrated, about 2 minutes.
  
• Switch to Speed 2 and continue to add one tablespoon of flour mixture at a time until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, about 6 minutes.
  
• Scrape dough onto a flat work surface. Knead until smooth, only adding enough flour to prevent sticking.
• Form dough into a smooth ball.
  
• Bulk Fermentation (first rise):
• Place dough ball into a container (or bowl) sprayed with oil.
• Cover and allow dough to rise until doubled, about 1 – 1.5 hours (depending on warmth of your room).
  
• While dough rises, line the 9" x 13" x 2" cake pan with aluminum foil so it overhangs all four sides. Smooth foil so it neatly fits into the corners. Generously coat the aluminum foil with butter or spray oil. Set aside.

Apple Pie Spice Filling

• While dough rises, mix light brown sugar, spices, and salt together breaking up any clumps in sugar, set aside.
  
• Folding (sometimes called punching) – When dough has doubled in size, continue with the next steps:
• Gently dump dough onto a flat work surface, deflating the dough.
• Dividing:
• Pull sides of dough to center, flip over, and form a loose ball.
  
• Bench Proofing or Resting:
• Allow dough to relax (rest) for 10 minutes.
• Dividing:
• Flour your work surface.
• Flip dough ball over (so seams are facing up). Flatten dough out into an 18" x 18" square (45 cm).
  
• Spread evenly with softened butter, leaving a ½ inch (2 cm) border all around the square.
  
• Spread the remaining apple puree evenly over the butter.
  
• Then sprinkle evenly with the Apple Pie Spice Filling.
  
• Press the filling down so it is flat.
• Starting closest to you, roll the dough away from you into a cylinder, pulling it gently to tighten the roll so it stays uniform.
• Pinch the seam together where the cylinder ends.
  
• Turn the cylinder so the seam side is facing down.
• Using a bench scraper, cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces.
  
• Make Up and Panning:
• Turn the pieces on their side and lay cut side up in the prepared pan in rows of 3 across the short side of the pan and 4 down the long side of the pan.
  
• Proofing:
• Cover the pan with sprayed plastic wrap and set aside to proof until doubled in size, 30-45 minutes.
• Baking:
• Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees.
• Remove plastic wrap, place pan in oven.
• Bake for 45 – 50 minutes, turning pan half way through baking time so buns brown evenly.
  

Glaze Topping

• While buns are baking, prepare the glaze topping.
• Whip the room temperature cream cheese until smooth.
  
• Add 2 T of maple syrup and whisk until smooth.
  
• Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until smooth.
• Add vanilla seeds (or vanilla extract) and mix just until incorporated.
  
• Cooling:
• Remove buns from the oven, and while still warm and in the pan, glaze the buns with half of the cream cheese topping.
  
• Using the foil overhang, remove buns from pan. Remove buns from the aluminum foil and place on a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes.
  
• Glaze with the remaining cream cheese topping. Serve.
  
• Storing:
• Store the remaining buns in the refrigerator.
• Warm cold buns gently in microwave to serve again.

Keyword apple, cinnamon roll, cream cheese, spices, sweet roll