Easy Apple Sweet Rolls with Canned Apple Pie Filling

Looking for a yummy dessert for the Fall that’s easy but elegant? Look no further because these Easy Apple Sweet Rolls with Canned Apple Pie Filling are a combination of homemade no-knead dough filled with store-bought Canned Apple Pie Filling make this an easy recipe for everyone!

When I created my Cherry Sweet Rolls Recipe using Cherry Pie Filling some years ago, it became such a fan favorite that I decided to create some new apple desserts that could be made easily but still WOW your family and friends. I served this the other day to my family and they gave it a BIG thumbs up for this delicious dessert!

What my family really liked is that this great recipe is NOT an overly sweet dessert. Even the canned apple pie filling was NOT overly sweet. I mean if you want it to be sweeter, may I suggest a big scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream over the top of each Apple Sweet Roll right after it comes out of the oven for serving?!

Essential Ingredients

Here’s a quick rundown of the essentials you’ll need to create these easy no-knead Apple Cinnamon Rolls with a yummy fluffy texture combined with sweet apple filling. The great thing is that you will have many of these ingredients already in your pantry! 

Ingredients for Rolls

• Active Dry Yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons (or one packet). It’s the secret behind getting those rolls nice and fluffy.
• Warm Water: ¼ cup. This helps activate the yeast.
• Orange Juice: ¼ cup. Adds a yummy flavor that adds a natural sweetness of the dough. Trust me, it’s amazing!
• Sugar: 3 tablespoons. 
• Large Egg: 1 egg. This helps bind everything together.
• All Purpose Flour: 1 1/3 cups. 
• Melted Unsalted Butter or Salted Butter: 3 tablespoons. Your butter can also be at room temperature. (very soft)
• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
• Apple Pie Filling: 1 can (about 20 ounces). I wouldn’t use fresh apples in this recipe because it doesn’t have all the other ingredients the apple pie filling has.

Ingredients for Icing

With just a few simple ingredients you take this easy apple dessert from WOW to WOWEEE!

• Powdered Sugar ~ 1/2 cup to start 
• Vanilla ~ 1/2 tsp
• Milk ~ Add one Tablespoon at a time to get the consistency you want. If your glaze gets to runny then add more powdered sugar.

Directions:

Add warm water to a large bowl, then sprinkle your yeast on top. You can mix it up a little. I like to add just a pinch of brown sugar to get the yeast activated better. Then let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.

• Warm Water: Use warm water. Not too hot, and you’ll kill the yeast!
• Add Sugar: Sprinkle a little sugar in the water along with the yeast.
• Wait and Watch: Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes bubbly on top.

Add the Orange Juice, Sugar, Salt, Melted Butter and Egg to the bowl with your proofed yeast in it. Stir in 1 Cup of the flour and mix until smooth.

Then gradually stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of flour to make a soft dough.  This is a No Knead recipe, so don’t knead! Cover with plastic wrap or a dry kitchen towel and let rise in draft-free place until doubled in size.   About 1 hour

After the dough has risen, Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle.  No perfectionism here! Just do the best you can!

Open up your can of Apple Pie Filling. The apple slices are pretty large. Since we are going to be rolling up the dough with the filling inside we want to make smaller chunks. A great way to do this is to take a knife and draw it through the filling as many times as you need to. Until the apple chunks are as small as you would like. 

Filling the Sweet Apple Rolls

Filling and rolling these Sweet Apple Rolls can be a bit messy…but not terrible! Make sure that you spread your ingredients evenly and cut uniform sizes so they bake evenly.

• Spread your Apple Pie Filling: Spread filling evenly over your dough. Leave about 1/2 inch to 1 inch around the edges. 
• Roll it Up: Roll the dough tightly from one end to the other. This will give you a nice spiral effect when you cut the rolls. Roll the long edge length-wise. Take your time and go slowly so it won’t be as messy.

Cutting the Rolls

Lightly Spray your Baking Dish with cooking oil. 

Cut your rolls evenly with a sharp knife into one-inch to one and half inch slices and place rolls in the lightly greased 8 or 9 inch round or square baking dish. 

Place them cut-side up in the greased baking dish. Make sure there’s a bit of space between each roll to allow room for expansion during the baking process.

I used a pie plate for this classic Fall dessert because I thought it was so pretty! You can also use parchment paper instead of cooking spray on the bottom of the dish. Any 8×8 or 9×9 pretty baking pan will do!

Baking the Rolls

After you have prepped your Homemade Sweet Rolls and preheated your oven…you are ready to bake! Keep an eye on your Sweet Rolls…so they don’t burn.

• Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F, so it’s nice and hot when the rolls go in.
• Second Rise: My original recipe from my Moms calls for a second rising for the dough…BUT You don’t have to do a second rise if you don’t want to! I was in a hurry and didn’t and these homemade apple sweet rolls still turned out amazing!! If you want to give a second rise ~ Let the rolls rise again for about 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats.
• Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. They’re done when golden brown on top and the kitchen smells heavenly.

Remember, baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. When they look beautifully browned and irresistible, it’s time to take them out.

Make your Icing

There are lots of variations you can use to make your icing. You can experiment with adding lemon juice or orange juice to your powdered sugar (instead of milk) to create different types of flavors. I’ve done this with lots of glazes over the years and it’s yum!

• Start by putting your powdered sugar into a small bowl. Then add in your Vanilla. 
• Add your milk one tablespoon at a time to your powdered sugar to get the consistency you want. If your glaze gets to runny then add more powdered sugar. 
• If your glaze gets to runny then add more powdered sugar

Optional Ingredients and Variations

If you want to spice things up a bit, here are some optional ingredients you might like to try! I would only sprinkle a pinch over your apples as these spices may overcome the apple flavor. 

• Cinnamon: Dust 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon over your apple filling.
• Raisins: Scatter a handful for a chewy and sweet surprise in every bite.
• Peach Pie Filling ~ YES! You can use Peach Pie Filling in place of the canned apple filling. 
• Caramel Sauce ~ YUM! These are great with a drizzle of Homemade Caramel Sauce.

Storing Tips for Sweet Apple Rolls

If you’re lucky enough to have a few left over. How do you keep them fresh for the next day (or two)…or more?? Use these tips, to enjoy fresh apple sweet rolls any time the craving strikes. Storing them properly helps keep that delicious flavor for as long as possible.

• Cool Completely: Before storing, make sure the rolls are completely cooled. This prevents them from getting soggy or mushy.
• Airtight Container: Place the rolls in an airtight container to keep them moist. If possible, use a container that’s just big enough to hold them without too much extra space. Extra space will make them dry out faster.
• Room Temperature: Keep them at room temperature for up to two days. If you plan to store them longer, consider refrigerating them, but be aware they might dry out a bit.
• Freezing: Need to keep them for more than a few days? You can wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Or use an airtight container that is for freezing. You can freeze them for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature or warm them in the microwave or oven to bring back that just-baked freshness.

That is it my friends! Add these Apple Sweet Rolls to your favorite fall desserts list! Fall and Winter are a perfect time to try this yummy recipe (although great any time of year)

Enjoy!