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Why have one dessert when you could have two? It’s finally cool outside, and the leaves are starting to turn, which means one thing! Fall is here! And that also means it is socially acceptable to start whipping up all of those cozy Fall desserts. Problem is, I couldn’t settle for just one, because, why should I? Apples are in abundance, but I love a good fluffy, gooey cinnamon roll. Hence the perfect mash-up, cinnamon roll apple pie! That’s right, a classic apple pie with the best of twists, a cinnamon roll crust with cream cheese icing.
Apple Pie Filling
Disclaimer: this recipe can be made with canned apple pie filling! Nothing wrong with that, we all love a good shortcut. I just so happened to have a lot of apples in my house, so why not make it from scratch. Plus, now my house smells amazing! Start with 8-10 medium sized apples. I recommend honey crisp, Crispin, or Granny Smith apples for baking, but use what you like best. Peel and core the apples, and slice to the shape and thickness of your liking. It will look like way too many apples for one pie, but trust me, they cook down!
Next, in a large pot over medium heat, add in 4 tbsp of unsalted butter and all of the apples. To this, add in 1/3 cup of brown sugar, the juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 2 tbsp), 1 tbsp of cornstarch, 3 tsp of cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg and salt. Stir to coat all of the apples and cook for about 15 minutes or until the apples are tender. Remember, they will cook for a long time in the oven, so try not to cook them until they are mushy. Allow the apples to cool before assembling the pie.
Cinnamon Roll Crust
Speaking of shortcuts, one of the best ones is refrigerated pie crust! Sure you can make it from scratch but it is a pain, and so messy! I promise you won’t sacrifice flakiness or flavor with the store-bought kind! A typical package comes with two 9″ dough sheets. For this pie, take one sheet and toll it a little bit larger on a surface lightly dusted with flour, about a 12″ round. Lay the dough over a greased pie dish and push the dough into the plate to push out any air pockets. Pinch the dough around the rim of the dish to make pleats.
Take the second sheet of dough and roll it out into more of an oblong shape, as close to a rectangle as you can get it. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and brush it all over the dough. Next, mix 4 tsp of cinnamon and 2 tsp of sugar together, and sprinkle this all over the buttered dough, leaving about 1/2 an inch on the one longer side of the dough uncovered. Carefully, with one of the long sides facing you, tightly roll the dough away from you, towards the edge you left exposed with no cinnamon-sugar. Place the log and the prepared pie dish in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Assemble the Pie
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take the pie dish and dough log out of the fridge. Fill the pie dish with the cooled apples. Next, Slice the dough log into thin slices/disks, about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. You will need roughly 40-50 disks total. Lay all of the “cinnamon roll” disks on top of the pie filling, making sure they touch and there are as few exposed gaps of pie filling as possible. Beat together an egg and 2 tbsp of water, and brush it over the entire top of the crust.
Place the pie in the oven on the middle rack , and put a cookie sheet on the bottom rack in case any of the liquid from the pie filling drips out. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 375 and bake for another 40-45, or until golden brown. If the edges of the crust get too dark, cover with foil.
Finally, when the pie is done baking, remove it from the oven to cool for about 20 minutes, and make the cream cheese frosting/glaze. To do this, combine 2 oz of softened cream cheese with 1 cup of powdered sugar. 1 tbsp at a time, whisk in milk until you reach the desirable drizzling consistency. Using a piping bag or even just a spoon, drizzle the icing over the top of the pie. Slice and serve immediately. If nothing else brings Fall to you, this cinnamon roll apple pie surely will!
Want More Dessert Ideas?
- Blueberry Muffin Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
- Flourless Marshmallow Brownies
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- Cinnamon Whiskey Cupcakes
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Marshmallow Cookies
Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust 2 9" disks
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 tbsp of water
Pie Filling
- 7-8 apples honey crisp recommended
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 oz softened cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Take one sheet of prepared dough and roll it out to about 12" in diameter on a lightly floured surface.
- Place the sheet on a greased pie dish and press into the dish. Use a fork to poke several holes along the bottom
- Take the other sheet and roll it out in an oblong shape, as close to a rectangle as as possible and brush with melted butter
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle it over the buttered dough, leaving about half an inch on the edge of one of the longer sides of the rectangle.
- With one of the long sides facing you, tightly roll the dough away from you, towards the edge you left exposed with no cinnamon-sugar. Place the log and the prepared pie dish in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel, core and slice all of your apple.
- Place them in a large pot over medium heat with the butter.
- Add remaining pie filling ingredients to the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are tender. Allow to cool slightly, 10 or so minutes in the fridge
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Take the pie dish, dough roll, and apples out of the fridge.
- Spoon the apples into the pie dish. Slice the log into about 40 slices and lay them on top of the pie, making sure they are touching and there are not many exposed spots of apple.
- Scramble the egg and water, and brush the entire top of the pie, "cinnamon rolls" and all.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 375° and continue baking for another 40-45 minutes or until deep golden brown. If needed, cover the edges with foil to keep the crust from browning too quickly.
- Allow the pie to cool for about 20 minutes or to room temperature. Meanwhile mix together the ingredients for the icing, adding more or less milk depending on the desired consistency.
- Drizzle the icing over the pie, then slice and serve.
