Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake

If you’re looking for an easy fall recipe, look no further than this Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake. It’s almost a two ingredient recipe (almost because I love adding things to spice recipes up lol). Bake up canned cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling and you’ll have yourself a great autumnal dish for breakfast or brunch.

Apple Pie Meets Cinnamon Rolls Meets Casserole

I have this thing where I really love Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. They have this distinct flavor that is just so hard to recreate from scratch. Kind of like boxed brownie mix — it just hits different haha. I love homemade cinnamon rolls but will happily eat Pillsbury any day. This Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake uses canned cinnamon rolls and store-bought apple pie filling. You bake the two of them together with a few extra ingredients and end up with this apple cinnamon roll cobbler type situation. Here’s why I love this recipe:

• Easy and simple. You do not need to prep anything from scratch and the prep itself takes less than 15 minutes. In addition, you can use any brand of store-bought cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling, which are the two main ingredients.
• Rich and Gooey. This recipe pretty much makes apple pie cinnamon rolls without actually rolling apples into cinnamon roll dough, with just as gooey results. You can actually pour some heavy cream over the rolls before baking them for an even softer, richer bake (casserole?).
• Cozy and great for any occasion. This cinnamon roll bake is great for Fall or the Holidays. Since it makes a large dish, it’s great to serve to a group gathering. And its full of cozy pie flavors that make it perfect for the best time of year.

Ingredients Needed

Here is everything you’ll need for this apple pie cinnamon roll bake, as well as some notes about tips and substitutions:

• Store-bought Cinnamon Rolls: Use any brand of canned cinnamon rolls. Pillsbury, Annie’s, and Trader Joe’s are all great. Keep the icing that comes with it as well to spread over the bake once it’s done.
  • If using large cinnamon rolls (like Pillsbury Grands), cut the dough into more pieces than you would with regular sized.
• Apple Pie Filling: Pick any 21 oz can or jar of apple pie filling.
  • You can use homemade apple pie filling as well, as long as you measure out the appropriate 21oz amount.
• Melted Butter: Either salted or unsalted butter work fine
• Sugar:
• Heavy Cream: This is optional, so skip it if you want. I think that pouring heavy cream over the cinnamon rolls before baking them makes them even better. It’s indulgent, but if you’re ready to commit then go for it.

You will also need a 9×13 baking dish — I used this one from Le Creuset since I wanted to be aesthetic for this post, but a pyrex casserole dish or metal pan work just as well.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare cinnamon rolls. Open up the two cans of cinnamon rolls and set the icing aside in the fridge to chill. Cut up the cinnamon rolls into triangles — 4-5 triangles for small rolls and 6 for larger rolls. Toss the cinnamon rolls with some melted butter and sugar, and then layer them out into a greased baking dish.

Step 2: Prepare apple filling. Open up the apple pie filling and remove all the of the apple chunks. Chop the apples into smaller pieces (think ½ inch pieces). If your apple pie filling also has apples chopped up smaller then you can skip this step.

Step 3: Assemble and bake. Pour the apple pie filling over the cinnamon rolls, trying to cover them as evenly as possible. Then drizzle a few tablespoons of heavy cream on top if you wish. Bake the cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling for 40-50 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are cooked through.

Step 4: Add icing and enjoy. Pull the bake out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes on the counter. Then spread the reserved cinnamon roll icing over the top, letting it melt into everything. Enjoy while warm!

Tips & Add-In Ideas

• The best way to test if the cinnamon rolls are cooked through are to use a fork to gently lift one out of the middle. I know it ruins the look a bit but you’ll spread icing over it to cover up the fact that you dug into the middle.
• Try to spread the cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling out in the pan as evenly as possible.
• Try adding some chopped up walnuts or pecans in with the cinnamon rolls for some extra flavor and crunch.
• Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to turn this breakfast into a dessert.

Prepare Ahead and Store Leftovers

You can prepare this recipe ahead of time by assembling everything and following the recipe steps up to the heavy cream part. Keep the uncooked dish tightly covered in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to bake, simply drizzle the heavy cream (if you choose to do so) over the rolls and bake. Do not prepare more than 1 night in advance, however.

To store leftovers, tightly cover the dish with plastic wrap and store the apple pie cinnamon roll casserole in the fridge. Alternatively, you can transfer everything to an airtight container. Reheat leftovers either in the oven or the microwave.

Pin & Save for Later

Are you interested in making this recipe but not ready to commit yet? Not a problem! You can hover over any image in this post (or tap on mobile) to save it to Pinterest. It’ll be waiting there for you when you are ready.

Thanks for reading friends and hope you love your apple pie cinnamon rolls!

And if you hope to have an apple pie as well, my favorite Dutch Apple Pie recipe is waiting for you here. There is also an apple pie coffee cake if you want to go down that route lol. 🙂