Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Serves 12 Cinnamon Rolls

Two all-time classic favorites combine for one divinely delicious dessert. Sweet caramelized Granny Smith apples fill these fresh-baked, cinnamon rolls flavored with nutmeg, allspice, and Martinelli’s Gold Medal Apple Juice, topped with tempting, melting cream cheese frosting.

Instructions

1. Start by making the filling. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Cook until it begins to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients for the filling. Cook, stirring often, until apples are caramelized and liquid is thickened into a syrup. This will take about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
2. To make the dough, add milk and melted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit until the mixture foams, about 8-10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to stir in sugar and salt.
3. Add half of the flour, then mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in eggs until completely incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. Stir in remaining flour and mix the dough until it comes together and forms a tacky ball, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Pour out dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-4 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Grease a large mixing bowl with butter or oil. Add the dough to your bowl and turn once to grease the surface. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Grease a 9×13-inch pan with butter and set aside. When dough has risen, roll into a 12×18-inch rectangle on a floured surface. The dough should be about ⅛-inch thick. Spread apple filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting at one long end, roll dough into a tight log. Pinch to seal the seam and place on a lightly floured surface, seam-side down. Use a serrated knife to cut the log into 12 even pieces. Place into the prepared pan, cut-side up. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise a second time, until puffy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. After the second rise, remove the plastic and bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
7. While the rolls are baking, make the icing by beating together cream cheese, butter, Martinelli’s Gold Medal Apple Juice, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar until the icing is lump free. If the icing is dry, add more Martinelli’s Gold Medal Apple Juice 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency. Drizzle over rolls and serve warm.