Fresh Milled Sourdough Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Tender, gooey, and full of fall flavor, these fresh milled sourdough apple pie cinnamon rolls are the perfect marriage of two classic American desserts.
These fresh milled sourdough cinnamon rolls are soft and chewy, with a depth of flavor due to the whole wheat flour. However, stuffed with simple, homemade apple pie filling and topped with a vanilla icing, they reach the next level.
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And since they’re made with fresh milled flour and active sourdough starter, these apple pie cinnamon rolls contain a wealth of nutrients and are more digestible than their traditional cinnamon roll counterpart. Enjoy them with a glass of raw milk for the ultimate nutrient dense treat!
These delicious fresh milled cinnamon rolls can be made in one day (if you start in the morning), meaning you won’t have to wait too long to enjoy their gooey, apple goodness.
Or, if you want them warm for breakfast, prep them dough and filling the night before, and assemble them in the morning.
Either way, these delicious fresh milled sourdough apple pie cinnamon rolls are sure to be a treat you and your family will love!
Fresh Milled Sourdough Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Fresh Milled Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup water room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 cups fresh milled flour I use hard white wheat berries.
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cups finely diced apples
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp water
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Filling
- 6 Tbs butter softened
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole milk
- 1¼ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the dough:
- To mix the sourdough cinnamon roll dough, combine the softened butter, water, whole milk, active sourdough starter, sugar, salt, and wheat flour in a stand mixer on medium speed. One cup at a time, add the all-purpose flour to the mixer. Continue to knead the cinnamon roll dough for about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the dough to a greased medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
Make the apple pie filling:
- To make the apple pie filling, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Once fully melted, add the brown sugar, pinch of salt, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Add the finely diced apples and water and mix.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the apples soften and the sauce reduces to a caramel-like glaze on the apples. Remove from the heat and store in an air-tight container until ready to assemble the cinnamon rolls.
Make the cinnamon brown sugar filling:
- To make the cinnamon brown sugar filling, use an electric hand mixer to mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt until well combined. Store at room temperature until ready to assemble the apple pie cinnamon rolls.
Assemble the rolls:
- When ready to assemble, roll the sourdough cinnamon roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it reaches a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread the cinnamon brown sugar filling evenly over the rectangle. Next, layer the apple pie filling on top of the cinnamon brown sugar filling.
- Roll the dough up, starting with one long side and working towards the other long side. Once rolled up, pinch the long edge of the dough to the roll to help the cinnamon rolls not unwind/separate. Using thread or dental floss, cut the cinnamon roll dough log into 12 individual rolls and place in a prepared 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake:
- When ready to bake, uncover the rolls and place them in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden brown and centers of the rolls seems done. Remove the pan from the oven allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Mix the vanilla icing:
- Mix the vanilla icing (while the apple pie cinnamon rolls are cooling) by combining the confectioner's sugar, whole milk, pinch of salt, and vanilla extract and mixing until smooth. Spread over the warm apple pie sourdough cinnamon rolls.
- Serve warm; store leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days.
Notes
Kitchen Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Medium bowl
- Medium saucepan or skillet
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- 9×13 baking dish
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Electric hand mixer
- Rolling pin
Ingredients to Note
- Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter gives you more control over the saltiness of the recipe. You can substitute with salted butter, just reduce the salt in the dough recipe by 1/8 tsp.
- Sourdough starter – You’ll want active starter at 100% hydration for this recipe.
- Apples – I used Gala apples in mine, but you can use whatever variety of apples you prefer. See below for recommendations of best baking apples.
- Fresh milled flour – I used a hard white wheat berry for this recipe, but you can use whatever is your preferred variety of wheat berry.
- Vanilla extract – This gives the glaze the perfect, rich vanilla flavor.
Tips for Fresh Milled Sourdough Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Cut the rolls with thread – Use a thread or dental floss to divide the log into rolls by laying the log over the thread, and then bringing both ends of the thread up and pinching them together. Using a knife will squish your cinnamon roll log and squish the filing out.
Room temperature milk and water – Using room temperature milk and water helps the dough remain tender as you mix it and gives you a more accurate idea of its consistency. If you use cold milk or water, it will cause the softened butter to become harder and make the dough appear to be stiff/too dry when it is not.
Prep the filling ahead – Prep the apple pie filling ahead of time to make this recipe quicker to assemble.
Spoon and level the flour – Spooning and leveling the flour helps the flour not pack and gives a more consistent measurement. If you simple scoop the flour, you may end up with a denser or tougher apple pie cinnamon roll. (See below for instructions on spooning and leveling flour.)
Storage Instructions for the Cinnamon Rolls
To store these apple pie cinnamon rolls, keep them glazed or unglazed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
What are the best apples for baking?
Granny Smith, Red Delicious, or Pink Lady are considered some of the best baking apples for their firmness, texture, and flavor. See this list for a more in detail break down of best apples for baking.
What is 100% hydration sourdough starter?
One hundred percent hydration sourdough starter is sourdough that has been fed equal parts (in weight) of water and flour.
It is the type of sourdough most beginners start with and is a great go-to sourdough ratio.
How to Spoon and Level Flour
Spooning and leveling flour keeps the flour measurement more exact and prevents packing of the flour.
To spoon and level the flour, simply scoop the freshly milled flour with a spoon into your measuring cup, and then, without shaking the flour down, use the flat side of a butter knife to level the extra flour off the top of the measuring cup. Repeat for each measuring cup of flour.
Why use freshly milled flour?
Freshly milled flour is such an amazing superfood (containing vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, iron, folate, zinc, vitamin B6, antioxidants, and enzymes, just to name some).
Our of the 44 essential nutrients the human body needs, freshly milled flour contains 40 of them! Who knew fresh milled cinnamon rolls could contain so may nutrients?
Many of the nutrients in the freshly milled flour, however, will begin to deteriorate when exposed to oxygen (which occurs when the wheat berries are milled).
Most sources agree that consuming the flour within 72 hours of milling is the best way to utilize all the amazing benefits of freshly milled flour before their deteriorate.
For more info on the amazing benefits of milling your own flour, check out this article.
What kind of wheat berry should I use?
While there are some general uses for different wheat berries, it really boils to personal preference. In this recipe I used hard white wheat berries (Prairie Gold to be specific). Below are a few general guidelines if you are new to the terms.
Hard red wheat – These wheat berries produce a flour high in protein, and therefore are great for bread recipes as they develop a nice amount of gluten. They will yield a hearty whole wheat bread!
Hard white wheat – Hard white wheat berries still have a decent amount of protein, but have a milder flavor, making them ideal for bread, but also other baked goods such as tortillas, and cookies.
Soft white wheat – Thes wheat berries have a lower protein and gluten content and yield a more delicate crumb, making them ideal for pastries and cakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos
- To mix the sourdough cinnamon roll dough, combine the softened butter, water, whole milk, active sourdough starter, sugar, salt, and wheat flour in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed. One cup at a time, add the all-purpose flour to the mixer. Continue to knead the cinnamon roll dough for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough to a greased medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10-16 hours.
3. To make the apple pie filling, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Once fully melted, add the brown sugar, pinch of salt, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Add the finely diced apples and water and mix.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the apples soften and the sauce reduces to a caramel-like glaze on the apples. Remove from the heat and store in an air-tight container until ready to assemble the cinnamon rolls.
5. To make the cinnamon brown sugar filling, use an electric hand mixer to mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt until well combined. Store at room temperature until ready to assemble the apple pie cinnamon rolls.
6. When ready to assemble, roll the sourdough cinnamon roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until it reaches a 16-inch by 12-inch large rectangle. Spread the cinnamon brown sugar filling evenly over the rectangle. Next, layer the apple pie filling on top of the cinnamon brown sugar filling.
7. Roll the dough up, starting with one long side and working towards the other long side. Once rolled up, pinch the long edge of the dough to the roll to help the cinnamon rolls not unwind/separate. Using thread or dental floss, cut the cinnamon roll dough log into 12 individual equal-sized rolls and place in a prepared 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. When ready to bake, uncover the rolls and place them in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven allow to cool for 10 minutes.
9. Mix the vanilla icing (while the apple pie cinnamon rolls are cooling) by combining the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and vanilla extract and mixing until smooth. Spread over the warm apple pie sourdough cinnamon rolls.
10. Serve warm; store leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days.
Save Fresh Milled Sourdough Apple Pie Cinnamon rolls for Later
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