Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Light and fluffy milk bread brioche filled with apple pie filling and topped with a maple mascarpone cream.
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 24 g bread flour (3 tbsp.)
- 100 g whole milk (⅓ c. + 2 tbsp.)
Dough
- 90 g whole milk (⅓ c. + 1 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 egg room temperature
- 240 g bread flour (2 c.)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 42 g unsalted butter (3 tbsp.)
Filling
- 170 g apple pie filling* (¾ c.)
Maple Mascarpone Cream
- 75 g mascarpone (⅓ c.)
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup (2 tbsp.)
- 75 g heavy whipping cream (⅓ c.)
Instructions
Tangzhong
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, continuously stir together the flour and milk until the mixture and thickens into a thick slurry. Take off the heat and set aside. Alternatively, whisk together the flour and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the mixture becomes a thick slurry.
Dough
- Add all of the ingredients, including the tangzhong, into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- Knead the mixture on medium-high speed for ~15-20 minutes. The dough is ready when it is no longer sticking to the sides or bottom of the bowl, and passes the windowpane test.**
- Once the dough is done kneading, shape the dough into a ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm area to rise until doubled in size (~1 hr.)***
- If you are making your own apple pie filling, make it now while the dough is rising.
- Once the dough has finished rising, lightly punch it down to remove any excess air in it. Transfer the dough to a clean and lightly floured surface, then roll it out to a 12″ x 16″ (30 x 40 cm) rectangle. If the dough keeps springing back a lot while rolling it out, let it rest for 5 minutes before continuing.
- Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the dough. From the longer side, roll up the dough into a tight long. Use a sharp knife or floss to cut the dough into 6 even pieces.
- Transfer the rolls to a lightly buttered and/or lined eighth sheet pan**** Lightly cover the pan with a towel, and let the rolls rise in a warm environment until doubled in size (~30 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
- (Optional, for browning) Make an egg wash by whisking together an egg with 1 tbsp. milk, then brush it over the rolls.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the rolls are golden brown and the internal temperature of the rolls has reached 190°F / 88°C.
Maple Mascarpone Cream
- In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the mascarpone with the maple syrup and salt until smooth. Then, beat in the heavy whipping cream until it thickens and reaches soft peaks.
- Spread the frosting over the rolls, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
*If you are using my homemade apple pie filling recipe, you only need 1/4 of that recipe for these rolls.
**Take a small piece of dough and stretch it gently as far as you can. If it tears super easily, keep kneading. If it's able to spread to the point where it's super thin and you can see light through it, it has passed the windowpane test and is good to go!
***At this point you could leave the dough in the fridge overnight, and proceed with the rest of the recipe the next day.
****An eighth sheet pan is 10x7". You could also use an 8" circle pan, or you could cut the dough into 9 strips and use an 8" square pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1rollCalories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 8gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 408mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 632IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 2mg