With 7 basic ingredients and simple-to-follow steps, old-fashioned Apple Roll is the sweet treat you've been looking for! It's a dessert recipe that's been passed down in our family over three generations and counting. A comfort food classic, it's a treat that's going to be a guaranteed success.
If you're a fan of desserts that are both simple to make and utterly comforting, the old-fashioned Apple Roll is a must-try. This timeless recipe combines the flavors of sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and buttery pastry into a delightful treat that feels like a hug from the past.
Some folks call this dessert apple dumpling roll ups, apple roll cobbler, or apple pie cinnamon rolls. The earliest noted version is from 1919, over a hundred years old! In the original recipe, the apple filled log was kept whole and the syrup poured over the top.
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My family has been making this recipe for over three generations, I learned this recipe as a little girl from my grandma! We make it several times every year in the fall and winter, so we can attest that it's a recipe that will work and is also great for people learning to bake.
Ideal for any occasion, this dessert is easy to prepare and guaranteed to please both young and old alike. Two more old-fashioned dessert favorites that are a must-try are my grandma's Butter Roll and mom's Sad Cake!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Versatile: Great for dessert, brunch, or a sweet snack.
- Easy Recipe with Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples to create a fluffy dough. Dice fresh apples, toss with cinnamon, roll, slice, bake and you're all set!
- Perfect Balance: The combination of sweet, spiced apples and a buttery flaky pastry is irresistible. These sweet rolls have your favorite flavors of apple pie!
- Nostalgic Charm: Just one bite of homemade apple cinnamon rolls brings back sweet memories and it feels like home! It'll be quick to become one of your favorite apple recipes!
Ingredients
Scroll down for recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card.
- Salted Butter: Adds richness and flavor to both the pastry and the filling. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the recipe.
- Self-Rising Flour: Provides the perfect base for a tender, flaky pastry with just the right amount of rise.
- Granulated Sugar: This is what makes the syrup sweet! It creates a caramelized sugary finish.
- Water: Forms the base of the creamy sauce, helping to dissolve the sugar and carry the flavors.
- Shortening: Crisco ensures a flaky pastry texture. You can substitute with butter if preferred.
- Whole Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the dough together. Other milk varieties can work as well.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth to the apple filling.
- Diced Apples: The star of the dish, providing natural sweetness and texture. Granny Smith apples are our apples of choice.
Tools You'll Need
- Mixing Bowl
- 13”x9” Baking Pan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Paring Knife
- Rolling Pin, optional
- Pastry Cutter, optional
- Ice Cream Scoop, optional
How to Make an Apple Roll
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a 13"x9" baking dish in the oven while it's preheating. Once melted, remove and set aside.
- For the filling, in a small bowl, toss together the diced apples and cinnamon until all of the pieces are coated well.
- For the dough, in a large bowl, cut shortening into the self-rising flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add milk to the flour mixture gradually, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle about ¼-inch thick.
- Evenly distribute the apple mixture on top of the dough, leaving about ½-inch of the dough all around the exterior uncovered.
- Roll up the dough starting from one long side to form a log. Dampen the edges of the dough with water to seal.
- With a sharp knife, cut the log into 16 slices and place them in one layer in the prepared baking dish.
- For the syrup, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of water and sugar. Heat just until the sugar dissolves and comes to a boil, then turn off the heat. Pour the syrup over the apple rolls.
- Bake 55-60 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and the apples are tender. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Pro Tips and Substitutions from a Southern Baker
This recipe is completely foolproof after being passed down through my family over over three generations. Here are some of our tips:
- Apples: Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a balanced flavor, or sweeter varieties like honeycrisp, cosmic crisp, or fuji for a more pronounced sweetness. Also, try to have consistently diced pieces for even cooking.
- Extra Flavor: Add a pinch of ground nutmeg, ground cloves or allspice along with the ground cinnamon for extra depth of flavor. You can also whisk in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in the syrup as it's cooking.
- Shortening Substitute: If you prefer not to use shortening, you can replace it with an equal amount of cold salted butter.
- Flour: If you don't have self-rising flour, you can make your own by combining 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour with 2 ¼ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- The Perfect Dough: Ensure your butter or shortening are cold for the flakiest pastry. You can prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before using. This can help save time on the day you plan to bake.
Storage
Allow the rolls to cool to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container. This will prevent them from becoming soggy. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the rolls for up to 2-3 months. To freeze, wrap the rolls in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
To reheat apple rolls, remove them from the refrigerator or freezer and let them come to room temperature. You can then reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes until they are warmed through. You can also microwave them for 10-20 seconds, or until they are warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Simply substitute half cup of shortening with an equal amount of butter. Make sure the butter is ice cold when cutting or grating into the flour. It should resemble a fine crumble when it's ready.
Absolutely! Use a self-rising gluten free flour instead of regular self-rising flour is an option. If using an all-purpose gluten free flour, add 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt along with the flour.
While it might turn out to be a delicious dessert, these types of dough yield a completely different texture than this apple cinnamon roll recipe. Homemade is a flaky, rich dough and it takes just a couple minutes to make. It's very similar to biscuit dough.
Absolutely! You can add raisins, cranberries, or chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the apple filling for extra texture and flavor.
Granny Smith apples work best in many apple desserts as they are tart and hold their shape and balance the sweetness. Honeycrisp apples and cosmic crisp are also excellent options. However, you can use any variety you prefer. I would not recommend using apple pie filling.
Using shortening in pastry dough has several benefits, especially when it comes to achieving a tender and flaky texture. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which means it stays solid for longer during the mixing and baking process. This allows for the formation of distinct layers within the dough, resulting in a flakier pastry. Additionally, shortening doesn't contain water like butter, so it helps to create a more tender crust by preventing excess gluten formation. For those aiming for a perfectly flaky and tender pastry, incorporating shortening is a tried-and-true method.
More Old Fashioned Dessert Favorites
Apple Roll
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup shortening crisco
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups diced apples
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a 13"x9" baking dish in the oven while it's preheating. Once melted, remove and set aside.
- For the filling, in a small bowl, toss together the diced apples and cinnamon until all of the pieces are coated well.
- For the dough, in a large bowl, cut shortening into the self-rising flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add milk to the flour mixture gradually, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle about ¼-inch thick.
- Evenly distribute the apple mixture on top of the dough, leaving about ½-inch of the dough all around the exterior uncovered.
- Roll up the dough starting from one long side to form a log. Dampen the edges of the dough with water to seal.
- With a sharp knife, cut the log into 16 slices and place them in one layer in the prepared baking dish.
- For the syrup, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of water and sugar. Heat just until the sugar dissolves and comes to a boil, then turn off the heat. Pour the syrup over the apple rolls.
- Bake 55-60 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and the apples are tender. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Crystal Prado
I have been looking for this recipe for years! In middle school, I had to find a recipe to make from a country (I believe the country was Ireland) and I went to the library to find something. I found an apple cobbler recipe and it was so delicious. I wrote it down and make it every year for the holidays but everyone tells me it's not an apple cobbler. So I have been trying to find the history of it and the correct name. Every step is exactly how I make it except I use the cold butter like in your tips and substitutions and I would cut it into slices and pour the sugar mixture on top but I wouldn't rearrange them lying down. I think I'll try that this year! This recipe is amazing and I love that your family has kept it going through the generations.
Laura Ashley
This truly means so much to me! Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I love that you came across this recipe and that it brought back those memories too!