About the Recipe
There’s something special about a warm meal on a cold night—especially when it’s shared around the table with a pot of hearty chili and something fresh from the oven. These apple crumble cinnamon rolls were created for exactly that kind of evening. They’re soft, fluffy, and filled with warm cinnamon-spiced apples, then finished with a buttery crumble topping that adds the perfect sweet crunch. The combination of tender rolls, caramelized apples, and cozy spices makes them feel a little indulgent while still being the kind of comfort food that fits right into a simple family dinner.
What makes these rolls even more special is the flour. Instead of using store-bought flour, this recipe uses fresh-milled Khorasan wheat, an ancient grain known for its rich, buttery flavor and beautiful golden color. Fresh milling the grain just before baking keeps all of the natural oils and nutrients intact, giving the dough a deeper flavor and a wonderfully soft texture. Khorasan wheat also brings a subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with apples and cinnamon, making these rolls taste even more comforting and homemade.
The crumble topping takes these cinnamon rolls to the next level. As the rolls bake, the buttery crumble melts slightly into the apples while still holding its texture on top, creating layers of flavor and texture in every bite. It’s the kind of bake that fills your kitchen with the smell of warm spices and baked apples—one of those aromas that instantly makes a house feel like home.
If you’re looking for a comforting bake that brings together the wholesome flavor of fresh-milled Khorasan flour, warm apples, and buttery crumble, these apple crumble cinnamon rolls are the perfect recipe to try on your next chilly evening.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough:
*recipe adapted from Lovely Bells Bakes Super Soft Sandwich Bread recipe
154 g khorasan flour
143 g hard white flour
143 g hard red flour
286 g water
31 g oil
47 g honey
17 g vital wheat gluten
8 g sunflower lecithin
7 g yeast
6 g salt
Filling:
4 tbs softened butter
Apple pie filling store bought or home canned. *If home canned: Approx 3 cups canned apples, diced (reserve juice)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 cloves
Pinch of salt
1/4 c maple syrup
3 tbs cornstarch
3 tbs apple juice from canned jar
Crumble topping:
1/4 c flour
1/4 c coconut sugar
1/4 c oats
3-4 tbs soft butter
Preparation
Step 1:
Mill flour, add vital wheat gluten and sunflower lecithin and mix well, set aside.
Step 2:
In mixer bowl, combine water, oil and honey. Add flour to mixer, mix well and let the dough rest for at least 20 mins to hydrate the flour. After rest period, add salt and yeast and knead dough til reaches windowpane. Cover and let rise til just over doubled.
Step 3:
Meanwhile, cook apples, spices and maple syrup (to taste) in a saucepan til soft. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and apple juice until mixed well and add to apples. Cook on med-low til thickened. Remove from heat to cool.
Step 4:
Once dough has more than doubled, punch down to remove air bubbles/gases. On work surface, roll dough out into a rectangle. Spread soft butter over rolled out dough. Spread thickened apples on dough. Roll up into a log. Cut into 10-12 pieces and place in a sprayed casserole dish.
Step 5:
Mix all crumble ingredients til everything is incorporated and crumbly. Spread over apple rolls. Cover and let rise til doubled and puffy.
Step 6:
Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins til internal temp is 190.
*Top with your favorite icing.
*we find the rolls are sweet enough and prefer to eat them plain or with a honey whipped cinnamon butter. (5 tbs butter, 1/4 cinnamon, dash of salt, 2 tbs honey (add more to taste))
If you prefer a sweeter topping, try my favorite icing:
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, soft
3 tbs soft butter
1.2 c powdered sugar
2-3 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
Mix cream cheese and butter well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.