Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Every fall, my family and I head out to the apple orchard on a crisp and sunny day to pick apples. We take a tractor ride through the orchard, and fill our bag with as many apples as we can. The apples last us through most of the fall season, and it can even be difficult to finish them all! This year’s apple haul gave me the perfect opportunity to try out new fall recipes, including these apple pie cinnamon rolls! These cinnamon rolls are deliciously gooey and irresistible once they’re out of the oven, and will even have your kitchen smelling like you baking apple pie!

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

2 ½ teaspoons of fast rising yeast

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 cup of dairy free butter (melted)

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

3 cups of all-purpose flour

FILLING

4 apples – peeled and diced

4 tablespoons of dairy free butter

3 tablespoon of apple pie spice

½ cup of granulated sugar

ICING

1 cup of confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons of almond milk

Note: You can make your own apple pie spice mix by blending 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice

STEPS

1)      In a large glass bowl, add 1 cup of dairy free butter (such as Earth Balance) and almond milk and microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted and the mixture is luke-warm.

2)      Add 2 ½ teaspoons of fast rising yeast to the bowl and gently mix together. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes.

3)      Remove plastic wrap and add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then begin to add the flour into the almond milk mixture ½ a cup at a time, until it turns into dough. Form the dough into a ball.

4)      Transfer the dough into a clean bowl that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour.

5)      While the dough sits, melt 2 tablespoons of dairy free butter into a medium pan. Add the diced apples and 1 tablespoon of apple pie spice and sauté for 5 minutes.

6)      After the hour is up, roll out the dough onto a floured surface. Brush on up to 2 tablespoons of melted butter onto the top of the dough. Sift up to a ½ cup of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of apple pie spice on top of the buttered surface of the dough. Then add the sautéed apples on top evenly.

7)      Starting at one side, roll the dough into a log. Using a knife, cut the dough into 1 inch rolls and place them in a baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.

8)      Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

9)      Once the apple pie cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and cooling, mix 2 tablespoons of almond milk with 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl until it has turned into smooth icing.

10)   Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled, cover them with the icing and serve.