Soft and fluffy apple flavored cinnamon rolls made with an easy 2-ingredient dough that doesn’t require any yeast or proofing. These rolls are soft, sweet and are swirled with a spiced cinnamon sugar filling that tastes like apple pie. They are a great weekend breakfast or brunch dish.
These cozy cinnamon rolls taste of Fall flavors and are easy to make. I don’t often make cinnamon rolls because they can be time-consuming, especially if you make them with a traditional yeast dough. However, these cinnamon rolls are so much easier because the dough is just 2 ingredients and doesn’t need yeast. Because the rolls don’t need any yeast, they are much quicker to make. There is no need to wait for the dough to rise multiple times.
Ingredients
Dough
- Applesauce
- Self-rising flour
Filling
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
We also spread an optional maple cream cheese icing on top to add even more Fall flavors but the rolls can be enjoyed even without any icing. I personally prefer no icing on my rolls, but I always like to include a recipe for icing because I know many people enjoy their cinnamon rolls with icing.
Applesauce: Make sure to use sweetened applesauce so that there is a little sweetness in the dough. The sugar in the applesauce also helps keep the dough moist. I used applesauce for the dough to give the dough an apple flavor.
Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is all purpose flour that is premixed with baking powder and salt. Since the dough doesn’t use yeast, it relies on baking powder to help it rise.
Apple pie spice: I added apple pie spice to the filling to make these rolls taste like apple pie. You can also just use cinnamon instead of apple pie spice. You can also leave out the cinnamon if you don’t want your filling to have any spice flavors.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- The applesauce and flour are mixed together until a dough forms. The dough is refrigerated until it becomes firm enough to roll out.
- The brown sugar, butter and apple pie spice are mixed together until they become a paste.
- When the dough is chilled, it is rolled out to a roughly 9 x 12 inch rectangle. The filling is spread across the dough.
- The dough is then rolled up and placed into the fridge briefly until it becomes firm enough to slice. The dough is sliced into 7 rolls and placed into your prepared baking pan. It is then ready to be baked.
Recipe Highlights
- These cinnamon rolls use a dough that needs just 2 ingredients and doesn’t require having to work with yeast.
- The rolls are easier and faster than traditional cinnamon rolls which usually require you to wait for the dough to proof multiple times.
- The rolls have layers of soft apple flavored dough and gooey spiced cinnamon sugar filling.
- These rolls taste like traditional cinnamon rolls but are a lot less work. They take only about an hour to make.
More Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 Ingredient Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 Ingredient Dough Cinnamon Rolls
- 5 Ingredient Cinnamon Rolls Pancakes
2 Ingredient Dough Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (250 g) sweetened applesauce
- 2 cups (260 g) self-rising flour see note before starting
Filling
- 6 tbsp (86 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (96 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp (6 g) apple pie spice or cinnamon
Optional Maple Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 3 tbsp (1.5 fl oz/45 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (0.5 fl oz/15 ml) hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8-inch round baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Make sure you use a solid one piece pan rather than a springform pan because the filling will leak through a springform pan
- In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce and flour. Stir until a cohesive dough forms. If needed, knead a few times with your hands to make a cohesive dough that is uniform in color. If dough is too sticky to knead, add a little more flour.
- Transfer the dough to the fridge until chilled and firm enough to roll out, about 20-30 minutes.
- While the dough chills, make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar and apple pie/cinnamon spice until evenly combined and a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
- Once the dough has chilled, lightly sprinkle your work surface with additional self-rising flour. Add the dough and roll out into an approximate 9x12 inch rectangle.
- Using an offset spatula, spread cinnamon sugar butter mixture across the dough in an even layer.
- Starting from the short end of the dough, roll it up tightly to form a log. Place the dough roll back into the fridge for about 10-20 minutes so that it is firm enough to slice. Using a serrated bread knife, first slice off the uneven ends (try to avoid slicing off too much). Then slice the log into 7 equal-sized rolls (use a ruler to make them all the same). Wipe your blade after each slice to keep the cuts clean.
- Transfer the cinnamon rolls to the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until rolls are puffy and a light golden brown around the edges. Let rolls cool slightly before adding icing.
- If making icing: Combine cream cheese, maple syrup and water into a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and the cream cheese is evenly combined. If you prefer a thicker frosting, place it into the fridge while the rolls are baking to allow it to firm up a little.
- When rolls have cooled slightly (about 15 minutes) add the icing. Cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed soon after they are done baking.
Notes
- Self-rising flour amount. There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup serving) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30g) serving). The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with Gold Medal self-rising flour* (regular amount of protein). Please use a self-rising flour with a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup), or make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
- *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 2 cup all purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill.
- Estimated nutrition is for the rolls only without the optional icing. Some of the filling does run out of the rolls as they bake so the estimated nutrition is going to be a little higher than the actual amount since it assumes all of the filling is consumed.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
