• Be sure to view images in post above for visuals for each step!
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick) for 45 seconds. Pour into a larger, medium-sized bowl. Using that same small bowl you just microwaved the butter in, pour in 1 cup milk and microwave for 45 seconds.

  Once done, pour milk in with the butter. Add in 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast teaspoons, i.e. 1 packet) and ¼ cup granulated sugar; stir with a whisk until dissolved. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Once your dough starter has been sitting for 10 minutes, remove cover and mix in 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Once combined, start adding in 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour total, one cup at a time. You should be able to mix this with a spatula until you get to the end of adding the flour. At that point, you will need to use your hands. Keeping the dough in the bowl, gently form it into a ball. If dough is sticky, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour to the outside. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes (while waiting, proceed to next step to make filling).
• Chop Apples: Chop 2 apples into small ¼" cubes. I use my Fullstar vegetable chopper on the smaller grid size.
• Make Filling: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add chopped apples and toss until coated.
• After 10 minutes, remove cover and place dough on a flour-covered surface (about ½ – 1 tablespoon flour). I prefer taping down a piece of parchment to my counter, but you can also roll directly on a clean countertop. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and on the rolling pin, then roll the dough until it is approximately a 14×18” rectangle that is ¼” thick.
• Once rolled, spread softened ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) over the dough, followed by the cinnamon sugar apple mixture, making sure to spread to the outside edges.
• Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 strips, then roll each one individually. This method helps the rolls puff up more and gives a nicer appearance. Alternatively, you can roll the dough from the short side into a log and slice it with a serrated knife.
• Place cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 9×13 baking pan and bake at 350°F for 24-26 minutes until the tops are slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for a bit (10-15 minutes) before adding frosting to prevent the frosting from totally melting. If you plan to eat them later, wait to frost until they’re cooled for a prettier frosting presentation.

To Make Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Add softened ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), softened 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to mix until combined and smooth (about 30-60 seconds). Slather on warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!