Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Sweet Almond Glaze

In November, I tried to make cinnamon rolls. Total fail.
Yeast is scary when you never used it.
It gets scarier when you use it and it doesn’t work.
And in order to get passed that fear, I made it one of my 2011 resolutions to make cinnamon rolls. It didn’t take 10 times. It took one time.

The first recipe I used didn’t say to proof the yeast and I didn’t have a thermometer. This time I used Angela’s recipe (and my cheap thermometer) and when I saw my bubbly proofed yeast, I was sooooo happy!
I think I was more happy than when Santa gave me a barbie house.

Adaptation of Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls, Oh She Glows

Print recipe

Yeast mixture:

• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup 100-110°F water

Dough:

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup golden cane sugar
• 1/3 cup earth balance buttery spread
• 1 tsp fleur de sel or sea salt
• 1/2 flax egg: mix 1/2 tbsp flax seeds, grounded, and 1 1/2 tbsp water
• Yeast mixture
• 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Apple Pie filling:

• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tbsp almond milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 small-medium apple
• 1/8 cup golden cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Spicy Pecan Sugar filling:

• 1/8 cup earth balance buttery spread, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup golden cane sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Pan sauce:

• 1/2 cup earth balance
• 1/3 cup golden cane sugar

Glaze:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions: Mix flax egg and set aside. Mix together yeast ingredients and set aside for 10 minutes until doubled in size and bubbly.
Meanwhile, combine the wet dough ingredients (almond milk, earth balance, sugar, salt and flax egg) in a small saucepan. Heat on medium heat and stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool until it is 100-110°F.

Place 3 cups of flour in a bowl. When the saucepan mixture is cooled enough, add in the proofed yeast. Add the mixture to the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds. Add the remaining cup of flour. Mix with the spoon for 10 seconds, then knead roughly with hands for an other 10 seconds. Place the dough (and flour) on a floured surface.

Knead the dough for 8 minutes, starting slow, until it doesn’t stick to the touch. Add flour only if it starts to stick to the counter. Shape into a ball and place into an oiled bowl. Cover with a wet towel and place in the oven with the light on. Let rise for 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the spicy pecan sugar filling by mixing sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans together. When the dough has about 20-25 minutes left to rise, prepare the apple pie filling:
Peel and grate the apple on the largest grating surface. Place it in a towel or several layers of paper towel and squeeze to get most of the juice out.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and almond milk until there are no clumps left. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the cornstarch mixture, applesauce and grated apple. Add the vanilla and sugar and stir well, then add the spices and chia seeds. Heat on low and stir frequently for 8-10 minutes.

After 90 minutes of rising, poke the dough to make sure it is ready. If you poke the dough and it does not spring back, it is ready. Use your hands to spread the dough into a 8 inch by 20 inch rectangle. Go slow so you don’t rip the dough.

Spread the 1/8 cup of room temperature earth balance on the dough with a pastry brush. Spread the apple pie filling on top of the butter (I used a spoon). Sprinkle all the spicy pecan sugar filling on top.
Grab the end of the dough starting at the shortest end and roll the dough, trying to keep the sides as straight as you can. Let it rest on the seam when it’s rolled up completely.

Prepare the pan sauce: place earth balance and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted. Stir vigorously to combine. Pour in a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.

Grab some floss and cut the rolls placing the floss underneath the dough and bringing it up and crossing it to cut the rolls. Place the rolls in the baking dish. Cover with a wet towel or plastic wrap and place in the oven with the light on. Let rise 45 minutes.
Remove the rolls from the oven and preheat to 350°F. Remove towel or plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes, until golden.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by whisking all ingredients together. When the rolls are done, drizzle the glaze on them while they’re still hot.

Makes 8 cinnamon rolls.

Notes:
If you want to make these, check out Oh She Glow’s blog for great step by step pictures.
I used only one saucepan that I rinsed between steps.

Store-bough rolls will never be the same. These were 1000 times better. Yes, it was worth 4 hours.
Sweet, creamy apple, crunchy pecans, sweet spices and delicious fluffy fresh dough with a hint of almond from the frosting.
I loved kneading the dough! I actually thought I’d hate it but it was fun and relaxing!
Now I love yeast ;).