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apple cinnamon rolls on a plate
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5 from 5 votes

German Apple Cinnamon Rolls (Apfelschnecken)

German apple cinnamon rolls are an irresistible German pastry made from a fluffy yeast dough that's rolled up with crisp apples.
Unlike American apple cinnamon rolls, they are baked spread out. Instead of topping them with cream cheese frosting, they are brushed with melted butter before and after baking, and then pressed into a bowl of cinnamon sugar. May I just say the perfect fall afternoon treat to enjoy on a picnic blanket with a cup of steaming coffee?
Looking for German cinnamon rolls from Hamburg? Try my Franzbrötchen (by the way, they would be perfect with added apple too!).
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Baking, Brunch, Kaffee
Cuisine: German
Keyword: apple cinnamon rolls, apple cinnamon rolls recipe, cinnamon rolls, German apple cinnamon rolls, German cinnamon rolls
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 359kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Sharp knife For cutting the apple cinnamon rolls. This one's a FAVORITE.
  • 2 Silicone Baking Mats Because they are reusable and nothing sticks to them
  • 1 Citrus Press For tossing the apples in lemon juice
  • 1 Stand Mixer With dough hook. I've used mine every week for 13 years and LOVE it!
  • 1 Rolling Pin I love this one!
  • 1 picnic blanket I love this picnic blanket and it comes with a harness for easy carrying.
  • 1 serving board I adore this wooden serving board with leather detail.
  • 1 picnic basket How cute is this picnic basket? It's been a favorite for a while now.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 grams all-purpose flour
  • 7 grams active-dry yeast 1 small pouch
  • 150 milliliters milk lukewarm, I use whatever kind of milk I have and dairy free milk works too
  • 75 grams sugar
  • 150 grams sour cream greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt works too
  • 75 grams butter room temperature

Filling

  • 50 grams butter room temperature
  • 2 small apples or one large apple
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons butter for brushing on the rolls (1 tablespoon before baking and 2 tablespoons after baking)
  • 100 grams sugar
  • 5 grams ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Combine the yeast and lukewarm milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Knead together with all other dough ingredients until you end up with a smooth dough. Cover and allow to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, for about 1 hour.
    500 grams all-purpose flour, 7 grams active-dry yeast, 150 milliliters milk, 75 grams sugar, 150 grams sour cream, 75 grams butter
  • Peel, core and small dice the apples, then toss with the juice of ½ a lemon or 1 Tbsp.
    2 small apples, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Preheat the oven to 390℉ (200℃).
  • Roll out the dough in a rectangle 40 by 30 cm or 12 by 16 inches.
  • Rub on the butter using your hands. I know, it's a weird, but I think fun feeling.
    50 grams butter
  • Add the apples on top of the butter, then make a tight roll. Rolling up the long side, so you end up with a fat roll the width of the shorter side of the rectangle.
  • Cut the roll into 12 pieces, then lay them cut side up on two baking sheets prepped with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats. I forgot to do the following, but here another tip.
    Since you're baking the rolls spread out, the end dough piece tends to separate from each roll and becomes a bit too brown. To avoid this from happening, you can tuck each end piece under each roll.
    If any of them are taller than others (happens to me with the end pieces), press them down with your palm to make them a bit flatter.
  • Brush the rolls with 1 tablespoon of melted butter before baking, bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Rotate them halfway through baking, so they brown evenly.
    3 tablespoons butter
  • While baking, combine the cinnamon and sugar. When finished baking, brush with more melted butter and dip them upside down into a bowl of cinnamon sugar.
    100 grams sugar, 5 grams ground cinnamon

Video

Notes

Leftovers: These apple cinnamon rolls keep well covered for up to 3 days, although they are best when eaten fresh (and who has leftovers anyways??).
Mini Rolls: Make a a smaller version of these apple cinnamon rolls by rolling them up the other direction. You may want to watch my short video to help you understand what I mean.
Are my rolls baked all the way? Find out if your apple cinnamon rolls are fully baked with this simple trick. Press down the middle of a roll using your finger. If it comes back up, it's good to go.

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg