Cozy Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cups

Fall makes me want something warm and sweet. What it doesn’t make me want is rolling out pie dough.

So I stopped. These apple pie cinnamon roll cups are what I make instead: a canned cinnamon roll pressed into a muffin cup, a spoonful of apple filling, and that’s basically the whole recipe. You get the apple pie flavor, a soft cinnamon roll for a crust, and icing on top. Ten minutes of work, maybe less if you don’t fuss over the chopping.

I make them when guests are coming and I want the kitchen to smell like I tried harder than I did.

Why These Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cups Work

A cinnamon roll is already sweet, already spiced, already has icing. That’s half a dessert before you add anything. Apple pie filling covers the other half.

Pressing the dough up the sides of the muffin cup is the step that matters. Skip it and you get a flat roll with a pile of apples sliding off. Push it up and you’ve got a little bowl that holds the filling in while everything bakes.

Chopping the filling matters too. Those apple slices come out of the can big. Big slices sit awkwardly, leave gaps, and don’t fit the cup. Cut small and they pack in evenly, so every bite has apple in it.

And the icing goes on last, after a short rest. Hot cups melt it straight into a puddle.

What You Need

For the cups:

• 1 can (8-count) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

For the filling:

• 1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

You’ll also want a muffin pan and a little grease for it. That’s the whole shopping list.

How to Make Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cups

1. Heat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a muffin pan.
2. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the can. Set the icing aside, you’ll need it later. Press each roll into a muffin cup and push the dough up the sides so it makes a little bowl.
3. Chop the apple pie filling into smaller bite-size pieces. Stir in the ground cinnamon.
4. Spoon the apple mixture into the rolls, dividing it evenly. Fill each cup, but don’t pile it high. You’ll probably have a little filling left over. That’s fine.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the dough is cooked all the way through.
6. Let them cool for a few minutes. Then drizzle the icing over the top.

Dessert • American

Cozy Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cups

Canned cinnamon rolls pressed into a muffin pan and filled with cinnamon-spiced apple pie filling. All the apple pie flavor, none of the crust work. Makes 8 cups.

By Kima

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Yield 8 cups

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Servings: − 8 +

0.5x 1x 2x 3x

US Customary Metric

Ingredients 3 items

• For the cups
• 1 can Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing — 8-count
• For the filling
• 1 can apple pie filling — 21 oz
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions 6 steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Heat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a muffin pan.

2. 2

   Shape the cups

   Take the cinnamon rolls out of the can and set the icing aside. Press each roll into a muffin cup and push the dough up the sides so it makes a little bowl.

3. 3

   Mix the filling

   Chop the apple pie filling into smaller bite-size pieces, then stir in the ground cinnamon.

4. 4

   Fill the cups

   Spoon the apple mixture into the rolls, dividing it evenly. Fill each cup but don't pile it too high. You may have a little filling left over.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the dough is cooked all the way through.

   Start 15 min timer
6. 6

   Cool and ice

   Let them cool for a few minutes, then drizzle the icing over the top.

   Start 5 min timer

Tips & Substitutions

Leftover filling is great spooned over vanilla ice cream or oatmeal the next morning.
Wait a few minutes before icing, or it will melt right off and turn runny.
Don't overfill the cups or the filling will bubble over.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Warm them for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.

Nutrition Facts 234 kcal / serving

Protein2g

Carbs45g

Fat5g

Fiber0g

#apple pie cinnamon roll cups #easy fall dessert with cinnamon rolls #apple pie filling muffin tin dessert

Cozy Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Cups

Recipe Source: https://kimarecipes.com/cozy-apple-pie-cinnamon-roll-cups/ • Kima Recipes • Recipe by Kima

My Tips

• Leftover filling is great spooned over vanilla ice cream. Or stirred into oatmeal the next morning.
• Wait a few minutes before icing. Do it too soon and it melts right off and turns runny.
• Don’t overfill. A heaping spoonful looks great going in and ends up bubbling over the edge.
• Check the dough in the center, not just the edges. Golden edges can fool you.
• Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Warm them a few seconds in the microwave before eating.

Variations

Caramel drizzle. Worth it. A little caramel sauce over the icing makes these taste closer to a caramel apple.

Chopped pecans on top. Sprinkle them over the icing for crunch. Good if you want some texture against all that soft.

Raisins in the filling. I’d skip it. Apple pie cups don’t need them, and they get chewy and a little lost in all that sweetness.

Make-Ahead Notes

Don’t bake these early and plan to serve them later at their best. They’re at their best warm, close to when they come out of the oven. The dough is soft and the edges still have a bit of bite.

You can chop the apple filling and stir in the cinnamon ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. Everything else, bake day-of.

Leftovers are fine for up to 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Warm them a few seconds in the microwave.

FAQ

Closing Thoughts

Try one warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. The leftover filling goes right on top. Coffee works too, if it’s a slow morning and you’re in no hurry to be anywhere.