Apple Cinnamon Rolls

**In preparation for the arrival of our little one, I have prepped some posts in advance.  As soon as our lives have some semblance of order (hah!) I will get back to my regular posting and be able to respond to any questions/comments you may have :)

'Tis the season for company!  And what company doesn't love some warm Apple Cinnamon Rolls coming out of the oven as they wake up or walk in the door?

I make these Cinnamon Rolls very often around here.  I am pretty sure they are the main requirement in my husband's diet.  Not too long ago I had a pile of Granny Smith apples staring at me on the counter so I figured I would add some variety to our favourite baked item.  

I found the recipe for the filling on Dulce Dough (and substituted the walnuts for pecans), but I used our favourite Cinnamon Roll recipe for the dough.  I baked these rolls in a 9" x 13" pan because I was afraid of the filling making a mess in the oven and it worked out really well.  These had to bake for about 20 minutes in my oven, but since it runs hot it might take a bit longer in yours (I'm thinking 25 minutes in a regular oven to get ensure they are baked through) to make sure the inside of each roll is cooked through and no longer doughy.

These are amazing when warm, we found ourselves sticking them in the microwave the next day and they were so freaking good!

Prior to the second rise :)

This recipe makes 12 Apple Cinnamon Rolls.  Feel free to top them with some cream cheese frosting! We found they were sweet enough on their own, but to be honest we rarely put cream cheese frosting on the regular cinnamon rolls these days :)

Oh the lovely silver winter lighting...

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

• 2 1/4 tsps active dry yeast (or 1 package)
• 1 cup warm whole milk 
• 1 tbsp sugar + 1/2 cup sugar (separated)
• 1/3 cup margarine (room temperature)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• Filling:
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. In a small bowl mix together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp of sugar. Let sit for about 10 minutes to proof
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, margarine, salt, eggs, and flour
3. When the yeast has expanded, pour the mixture into the large bowl and mix well
4. When a soft dough begins to form, knead it with lightly floured hands until smooth
5. Set the dough back in the bowl, cover with a lint-free dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (this usually take me 1 to 1.5 hours)
6. While the dough is rising, place the apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and chopped pecans in a saucepan over medium heat
7. Let the apples cook while stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.  The apples will soften and the mixture will begin to thicken 
8. When the apples are soft, remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool (it is important to let the filling cool before you use it, this will help it thicken up some more)
9. After the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface into a 12" x 20" rectangle
10. Spread the cooled filling over the dough, and then roll it up into a long roll and slice it into 12 equal pieces
11. Place the pieces in a 9" x 13" baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray) and cover with the towel
12. Let rise until doubled again (about an hour) and preheat the oven to 400 F
13. When ready to bake, bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, or until the rolls are cooked through. 
14. Let cool a bit, and top with some cream cheese icing if you wish
15. Enjoy!