Apple Cinnamon Rolls & Brown Butter Maple Frosting

I regularly make Cinnamon Rolls but this new recipe filled with chunks of apple, cinnamon and slathered with the most delicious Brown Butter Maple & Cream Cheese frosting is DIVINE!

I always think American bakers come out will all guns blazing around Thanksgiving - their recipes are celebrations of the produce at this time of year and the ultimate comfort food treats.

This recipe comes from a cook I follow on Instagram @halfbakedharvest with some tweaks to suit my own baking style and ingredients available in Ireland.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls & Brown Butter Maple Frosting

Dough Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm whole fat milk
• 1 sachet / 7g active dry yeast
• 1 tblsp soft brown sugar
• 100g butter at room temp
• 3 large free range eggs, whisked
• 500g plain flour, plus a little extra

Cinnamon Apple Filling:

• 100g soft brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 150g butter, room temp
• 1 tblsp ground cinnamon
• 2 firm eating apples choped, Pink Ladies or Granny Smith good

Brown Butter Maple Icing:

• 100g butter, room temp
• 240g icing sugar, sifted
• 180g cream cheese
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. I use a stand mixer fitted with a hook for the dough as it’s the easiest and quickest. Pour the warm milk, yeast and sugar in to the mixer bowl, stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes until the top forms bubbles.
2. Add the butter, egg and most of the flour and mix until ingredients are incorporated. If the dough looks too sticky add a bit more flour until it looks smooth. This should take approx 5 minutes.
3. Cover the bowl with clingfilm then place in a warm area for around 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
4. While this is proving, make the filling mixture. Add the chopped apple, butter cubes & sugar to the bowl and mix. Line a rectangular baking tin with greaseproof paper, big enough to hold approx 12 buns.
5. Use your hands to press into the dough and release the air, then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out into a large rectangle approx 12 x 18 inches in size. Spread the filling mixture all over the dough.
6. Line up the longest edge of the rectangle closest to you, then start to roll up the dough quite tightly to keep the filling within. Shape the dough roll evenly then slice into approx 12 even portions. Put the portions into the prepared tin, cover with clingfilm again and allow to rest and rise for a further 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 180C then place the prepared rolls in the oven and bake for approx 25 minutes until golden brown.
8. While the rolls are baking, you can make the icing (see image below) Add all the ingredients except the butter to a bowl, then place the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. The butter will melt and then begin to turn a light brown colour, with a lovely nutty smell. Add the brown butter and the toasted sediment to the rest of the icing ingredients in the bowl, then whisk until smooth.
9. Slather the icing over the top of the warm buns and enjoy! These store well for a day or two in an airtight container in the fridge.