Air Fried Apple Cinnamon Sweet Biscuit Rolls

These apple biscuit cinnamon rolls are quick, no-yeast cinnamon rolls made with homemade buttermilk biscuit dough, fresh diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. There is no rising time, and the finished rolls have the tender, biscuit-style texture of a sweet cinnamon biscuit rather than the stretchy dough and bread-like crumb of a traditional yeast cinnamon roll.

I developed this as a small-batch air fryer recipe when I wanted a homemade apple cinnamon roll without turning on the full oven or waiting for yeast dough to rise. Seven rolls fit comfortably in the air fryer and take about 30 minutes from mixing the dough to baking. The same apple biscuit cinnamon rolls can also be baked in a conventional oven.

The apples are diced into small pieces so they soften during the short baking time without creating large wet pockets inside the cinnamon swirl. Finished with cream cheese icing, these homemade apple cinnamon rolls work well for a fall breakfast, weekend brunch, or a warm treat with coffee.

Quick Answer

Apple biscuit cinnamon rolls are quick no-yeast cinnamon rolls made with homemade buttermilk biscuit dough, fresh diced apples, cinnamon brown sugar filling, and cream cheese icing. This small-batch recipe was developed for the air fryer but can also be baked in a conventional oven.

Why I Use Biscuit Dough for These Cinnamon Rolls

I grew up eating tea biscuits made with baking powder and soured milk, and over the years I have made plenty of sweet versions of that basic biscuit dough. I use that same basic biscuit-making approach in recipes such as my baking powder buttermilk biscuits, although these apple rolls take the dough in a sweet direction.

Biscuit dough works particularly well when you want homemade cinnamon rolls without waiting for yeast dough to rise. Baking powder and baking soda provide the lift, while cold butter gives the rolls their tender biscuit-style layers.

They are not meant to have the stretchy, bread-like interior of a yeast cinnamon roll. Think of them instead as a cinnamon biscuit rolled with fresh apples and brown sugar.

Why You’ll Love These Apple Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

No Yeast or Rising Time: The homemade buttermilk biscuit dough uses baking powder and baking soda, so the rolls can be mixed, shaped, and baked right away.

Small-Batch Recipe: One batch makes seven rolls, making it practical when you don’t need a full pan of cinnamon rolls.

Fresh Apple Filling: Small pieces of fresh apple soften as the rolls bake and give you apple throughout the cinnamon brown sugar filling.

Air Fryer or Oven: The recipe was developed for the air fryer, but the rolls can also be baked in a regular oven at the same temperature.

Cream Cheese Icing: A simple two-ingredient cream cheese icing adds sweetness to the lightly sweetened biscuit dough and cinnamon apple filling.

How to Make Apple Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

These apple biscuit cinnamon rolls start with a homemade buttermilk biscuit dough, so there is no yeast to activate and no rising time to wait for.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined.

Add the cold butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips. Work quickly so the butter stays cold. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter still visible.

Pour in the cold buttermilk and mix just until the flour is incorporated and a soft biscuit dough forms. If you need to bring the last dry bits together with your hands, handle the dough gently. Overworking biscuit dough can warm the butter and develop too much gluten, making the finished cinnamon rolls tougher rather than tender and flaky.

Set the biscuit dough aside while you prepare the apple filling.

Peel the apples and dice them into small pieces slightly larger than a pea. This size matters when making the rolls in the air fryer because the apples need to soften during the short baking time. Pieces that are too large may remain firm and can release pockets of moisture into the dough.

Add the diced apples to a bowl with the dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated with the cinnamon brown sugar mixture.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the biscuit dough into a rectangle no more than about ¼ inch thick. Brush the surface with melted butter, then spread the fresh apple cinnamon filling evenly over the dough. If any cinnamon sugar remains in the bowl, sprinkle it over the apples.

Starting at one narrow end, gently roll the dough into a log. Keep the roll fairly snug without squeezing the filling out. Pat the ends inward with your hands to help contain any loose pieces of apple.

Brush the outside of the roll with a little melted butter to encourage browning.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into seven even slices, each no more than about 2 inches thick. Place the rolls cut side up in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving enough room for the biscuit dough to expand as it cooks.

Bake the apple biscuit cinnamon rolls in the air fryer at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, or until the biscuit dough is cooked through and the tops are golden brown. In my air fryer, 20 minutes gives me the doneness I prefer.

If your air fryer basket is smaller, bake the rolls in two batches rather than crowding them.

Oven Method

To bake the apple biscuit cinnamon rolls in a conventional oven, place them cut side up in a greased baking pan. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and the centers are cooked through.

Add the Cream Cheese Icing

While the rolls are baking, stir the softened cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth.

Transfer the baked rolls to a cooling rack. Spread the cream cheese icing over them immediately if you prefer a softer, meltier finish, or let the rolls cool for about 5 minutes before icing so more of the frosting stays on top.

Ingredients

These apple biscuit cinnamon rolls use a homemade buttermilk biscuit dough filled with fresh apples, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon, then finished with a simple cream cheese icing.

All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the homemade biscuit dough and gives the rolls their tender, biscuit-style structure. Regular all-purpose flour is all you need; there is no need for bread flour because these are not yeast cinnamon rolls.

Salt: Balances the sweetness in the dough and brings out the flavor of the butter, apples, and cinnamon.

Baking Powder: Provides most of the lift in the biscuit dough so the rolls bake up tender rather than dense.

Baking Soda: Works with the acidity in the buttermilk to give the biscuit dough additional lift and help with browning.

White Sugar: Lightly sweetens the biscuit dough and helps the surface brown as the rolls bake.

Cold Butter: Cold butter is worked into the flour to create small pockets of fat throughout the dough. Keeping it cold helps give the finished cinnamon rolls their flaky, biscuit-style texture.

Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tang to the dough while activating the baking soda. Cold buttermilk also helps keep the butter firm while the dough is being mixed.

For the Apple Cinnamon Filling

Apples: Use a baking apple that will soften during the short cooking time without turning watery. McIntosh apples work particularly well because they are common, usually economical, and soften nicely when baked. McIntosh are a reliable baking apple and are commonly used in Ontario baking recipes. Dice the apples into small pieces so they cook through inside the rolls.

Dark Brown Sugar: I prefer dark brown sugar because its stronger molasses flavor works well with apples and cinnamon. Golden brown sugar can also be used if that is what you have.

Ground Cinnamon: Gives the filling its warm cinnamon flavor and pairs naturally with the fresh apples and brown sugar.

Melted Butter: Brushed over the rolled biscuit dough before the apple filling is added, then used lightly on the outside of the roll to add richness and help with browning.

For the Cream Cheese Icing

Cream Cheese: Use softened cream cheese so it blends smoothly with the icing sugar. The tanginess helps balance the sweet apple cinnamon filling.

Icing Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the cream cheese into a simple icing that can be spread over the warm rolls.

Substitutions and Add-Ins for Apple Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

These apple biscuit cinnamon rolls allow for a few ingredient changes, but keep the basic balance of the biscuit dough intact so the rolls still rise and hold their shape.

All-Purpose Flour: You can replace part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a slightly heartier biscuit texture. I would not replace all of the flour with oat flour, since it does not behave the same way as wheat flour in this rolled biscuit dough.

Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt can be used in place of regular table salt. If using a coarse salt, keep in mind that the volume measurement may not be exactly equivalent.

Baking Powder: Baking powder works best here and should be kept if possible. If you are completely out, a baking soda and cream of tartar combination can provide some leavening, although the texture and rise may not be quite the same.

Baking Soda: Keep the baking soda as written because it works with the acidity in the buttermilk to help the biscuit dough rise.

Butter: Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. Margarine or coconut oil will change the flavor and texture, so I prefer butter when you want the same flaky biscuit-style result.

Buttermilk: If you do not have buttermilk, make sour milk (not to be confused with clabbered milk) by combining 1 tablespoon of white vinegar with enough regular milk to make 1 cup. Let it stand briefly before using, and keep it cold so the butter in the dough stays firm.

White Sugar: Coconut sugar can be used instead for a slightly deeper flavor and darker dough.

Ground Cinnamon: Apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or chai spice can be used when you want a warmer spice blend instead of straight cinnamon. Each will change the flavor slightly, so use whichever profile you prefer with the apples.

Apples: McIntosh work especially well because they soften quickly, but other baking apples can also be used. Pears or peaches can be used to make a similar biscuit roll, although the result would be a different fruit cinnamon roll rather than an apple biscuit cinnamon roll.

Dark Brown Sugar: Golden brown sugar can be used in a 1:1 ratio. Coconut sugar also works, or you can combine white sugar with a small amount of molasses for a deeper brown sugar flavor.

Optional Add-Ins: Finely chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the apple cinnamon filling. Keep the pieces small and avoid overfilling the dough so the log remains easy to roll and slice.

Toaster Oven Option

These biscuit cinnamon rolls can also be baked in a toaster oven at 350°F. Because toaster ovens are smaller and their heating elements sit closer to the food, begin checking the rolls a little earlier and bake until they are golden brown and cooked through in the center.

​Expert Tips, Serving and Storing Suggestions for Apple Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Tip #1: Keep the Butter and Buttermilk Cold: Cold butter helps create the flaky biscuit-style layers in these apple biscuit cinnamon rolls. Cold buttermilk also helps keep the butter firm while the dough is being mixed and shaped.

Tip #2: Do Not Overwork the Dough: Mix the biscuit dough only until it comes together. Too much handling can warm the butter and develop more gluten, making the finished rolls tougher and denser instead of tender.

Tip #3: Brush With Melted Butter: Brush the outside of the rolled dough lightly with melted butter before slicing. This helps the biscuit dough brown as the cinnamon rolls bake.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these apple biscuit cinnamon rolls warm for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break. The fresh apple cinnamon filling and cream cheese icing make them especially suited to fall baking and weekend breakfasts. For another apple-season breakfast bake, try my apple chai streusel muffins.

Because the rolls are made with biscuit dough rather than yeast dough, they have a tender, flaky biscuit texture and are best when freshly baked. If you still have apples to bake with, apple tea bread is another simple option for breakfast or an afternoon coffee break.

Storing Apple Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Store unfrosted apple biscuit cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Once the cream cheese icing has been added, refrigerate the rolls in an airtight container.

Biscuit dough gradually dries as it sits, so these rolls have their best texture on the day they are baked. If refrigerated, let them come closer to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly before eating.

Freezing

For make-ahead baking, shape and cut the apple biscuit cinnamon rolls before freezing. Place the unbaked rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.

Bake the frozen rolls without thawing, allowing additional cooking time as needed and checking that the centers are fully baked before serving.

If you make these apple biscuit cinnamon rolls, I would love to know which apple variety you used in the filling.

Meet Amber

I’m the home cook and recipe creator behind A Cents For Cookery. I learned to cook growing up off-grid in Northern Ontario, where meals were made on a woodstove and preserving, baking, and making ingredients stretch were part of everyday life. Here I share practical family recipes, homemade baking, vintage-inspired cooking, and the kitchen knowledge I’ve picked up over the years to help you make the most of the food you have.

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