12th of December

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Foto Katja by Katja

The smells of warm dough, tasty apples and cinnamon… These scents make you immediately think of a cold winter day before Christmas, when you sit by the fire and drink a good tea.... the only thing missing are the warm apple-cinnamon rolls with caramel, which make the day perfect.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE DOUGH (1 CUP IS 250ML):

  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 1/2 cups flour, divided
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 envelope instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1 egg
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 6 Tbsp. butter, (completely) softened
  • 1 Apple, cored and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup caramel sauce
TOPPING:
  • 1/2 cup caramel sauce
  • (optional) 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts, pecans or peanuts
INSTRUCTIONS

Put the milk together with the butter in a pot. Heat it until the butter is melted but be careful that the milk does not get too hot. You can also use the microwave for heating. Let the mixture cool down a little bit so that it is warm but not hot.

Now you need a mixer with dough hooks. Insert in a bowl 3 cups of flour, the yeast, sugar and salt. Mix it with a spoon. Now add the milk-butter-mix and the egg and use the dough hooks for mixing the dough on medium speed until the components form a dough. Then add another ¼ cup of flour and mix it in and continue until the dough removes from the bowl sides. Then mix for another 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let the dough rest for around 10 minutes.

Now you can start with the preparation of the filling. Mix the white and brown sugar with the cinnamon in a bowl. Then roll the dough out (after the 10 minutes) on a floured worktop. The dough shall have the size of 35x20 cm. Cut the dough to that size. Spread the butter with a knife on the dough evenly. Then spread the sugar-cinnamon-mix on the dough as well as the apple pieces. Add ½ cup of caramel sauce (as well evenly on the dough).

Roll the dough from the long side (the 35 cm-side) tightly. Cut both edges so that they have an even end. Then cut the dough in 12 even pieces.

We are almost there… just some more steps ahead!

Grease a baking pan and put the dough pieces inside. Then put the damp towel over the pan again and let the dough rise for another 20-25 minutes at a warm place.

In the meantime you can sing some Christmas carols to make the time pass more quickly. This is recommended only if you are alone or have an at least medium level singing voice.

Don´t forget to pre-heat your oven to 180°C. Put the pan now in the middle of the oven and bake the rolls now for around 20 minutes (depending on your oven maybe some minutes more) until they have a delicious golden color.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool down. Add caramel sauce according to your taste and enjoy the rolls.

Side Info: the Swedes love Cinnamon rolls (similar to these ones but without apples and caramel). They love them so much that they have “Kanelbullens Dag” (Cinnamon Bun Day) holiday on 4th of October.

✦ You can download the instructions here: Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls