Apple Pie Filling Cinnamon Rolls (Easy Dump Bake)
A two-ingredient shortcut: canned cinnamon rolls baked over canned apple pie filling into a gooey, cobbler-like breakfast bake — ready with about 10 minutes of work.
- Total time
- 48 min
- Bake
- 28 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Level
- beginner
The quick answer
Apple pie filling cinnamon rolls are a dump bake: spread a can of apple pie filling in a dish, arrange refrigerated cinnamon rolls on top, and bake at 350°F until the rolls are cooked through and the filling is bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Snip larger apple pieces smaller and don't skip checking the roll centers, which cook slower sitting on the wet filling.
This is the lazy-morning miracle that tastes like you fussed. You spread a can of apple pie filling in a dish, nestle refrigerated cinnamon rolls on top, and bake — the rolls puff and drink up the bubbling apple and cinnamon juices from below, turning into something between a cinnamon roll and an apple cobbler. Drizzle over the icing that came with the rolls and it's done. It's the go-to for holiday mornings, potlucks, and any time you want a warm apple-cinnamon bake with almost no effort.
Ingredients
Bake
- 2 cansrefrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing — two 8-count tubes
- 1 canapple pie filling — 21 oz, apples snipped smaller
- ½ tspground cinnamon — optional, to boost
- 1 tbspbutter for the dish
Optional streusel top
- 3 tbsppacked brown sugar
- 3 tbspall-purpose flour
- 2 tbspcold unsalted butter
- ¼ cupchopped pecans
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13 dish. Set the icing tubs aside for later.
Spread the apple pie filling evenly in the dish, snipping any large apple pieces smaller with scissors, and stir in the extra cinnamon if using.
Apples cover the bottom in an even layer.
Separate the cinnamon rolls and arrange them evenly on top of the filling, spacing them so they can puff.
Rolls sit on the apples with small gaps.
If using the streusel, rub the brown sugar, flour, cold butter, and pecans into crumbs and scatter over the top.
Streusel is crumbly, not paste.
Bake until the rolls are golden and cooked through and the filling bubbles at the edges.
Roll centers are set (not doughy); filling bubbles.
If the tops brown before the centers cook, tent with foil and continue baking, then cool 10 minutes and drizzle with the reserved icing.
Centers cooked; icing melts over the warm bake.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Best baked fresh, but you can assemble it (without icing) and refrigerate a few hours before baking. Add a few minutes to the bake time if going in cold.
- Storage
- Refrigerate covered up to 3 days.
- Reheating
- Microwave a portion 30 seconds, or warm the covered dish at 300°F for about 12 minutes.
- Freezing
- Freeze baked portions up to 1 month; thaw and reheat, though the rolls are softest fresh.
Substitutions
- Homemade cinnamon rolls, sliced and arranged on top instead of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
- Cherry, peach, or apple-cranberry pie filling instead of apple pie filling
Troubleshooting
- Roll centers were doughy
- Rolls on top of wet filling cook slower — bake until the centers are fully set, tenting with foil if the tops brown first, and give the middle rolls extra time.
- Too sweet
- Skip the streusel and the extra sugar, and use a low-sugar or unsweetened apple pie filling; a squeeze of lemon over the apples also balances it.
- Soggy bottoms on the rolls
- That gooey bottom is part of the dish, but for firmer rolls use a bit less filling and make sure the oven is fully preheated.
Tools I reach for
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Frequently asked questions
- How do I make cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling?
- Spread a can of apple pie filling in a greased 9x13 dish, arrange refrigerated cinnamon rolls on top, and bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes until the rolls are cooked and the filling bubbles. Drizzle with the included icing.
- Why are the middle rolls still doughy?
- Rolls sitting on wet filling cook slower than the edges. Bake until the centers are fully set, and tent the top with foil if it browns before the middle is done.
- Can I use homemade rolls instead of canned?
- Yes — slice unbaked homemade cinnamon rolls and arrange them over the filling. They may need a few extra minutes and a short rest to puff before baking.
Nutrition (estimate): 1 serving (of 8) · ~390 kcal. Nutrition is an automated estimate and will vary with brands and exact quantities.
Food safety: don't taste dough containing raw flour or raw egg. Refrigerate anything with cream cheese frosting, and reheat leftovers until piping hot.
Frostings & glazes to pair
- Vanilla Bean GlazeA glossy, pourable vanilla bean glaze that sets into a thin sweet shell over cinnamon rolls, sweet buns, and scones.
- Classic Cream Cheese FrostingThe tangy, silky-smooth cream cheese frosting that melts into warm cinnamon rolls and defines the bakery-style classic.
- Maple FrostingA creamy, buttery frosting sweetened with real maple syrup for a warm, woodsy flavor that loves cinnamon and pecans.
Helpful guides
- What to Serve with Cinnamon RollsBalance rich, sweet cinnamon rolls with savory proteins, tart fruit, and good coffee — a brunch menu that keeps the table from feeling one-note.
- How to Store & Freeze Cinnamon RollsHow to keep cinnamon rolls fresh at room temperature, in the fridge, and in the freezer — including baked and unbaked rolls.
More cinnamon rolls to try
- Apple Cinnamon RollsSoft cinnamon rolls stuffed with diced, cinnamon-spiced apples that bake down into little pockets of warm apple pie.
- How to Upgrade Canned Cinnamon RollsTurn a tube of store-bought cinnamon rolls into something bakery-worthy with the heavy cream trick, extra filling, and real cream cheese frosting.
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast BakeA make-ahead brunch casserole: cut-up cinnamon rolls soaked in a cinnamon-vanilla custard and baked until puffed, custardy inside, and golden on top.