The Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls You'll Want To Make Every Morning

In 2003, my best friend made apple pie cinnamon rolls, and I haven't stopped thinking about them since. They're a delicious, wonderful fall treat that combines two classic autumn desserts. You get the doughy warmth of the cinnamon bun, but with an explosion of rich apple flavor in every bite.

While Dana made hers from scratch, you don't have to. Start with premade cinnamon rolls in a can or freezer package. (Here's a quick tip: Our great grocery store cinnamon bun taste test revealed that store-branded cinnamon roll dough was better than other pre-made varieties.) Put the unbaked cinnamon rolls in muffin tins, make an "X" in the middle of each, and add a spoonful of apple pie filling. Then bake according to the package's instructions. The apple pie filling adds moisture, flavor, and depth, turning mediocre cinnamon buns into something special.

Since premade cinnamon roll dough is known for being dry and not so flavorful, you can do even more to upgrade the stuffed versions. Make the most decadent canned cinnamon rolls with just a few extra ingredients: heavy whipping cream, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. To do this with apple pie cinnamon rolls, grease a baking pan and add the thawed, unbaked dough rounds. Score them and add the apple filling as described above. But this time, pour enough heavy whipping cream into the pan to create a 1/4-inch layer. Mix melted butter with brown sugar and cinnamon until it becomes a syrup. Pour that over the apple pie cinnamon rolls, cover the dish in foil, and bake. 

If you want to lean into fall vibes, swap heavy whipping cream for pumpkin spice coffee creamer. This pumpkin-flavored product is the key to decadent fall cinnamon rolls, combining apples, pumpkin, and seasonal spices. These same tips apply if you prefer to make your apple pie cinnamon buns completely from scratch.