Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls

Fluffy vegan Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls with frosting. The perfect special occasion breakfast recipe for holiday brunches!

Why You'll Love This

Every Christmas growing up, my dad and I used to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We did it for Thanksgiving, too. It was always our go-to special occasion breakfast! As a kid, I remember wanting to copy everything my dad did. And when it came to our cinnamon roll breakfast, I learned that black coffee was the perfect pairing. To this day, I always drink coffee black—thanks, Dad. 🙂

Inspired by nostalgic holiday memories, I wanted to create cinnamon rolls as fluffy and flavorful as the ones I enjoyed out of the tube. I tested this basic vegan cinnamon roll recipe for years before sharing here. The dough is lightweight, soft on the inside and just barely golden on the outside. Plus, these are much healthier than store-bought versions because you get to control the ingredients. To make it a little more festive and to add some texture and tartness, I added an apple pie filling! I know you'll love it!

Ingredients

• Apples: Use Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious. You want sweet and tart apple pie apples.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon gives distinct, cozy flavor to the filling.
• All-purpose flour: Use regular all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend.
• Sugar: Use regular cane sugar.
• Vegan butter: Look for one made with avocado oil or coconut oil instead of seed oils if possible.
• Soy milk: Or your favorite plant-based milk.
• Yeast packet: Use rapid rise instant yeast or active dry yeast. Active dry yeast takes a little longer to activate. Don't forget to check the expiration dates!
• Baking powder: Helps the cinnamon rolls get fluffy and rise.
• Apple cider vinegar: Essential leavening agent for the baking powder, which yields a light and soft texture.
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the filling and keep it intact.
• Powdered sugar: To create the frosting.
• Vegan cream cheese: To make a cream cheese frosting. I like the brand Tofutti.
• Vanilla extract: For a hint of vanilla flavor in the frosting.

How to Make Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls

1. Activate the yeast. Add butter and soy milk to a small saucepan. Gently warm, without letting it boil. Once warm, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for about 30 seconds. It should be warm like bathwater. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and the yeast won't activate. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let activate for 10 minutes. If using active dry yeast, it will take longer than rapid rise.

2. Make the dough. Once the yeast is activated, add sugar and salt and stir gently. Add baking powder and apple cider vinegar and stir. Add flour ½ cup at a time, stirring gently until too thick to stir. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for a minute until forming a loose ball, careful not to over-mix. If the dough is too sticky, add 2-3 tablespoons of flour until soft. 

3. Let rise. Rinse out the mixing bowl and coat it with olive oil. Add the dough back in, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet dish towel, and set in a warm place to rise for an hour, or until doubled in size. 

4. Prepare the filling. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat and then mix in cinnamon, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir in diced apples and cook for 4-6 minutes. Mix in the cornstarch with the remaining 3 tablespoons of water. Stir and let the pan bubble for a minute, then turn off the heat. 

5. Shape cinnamon rolls. When the dough has doubled in size, roll it out into a rectangle shape, about ¼-inch thick. Gently spread the cinnamon apple mixture over top evenly, leaving a little space around the edges. Tightly roll up the dough and place it seam-side down. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch sections and place in a greased round cake pan or 8x8 square pan. The recipe yields 10 rolls. 

6. Refrigerate or rise. If prepping the cinnamon rolls ahead of time, you can stop here, cover the pan, and place in the refrigerator. If cooking now, go ahead and cover the pan and place on the stovetop while preheating the oven to 350F. 

7. Bake. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool. 

8. Make the frosting. While the cinnamon rolls bake, mix together all of the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. 

9. Frost the cinnamon rolls. Once the rolls have cooled, spread desired amount of frosting over top. 

Variations

1. Skip the apples. You can use this recipe to make regular cinnamon rolls. Simply leave out the apples and make a traditional cinnamon filling.
2. Try other filling ingredients. You could make the filling with pears or skip the apples and add toasted pecans or walnuts.
3. Make regular frosting. You can leave out the vegan cream cheese and make a simple frosting. Add plant-based milk with the powdered sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla extract until achieving desired consistency.

How to Make Ahead, Store & Reheat

1. Make ahead: Once the cinnamon rolls are shaped and placed in the pan, you can wrap the pan tightly and place in the fridge until ready to bake, or place in the freezer.
2. Storage: Store baked cinnamon rolls for 2-3 days at room temperature, sealed tightly on the countertop.
3. Reheat: I enjoy my cinnamon rolls at room temperature, but if you wish to warm up the cinnamon rolls, place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in the toaster oven until warmed through.

FAQs

I hope you enjoy these easy, vegan Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls! Let me know what you think in the comments, and don't forget to rate this recipe! 🙂

More Brunch Recipes!

• Caramelized Onion Mushroom Toast
• Air Fryer Red Potatoes
• Vegan Chilaquiles
• Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake

Print