Gooey Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

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🍎 Gooey Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

Where breakfast meets dessert in the coziest way possible

There’s something magical about the smell of cinnamon and apples baking together. It’s warm. It’s nostalgic. It feels like home. This Gooey Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie is the ultimate comfort-food shortcut — combining soft, buttery cinnamon rolls with sweet apple pie filling to create a bubbling, golden masterpiece.

Why choose between breakfast and dessert when you can have both? This recipe transforms simple store-bought ingredients into a show-stopping treat that tastes completely homemade. Perfect for holidays, Sunday brunch, potlucks, or late-night cravings.

🧡 A Little History

Apple pie has long been a symbol of comfort and tradition, especially in American baking culture. Cinnamon rolls, on the other hand, trace their roots back to European sweet breads, particularly from Sweden (kanelbullar).

This recipe is a modern “shortcut bake” — a fun twist born from busy kitchens and creative home bakers who wanted the flavors of scratch-made pie without the hours of prep. It’s part cobbler, part sticky bun, and 100% irresistible.

🛒 Ingredients

The Dough

  • 2 cans (8-count each) Original refrigerated cinnamon rolls (icing reserved)

The Filling

  • 1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
    (Optional: chop apples into smaller pieces for easier slicing)

The Sparkle

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Add-Ins (for extra flavor lovers ❤️)

  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • Caramel drizzle for serving

👩‍🍳 Equipment

  • 9-inch pie dish or round baking dish
  • Rolling pin (or your hands for pressing dough)
  • Mixing bowl
  • Oven

🍏 Step-by-Step Instructions

1️⃣ Form the Cinnamon Roll Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Lightly grease your pie dish.
  • Open one can of cinnamon rolls.
  • Press or roll each cinnamon roll flat.
  • Arrange them in the pie dish, pressing the edges together to form one seamless crust.
  • Slightly press up the sides like a traditional pie shell.

✨ Tip: Seal any gaps well so the filling doesn’t seep underneath.

2️⃣ Prepare the Apple Filling

  • Pour the apple pie filling into a bowl.
  • If desired, chop the apple slices into smaller chunks.
  • Stir in optional nutmeg or vanilla for deeper flavor.
  • Spread evenly over the cinnamon roll crust.

3️⃣ Add the Cinnamon Sugar Magic

  • Mix sugar and cinnamon together.
  • Sprinkle generously over the apple layer.

This creates that slight crunch and intensifies the cozy spice flavor.

4️⃣ Create the Rustic Top

  • Open the second can of cinnamon rolls.
  • Pull them apart into pieces.
  • Scatter over the apples in a cobbler-style layer.
  • Do not fully cover — let some apples peek through.

5️⃣ Bake to Golden Perfection

  • Bake for 40–50 minutes.
  • Cover loosely with foil after 25–30 minutes if the top browns too quickly.
  • The pie is done when:
    • The cinnamon rolls are puffed and golden.
    • The apple filling is bubbling.
    • The center is cooked through (not doughy).

Let cool for 10–15 minutes before icing.

6️⃣ The Sweet Finish

  • Warm the reserved icing slightly.
  • Drizzle generously over the warm pie.
  • Add caramel drizzle if desired.

Serve warm for maximum gooey goodness.

🍽 Methods & Variations

🥧 Scratch-Style Upgrade

Use homemade apple filling and add a splash of lemon juice for brightness.

🍏 Caramel Apple Version

Add ¼ cup caramel sauce directly into the filling before baking.

🧈 Extra Gooey Method

Brush melted butter over the top before baking for a richer finish.

🍨 A La Mode

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

💛 Why People Love This Recipe

✔️ Quick and beginner-friendly
✔️ Only a few ingredients
✔️ Smells incredible while baking
✔️ Combines two classic comfort foods
✔️ Perfect for holidays, brunch, or cozy nights

It’s one of those recipes that gets requested again and again. The kind that disappears fast from the table.

🍎 The Formation: What Makes It Special?

This dessert works because of layering:

  • Bottom layer: Buttery cinnamon roll crust
  • Middle layer: Soft, spiced apples
  • Top layer: Golden, sticky cinnamon roll pieces
  • Final drizzle: Sweet glaze that melts into every crevice

The contrast of textures — gooey, fluffy, slightly crisp — makes every bite irresistible.

❤️ For the Lovers of…

  • Apple pie
  • Cinnamon rolls
  • Fall baking
  • Shortcut recipes
  • Sweet brunch dishes
  • Cozy kitchen moments

If you love classic comfort desserts (like warm dump cakes or fruit-filled bakes), this will quickly become one of your favorites too.

🌟 Final Thoughts

Gooey Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie isn’t just a recipe — it’s a feeling. It’s the smell of cinnamon filling the kitchen. It’s gathering around the table. It’s sneaking a second slice when no one’s looking.

Simple ingredients. Big comfort. Maximum wow.

Make it once… and it might just become your new cozy tradition. 🥧🍎✨

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