Cooking for a crowd- Apple Rolls

For the holidays I love to have special breakfasts to serve to my family. One of our favorites is Apple Rolls. They are like cinnamon rolls, only they have apples and apple butter inside!

I start off by making my own apple butter. I make this once a year and when its gone, its gone. My kids search the cupboards carefully when I announce we are out of it, just incase I missed a jar. They love it! I got the original recipe from crockpot365, but changed it around to work for my family, including super sizing it!

Apple Butter

30 - 40 pounds of apples (I find apples on sale, this time it was organic juice quality apples for $.50 a pound!)

4-6 Tablespoons of vanilla

- Quarter, core, and peel all of those apples. Just work on them through the day, and throw them in the Turkey roaster.

-Cook at 250 degrees for 8-10 hours (over night)

-Mash them up a bit then add

3-5 cups of sugar; brown and/or white (I use 3, but it depends on what you like and what type of apples you use)

cinnamon (to taste, I don't measure but I think it was more than a Tablespoon)

Cloves (again, I don't measure but I think a teaspoon or two would be good)

Cook this for 6 more hours. Check it from time to time taste it and add spices/sugar if needed. Make sure it is all well mashed up. Now for storing it you'll need to either freeze it, or find canning instructions.

I always set aside a large bowl/jar to use to make apple rolls with.

Here is the original recipe that will make two pans. I like to double it in my bosch mixer and freeze 2-3 pans for holiday mornings or to bless a friend in need with.

 

Apple rolls

6- 61/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat though)

2 Tablespoons yeast

2 cups milk

3/4 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

Filling

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups chopped, peeled apple

3/4 cup apple butter

1. In a medium sauce pan heat and stir milk, butter, vanilla, and sugar. Let cool, then add yeast (if it is too hot it will kill the yeast!). Put in large mixing bowl, add 3 cups flour, egg and salt and mix well. Add 1 cup flour at a time until it makes a soft dough. Place dough in a lightly greased very large bowl, turning once, cover. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size 45-60 minutes.

2. For filling, melt butter; stir in brown sugar, chopped apples, and apple butter. Set aside.

3. Punch down dough. Divide dough in half. Roll out one half in a rectangle, place half of the filling on it and spread over the dough. Roll the dough up, seal dough and cut. Place rolls in 9x13 greased pan.

4. Cover and let rise until nearly double in size (30-40 min.). Bake at 350 30 minutes.

Frosting or icing is nice on these is nice. Sometimes I use a cream cheese frosting, this time I used an icing made with real maple syrup. Yum! Enjoy!

I'm linking to Life in a shoe this week.