Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 21 oz apple fruit filling (Lucky Leaf or similar)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon alcohol‑free vanilla flavoring (substitute for vanilla extract to avoid alcohol)
- 2 cans cinnamon rolls (8 count each), icing reserved
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Apple fruit filling (21 oz)
Apple filling brings all the apple pie flavor with zero peeling or sautéing. A 21‑ounce can gives plenty of fruit and syrup to coat the cinnamon roll pieces, creating that gooey, pie‑like base as it bakes. Using a good‑quality brand like Lucky Leaf ensures the apples stay tender but not mushy.
Brown sugar (1/2 cup)
Brown sugar deepens the sweetness and adds a light molasses note that makes this taste more homemade than canned. It also helps the syrup thicken and caramelize around the rolls, especially at the edges and corners of the pan.
Melted butter (1/4 cup)
Butter enriches the apple mixture and adds that buttery pie‑filling feel. As it bakes, it combines with the brown sugar and apple syrup to form a caramel‑style sauce that soaks into the cinnamon roll dough.
Alcohol‑free vanilla flavoring (1 teaspoon)
Vanilla lifts the apple and cinnamon flavors and makes the whole dish smell like a bakery. Using an alcohol‑free vanilla flavoring keeps this recipe suitable for anyone avoiding alcohol while still giving the warmth and aroma of vanilla.
Cinnamon rolls (2 cans, 8 count each)
Refrigerated cinnamon rolls are your built‑in dough and spice. Cutting them into quarters gives you bite‑size pieces that puff up and “bubble” through the apple mixture as they bake, creating that classic bubble‑up texture. Keeping the icing for the end gives you a glossy, sweet finish.
Heavy whipping cream (1/2 cup)
Heavy cream drizzled on top before baking makes the rolls richer, softer, and extra gooey. It seeps down into the dough as it bakes, similar to some famous cinnamon‑roll hacks, and keeps the interior tender instead of dry.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
I start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing a 9×13‑inch baking pan with nonstick spray or a light coat of butter. A well‑greased pan is important here because the sugar, apples, and icing can all stick if the surface is dry.
In a large mixing bowl, I combine the apple fruit filling, brown sugar, melted butter, and alcohol‑free vanilla flavoring. I stir until the sugar dissolves into the syrup and the apples are evenly coated; the mixture should look glossy and slightly looser than straight canned filling. If the apple slices are very large, I sometimes cut or mash them slightly so they disperse more evenly through the rolls.
Next, I open both cans of cinnamon rolls and set the icing cups aside for later. I cut each cinnamon roll into quarters (four pieces) so there are plenty of small chunks to bubble up through the apple mixture. Then I add the cinnamon roll pieces into the bowl of apple mixture and fold gently until every piece of dough is covered with apples and syrup.
Once everything is coated, I pour the mixture into the prepared 9×13‑inch pan and spread it into an even layer, making sure the dough pieces are fairly evenly distributed from corner to corner. I want a good mix of apples and dough in every scoop, not clumps in just one area.
Then I drizzle the heavy whipping cream evenly over the top of the mixture. It will sink into some spots and pool in others; that is exactly what you want, because as it bakes it will soak into the dough and create an ultra‑soft, custardy interior.
The pan goes into the preheated oven, and I bake it for about 45 minutes. As it bakes, I look for these cues: the top should be puffed and golden brown, the edges should be bubbling with thickened apple syrup, and the cinnamon roll pieces in the center should look set rather than doughy. If the top is browning too fast but the center still looks underdone, I’ll loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
When it’s done, I remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 5–10 minutes. This short rest lets the bubbling syrup settle and thicken and makes it easier to drizzle the icing without it sinking straight in. While it rests, I warm the reserved cinnamon roll icing briefly (a few seconds in the microwave) until it’s pourable, then drizzle it generously over the top in zigzags or swirls. The heat from the bubble up will slightly melt the icing into a soft glaze.
I like to serve this warm, scooped straight from the pan. The ideal texture is gooey and soft in the middle with a little chew at the edges and plenty of apples and glaze in each serving.