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sourdough apple cinnamon roll on a plate with a fork and apples in the background

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Brandon Cochran
5 from 1 vote
Soft, fluffy sourdough apple cinnamon rolls filled with tender cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with a rich vanilla bean icing. A cozy fall breakfast treat!
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Prep Time 1 day 4 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 day 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tangzhong
Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Roll Dough
Apple Filling
  • 300 g Apples 2 cups, about 2 apples
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 50 g Dark Brown Sugar ½ cup
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 2 TBS Water
Cinnamon Roll Filling
Vanilla Bean Icing
  • 170 g Powdered Sugar 1 ½ cups
  • 1 pinch Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste whole vanilla bean, or vanilla extract
  • 1-2 TBS Whole Milk as needed

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Make the Tangzhong:
    In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, constantly whisk milk and flour together until you have a thick roux like mashed potatoes.
    Set aside to cool.
    30 g Bread Flour, 150 grams Whole Milk
  2. Mix the Dough:
    Add all of the dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
    Mix on low speed for a few minutes until the flour is incorporated. Slice the softened butter into pieces, turn the speed to medium, and slowly add one piece of butter at a time until each piece is fully incorporated into the dough.
    Continue to mix the dough for 10-15 more minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test, is smooth, tacky, and easily slides off of the dough hook.
    Tangzhong (see above), 120 g Whole Milk, 2 Eggs, 120 g Sourdough Starter, 500 g Bread Flour, 50 g Granulated Sugar, 10 g Kosher Salt, 113 g Unsalted Butter
  3. Bulk Fermentation:
    Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, cover, and place it in a warm location for bulk fermentation. At 78ºF, bulk fermentation takes about 5-6 hours (longer if cooler).
    Bulk fermentation is complete when the dough is doubled, domed in the bowl, and smooth.
  4. Make the Apple Filling:
    While the dough proofs, make the filling.
    Chop apples to small pieces and add to a small saucepan with the rest of the apple pie filling ingredients. Cook, while stirring, on medium heat for about 10 minutes until thickened and the apples are tender with a little bite.
    300 g Apples, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, 50 g Dark Brown Sugar, 2 tsp Cornstarch, 1 tsp Cinnamon, 2 TBS Water
    5. The apple pie filling can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
  5. Overnight Proof:
    Cover the bowl of dough and place it into a refrigerator to proof overnight and up to 48 hours.
  6. Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
    The next day, butter or grease your baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
    In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until you have a filling like wet sand. Set aside.
    100 grams Dark Brown Sugar, 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1 TBS Bread Flour, 56 grams Unsalted Butter
  7. Roll Out and Shape the Cinnamon Rolls:
    Turn out the cold dough onto a clean surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangular slab about 12x18".
    Spread the cinnamon sugar filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½ inch border on the sides followed by the cooked apple pie filling.
    Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut 12 1 ½" thick slices from the long side. Then, roll up the cinnamon rolls.
    8. You can shape these like typical cinnamon rolls into a log and slice them, but I find the heavy apple filling can spill out and this method is cleaner and easier.
  8. Final Proof:
    Arrange the slices onto the baking pan in a 4x3 grid, tent with foil, and place in a warm location for the final proof.
    At 78ºF, the final proof takes about 3.5-4 hours. The rolls are finished proofing when they've almost doubled in size, touch each other, and poofy. If you poke the rolls with a floured finger, they should leave a slight indentation and feel full of air.
  9. Bake:
    Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
    Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until the filling just starts to bubble and tops haven't browned. If using an instant-read thermometer, the dough temp should be between 190-200ºF.
    Cool on a wire rack.
  10. Make the Vanilla Bean Icing:
    Combine all of the icing ingredients together in a mixing bowl and spoon on top of the cinnamon rolls. If the mixture seems too thick, add a bit more milk or more powdered sugar if it seems too dry.
    170 g Powdered Sugar, 1 pinch Kosher Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste, 1-2 TBS Whole Milk

Notes

  • Try to keep the dough at a constant, warm temperature (between 75-80ºF) as much as possible throughout fermentation. I use the Brød and Taylor bread proofer to keep my dough at a constant 78ºF. If your dough and environment are cooler, bulk fermentation will take longer. Conversely, in warmer conditions, the dough will ferment faster.

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