Fresh Milled Sourdough Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Tender, gooey, and full of nutrients, these fresh milled sourdough apple pie cinnamon rolls are stuffed with homemade apple pie filling and topped with a simple vanilla glaze for the perfect fall treat.
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
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.
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.
Spoon and level the flour - Spoon and level the flour for accurate measurement, and to avoid a dense cinnamon roll.
Prep the filling ahead – Prep the apple pie filling ahead of time to make this recipe quicker to assemble.