Soft and Fluffy Apple Cinnamon Bread Rolls
You decided today is the day you will make apple cinnamon bread rolls. Your house is clean and quiet, everyone is still asleep. Glimmering rays of the sun are subtly peaking through your white, translucent curtains and lighting up your comfortable couch. Fall blankets laid all over your home. The air is crisp, the house is cozy, and the oven is on. The smell from your kitchen is immersed with the smell of apples, cinnamon, and fresh bread all over the house and you just can’t help but smile.
To bake is to love, to love creation, living in the present moment, seeing magic unfold right in front of your eyes. When I bake, I can’t help but get lost in these small moments of time where I actually am fully present. It’s priceless moments like these that make me want to bake over and over again. T
The result is also rewarding, when you finally get the recipe correct after so much dedication and effort. That is what I felt when I made these decadent, fluffy, soft apple cinnamon bread rolls.
Baking bread is really a form of art and chemistry. I am bringing you this recipe today should you have any desire to create something delicious when you are feeling playful. I am also giving you my all to simplify this recipe so you feel confident and comfortable to make it.
How to make apple cinnamon bread rolls extra fluffy
Just to give you a little background with this apple cinnamon rolls recipe, I use what is called a Tangzhong. Tangzhong is a Mandarin term where you cook flour and a liquid (such as milk) to create a paste-like texture to use in bread recipes.
This method makes bread extra soft and fluffy. In the 20th century, it was also used to develop Japanese milk bread. What is nice about tangzhong is that you can make it with ingredients you probably already have in your house (flour and milk).
Don’t skip the Tangzhong
I’ve made plenty of bread rolls, and when I discovered tangzhong, I can assure it makes a difference in the texture of bread and is well worth the extra step of making it for your recipes! These apple bread rolls have a subtle sweetness to it and make an excellent breakfast with some butter or jam.
How to store apple cinnamon bread rolls
To store the apple cinnamon bread rolls, I like to keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long).
I love the versatility of this bread recipe. You can put raisins, cranberries, or any dried fruit that you desire. I put fresh apples in my recipe, making sure to squeeze out all the juice beforehand. Let’s get started and make some delicious bread!
| Prep Time: 30 minutes +2 hours of inactive rest time | Bake Time: 30 minutes |
| Serves: 18-20 rolls | Total Time: 3 hours |
| Ingredients Tangzhong 1/2 cup whole milk 5 tbsp bread flour (or all purpose flour) Yeast 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 tbsp warm milk Bread 5 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour) 4 tbsp softened butter + 2 tbsp for greasing pan 1/4 cup honey 1 tsp salt 3 eggs (room temperature) 1 cup + 1 tbsp sour cream (room temperature) 1 tbsp grated apples (juice squeezed out) 1 tbsp avocado oil (for greasing the bowl) |
| Instructions 1. In a small sauce pan on medium heat, add the flour and milk to make the tanzhong. Continue to whisk while on the stove top until a paste like texture forms. (About 2 minutes) Turn heat off and set aside. 2. To activate yeast, warm up the milk to slightly warmer than room temperature (about 105F) and stir in the yeast and set aside until it becomes foamy. (10-15 minutes) 3. In your bread mixer, add flour, tangzhong (room temperature), activated yeast and milk mixture, butter, eggs, sour cream, salt, honey, and cinnamon. Before turning the bread mixer on, stir in the ingredients with a spatula or a fork until well combined (about 1 minute). Then turn on bread mixer on medium speed for 8 minutes. You can stop to scrape down the sides in between if needed. The dough should come together and not stick to the wall of the bowl. It should be a soft, slightly sticky dough. Gently knead and shape into a large ball. 4. Liberally grease a large bowl with avocado oil and place the dough inside. Cover and place in a warm, draft free environment for 1.5 hours. (Dough should double in size) 5. Grate 1 medium size apple (any kind you like) and squeeze out the juice using a paper towel. You should have about 1 tbsp of grated apple after squeezing the juices. Save the grated apple to use in dough. It might oxidize a bit and that’s okay! 6. When dough is ready, place in a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Add the grated apples to the dough in one straight, flat line and gently roll the dough covering the apples. Then flatten the dough and make a rectangle again (about 1.5 inches) in thickness. 7. Cut up about 18-20 pieces of squares by first cutting horizontally and vertically (see photo). 8. Generously grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with the 2 tbsp of softened butter all over the bottom and sides of the pan. 9. Pinch the corners of each square and gently form small balls with each piece of the dough. Place next to each other in the greased pan. It is okay if they touch but try not to crowd them too much. 10. Cover and place in a draft-free warm environment and let is rest for 30-40 minutes. 11. When the dough is rested, preheat oven to 350F and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the apple cinnamon bread rolls have a rich golden brown color. *Check after 25 minutes of baking, and be careful not to burn them. 12. Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes and enjoy! |
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