This puffy cinnamon roll with apple pie filling is easy to make, utterly delicious, and great for the whole family.
If you’ve ever tried the discontinued McDonald's cinnamon roll recipe, you’d be ecstatic about this simple version. This recipe was inspired by the viral TikTok cinnamon roll hack and yields a fluffy bakery-style treat.
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Why This Cinnamon Roll and Apple Pie Filling Recipe Works 👩🏼🍳
- Easy: Toss the canned apples, the store-bought cinnamon rolls, and the caramelized brown sugar syrup into a bowl or baking dish and bake. Pair a slice with my pumpkin spice latte or this fan favorite, tiger milk tea, for the perfect breaky.
- Versatile: Although this is an apple pie cinnamon roll recipe, you can use whatever fruit filling you like to make it your own. I’ve considered cranberry, peaches and cream, and persimmon pie filling.
- Family-Friendly: This recipe, along with my baked brioche French toast, is my family's most requested breakfast recipe. My spouse and kids go bonkers for it, and we often enjoy it for dessert.
- Budget-Friendly: The recipe uses pantry staples and ingredients that wouldn't hurt your wallet, such as store-bought pastry and canned pie filling, which are easy to find. If you can’t find pie filling where you live, use the same one I share for my apple-pear pie recipe.
- Feed a crowd: A one-pan dish is always a crowd-pleaser. Double the recipe for a larger crowd, then drizzle the frosting when ready to serve.
📃Ingredient Description
- Cinnamon rolls: Store-bought Pillsbury cinnamon rolls work for this recipe. Two 17.2-ounce rolls will be plenty for a 9x13 baking pan.
- Apple pie filling: canned or homemade, preferably one with less liquid. I chopped mine for an easy bite; feel free to leave it as is.
- Butter: unsalted butter. Melt the butter and pour it over the sugar and spices. This not only adds flavor but also helps crisp up the rolls.
- Brown sugar: adds depth of flavor and yields a nice caramelized topping with hints of toastiness.
- Spice: I added a combination of ground cinnamon for warm notes and allspice for a pungent taste.
💭Variations and Substitutions
💭Variations and Substitutions
If you don’t like the original icing with the box of cinnamon rolls, make a cream cheese glaze by combining cream cheese with milk and powdered sugar. I like this cream cheese glaze from Jamielyn at iheartnaptime. Once you are ready to serve, drizzle over the baked rolls.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are outlined in the recipe card below, but here are a few steps with visuals to guide you:
Step 1: Melt the butter in the microwave, covering it to avoid splashing. Add the sugar and ground cinnamon. Give it a nice stir, and set aside.
Step 2: Open the store-bought cinnamon rolls and place them on a flat surface. Cut them into chunks using scissors or a knife and set them aside.
Step 3: Transfer the cinnamon roll chunks to a greased baking dish. Add the apple and half of the melted butter and sugar mixture. Gently fold the rolls with the remaining ingredients, careful not to overmix.
Step 4: Sprinkle the leftover butter mix all over the top, cover with foil, and bake until it’s browned and crisp around the edges. Remove from the oven, then drizzle the cream cheese frosting all over the top before serving.
👩🏽🍳Maur's Tips
- Work fast when using the cinnamon rolls, as they will get softer. Preferably, cut the rolls last and combine them with the apples immediately before baking.
- If you don't want the casserole to be too wet, use your hands to squeeze out some of the juice.
- Most brands that carry apple pie filling have a larger chunk of apples. If you prefer, cut it in half or smaller.
- We prefer enjoying this dish immediately. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or refrigerate for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing them once they've been baked.
📝Recipe FAQS
The leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can improve the flavor and sweetness by using classic cream cheese glaze, vanilla icing, or a caramel drizzle.
Yes, you can freeze it, but it’s recommended that you do so before baking. Thaw and bake when ready to serve. Results might vary.
To prevent the casserole from getting too soggy or dry, balance out the liquid by reducing the juice from the canned apple pie filling. Bake it at the correct temperature, usually 350°F. Cover with foil while baking to retain moisture, then uncover for the last few minutes to crisp the top.
Love Breakfast Recipes? Here are some Delicious Breakfast Recipes to Try:
Have you given this recipe or any other from my website a try? Please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and sharing your experience in the 📝 comments section. Your feedback means the world to me, and I'm excited to hear from you!
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
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📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Roll With Apple Pie Filling
Equipment
- 9 x 13 casserole dish
- Microwave safe bowl
- hand whisk
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter plus more to grease the pan
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 (17.2 ounces) cans Pillsbury cinnamon roll
- 2 (21-ounce) cans fruit filling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 X 13 casserole/baking dish and set aside.
- Melt the butter In an oven-safe bowl, sprinkle in the spice, pour in the brown sugar, and whisk to combine. Set it aside½ cup unsalted butter plus more to grease the pan, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice
- Place wax or parchment paper on a flat tray or cookie sheet. Carefully remove the rolls from the tube and line them in a single layer on the pan. Use a knife or scissors to cut the buns into ¼ chunks ( or 4 pieces).2 (17.2 ounces) cans Pillsbury cinnamon roll
- Place the cinnamon chunks into the pre-greased casserole/baking dish.
- Scoop the apples from the can using kitchen tongs or a fork, being careful not to transfer all the juice. If you dislike chunky apples, cut them into smaller pieces. Add the apples to the baking dish and drizzle over ¾ of the butter and sugar mixture from earlier.2 (21-ounce) cans fruit filling
- Use both hands to gently fold the mixture, careful not to smoosh it (overmix). Then, pour over the remaining melted butter mix.
- Cover with foil and bake for 28 minutes or until fully cooked, puffed, golden brown. Remove the foil and bake for another 7 minutes until crisp around the edges.
- Meanwhile, remove the cover from the icing that came with the tube. Microwave on medium at 50% power for 10-15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. (or follow the instructions on the package).
- While it’s still hot, drizzle the icing over the baked cinnamon apple pie before serving. Enjoy!Please refer to the body of the posts for more useful cooking tips, process shots, and serving options.
Notes
- Work fast when using the cinnamon rolls, as they will get softer. Preferably, cut the rolls last and combine them with the apples immediately before baking.
- If you don't want the baked dish to be too wet, use your hands to squeeze out some of the juice from each apple.
- Most brands have a larger chunk of Apple. Cut it in half or smaller if you prefer.
Tracy says
We had this for easter breakfast and it was absolutely yummy! We used the filling for your apple pie recipe. I will be making it again
Maureen Celestine says
Thanks for the feedback, Tracy. That makes me happy. Enjoy!