Ok, here we go onto Fall flavors all the time! We said goodbye to summer, sunscreen, s’mores and rose’ all day. Ok, maybe not ready quite yet to say goodbye to the rose’… 🙂 Any who, time for cozy nights, football (if that’s your thang) sweater weather and warm spices…an apple and pumpkin everything! If loving these fall flavors is basic, then call me a basic B. I’m totally cool with that. Alright, now that we got that out of the way, the comfort food fall flavor train is in full effect with my Grain and Dairy Free Apple Spice Cinnamon rolls! All topped off with my apple brandy cream “cheese” style frosting! Falling for fall flavors.
Honestly, I truly do love living somewhere with all 4 seasons (at least some of the time, sometimes there are 5). Each season brings its own uniqueness and beauty. Except that season in Chicago from February to April, I think it’s called is this F’in winter ever going to end season. Or something like that. Apart from that jerk of a time, I love it. By the end of summer, you are ready to start hunkering down and preparing for the ‘Polar Coaster Winter’, remember I warned you about that. When the temperature just starts to turn and there is a bit of a chill in the air and a crispness that you just don’t have in summer. Yes, the days become shorter, but there is this warmth and coziness that surrounds fall that warms me right up on the inside. It’s also before the craziness of the holidays ensue. So yes, I adore fall and all the food and flavors that go along with it!
Kicking off the season with apples! I swear I am going to go apple picking this year, I have been saying that for the past few years, but this is the year! I envision myself creating some apple sensation a la Baby Boom and J.C. Wiatt . If you have never seen Baby Boom, do yourself a favor and watch it! It’s a classic!
So, apples, spice and everything nice is exactly what these warm, ooey, gooey, apple spice cinnamon rolls are. Perfect for a fall Saturday or Sunday brunch! Careful though, make sure you have guests to share them with, you may eat like 2 or 10 of them if you don’t. These are easy to make too. I use the base of my almond flour pizza dough recipe with some apple spices mixed in, gently dried organic apples (not freeze dried) brown sugar and more cinnamon spice! I use the instant yeast, so it only takes 20 minutes for the dough to be ready. Unlike traditional wheat flour, you don’t have to do a second proof to allow them to rise again, they don’t work the same way. But all in all, not too time consuming and only about 30 minutes to bake!
That cinnamon spice mixture…be still my heart! See, gently dried apples chopped up and top the filling for that appley tartness to help balance out the sweet.
The rolled and sliced rolls. I crammed them into a 8×8 square pan, but you can use two separate pans if you want more traditional round shape. You can also use round pans as well. They will work either way. Just a bit of a different shape if you split between two pans.
Fresh out of the oven all toasty brown, cinnamony and caramelized! Ready and waiting for that yummy frosting.
On to the frosting. While your buns are in the oven you can prepare the frosting. I, of course, used Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread for the base to keep it dairy free, coconut yogurt, vanilla, more spice, confectioners sugar and some apple brandy to give it that extra appley somthin’ somethin’. And it is somethin’, let me tell you. Watch yourself, when no one is looking you might be tempted to spoon right into your mouth. It makes a lot so feel free to indulge a bit…spoon away…no judgment. It’s delicious and even more decadent poured over those fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls (or squares in my case).
Don’t you just want dive mouth first into these babies?
See cinnamon squares! They come out nice and easy too (if you spray the pan).
See how the frosting sets in a sets up a bit? So mouthwatering, I’m drooling currently. 🙂
Still drooling…
So, embrace each season as we dive right into fall with apples leading the charge. Kick it off with my Grain and Dairy Free Apple Spice Cinnamon Rolls! Cozy up in your snuggy as they bake and fall into fall by digging into these warm, ooey, gooey apple cinnamony rolls without a thought about that aforementioned season and enjoy!
Happy Weekending and Fall Flavorin’
Diane
- For the Dough:
- 2¼ cup arrowroot starch (plus up to ¼ cup more for dusting)
- 2 cups fine ground almond flour + up to ½ cup more if needed
- 1¾ tsp. instant yeast
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cardamom
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp. allspice
- 1 large egg room temp
- ½ cup plus ⅓ cup of warm water (between 104 to 110 degrees)
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. honey
- For the Filling:
- 8 tbsp. of melted ghee (can sub butter or coconut oil)
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. all spice
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- For the Frosting:
- 8oz container ofKite HillAlmond Cream Cheese Style Spread Plain
- 4 tbsp. of coconut yogurt (I use Coyo)
- ⅓ to ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. cardamom
- 3 tbsp. apple brandy (can sub apple cider)
- 3 to 4 tbsp. Almond milk or non-dairy milk of choice.
- For the Dough:
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. If the dough is still wet, add more almond flour about a tbsp. at a time until a dough ball forms and it does not stick to your hands. You may need to add a few more tbsp. of arrowroot starch. Form a ball and place back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap then a clean kitchen towel and place in warm spot in the kitchen. Allow to rise for about 20 to 25 minutes. Dough will not double but it will have risen noticeably.
- Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper and first start to flatten with your hands to form a rectangle. Place another sheet of parchment over the dough to roll out into a large rectangle. Roughly 18 inches long by 10 inches. Don't roll too thin, about ¼ of an inch, maybe a touch thicker, to hold your fillings.
- For the filling:
- Chop the dried apples and set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 8x8 square pan or two 8 inch round pans with non-stick spray.
- Mix the sugar and spices together and set aside. Melt the ghee, butter or coconut oil in a small bowl.
- On the prepared dough pour some of the butter directly onto the dough and spread evenly with your hands leaving about an inch border around the edges. Start sprinkling the sugar over the melted butter and rub around evenly. Pour a little more butter, leaving about half to1/3 left and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over the dough and spread evenly. Pour almost the remainder of the butter, leaving about a tbsp. over the sugar and spread and combine the butter with sugar. Sprinkle the apples over the dough.
- Roll the dough slowly by gently starting to peel the edge closest to you from the parchment paper to loosen. Then grab the edge of the parchment paper to start lifting it and rolling away from you. The dough will roll and form a log. Position the seam at the bottom. Using a pastry cutter of chefs knife, slice length wise to form the rolls.
- Gently place the rolls into the prepared pans. If using two pans don't overcrowd. If using one, it's ok for them to touch. Brush the tops of the rolls with remaining melted ghee. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes turning halfway through and the tops are golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
- For the Frosting:
- In a large bowl (if using hand mixer) or in the bowl of stand mixer, combine the almond cream cheese and coconut yogurt until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add the spices, extract, apple brandy and almond milk and mix until completely smooth. Will be pourable yet still thick.
- Pour desired amount of frosting over the still warm cinnamon rolls and spread with off-set spatula or knife. You will have some left over, but make sure you use a good amount to cover all the rolls and seep down the sides.
- Allow to sit about 5 to 10 minutes to set up slightly. Slice the rolls and serve warm. Best served day of. But can store covered in the fridge for up to a day. Gently re-heat in the microwave on half power in 30 second intervals.
- Enjoy!
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