Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler Recipe: Warm, Gooey Dessert

Cinnamon roll apple cobbler made with apple pie filling. This mash-up of apple pie filling topped with cinnamon-roll swirls is my new favorite cozy fall dessert.

Great desserts often come from unexpected flavor combinations. An upside-down cake obsession can lead to creative spins like caramel and ginger rhubarb upside-down cake. Cheesecake is frequently the starting point for inventive variations—think balsamic-strawberry-lime cheesecake with a pine nut crust. Those surprising pairings are what make a recipe stand out.

Irvin Lin is one of those dessert innovators. His flavor pairings and mash-ups are inventive and delightful. His book, Marbled, Swirled and Layered, is full of clever twists on classics—swirling in unexpected flavors or layering components that play well together.

I met Irvin at a book signing recently and sampled a lot of desserts—more than once—and loved how thoughtfully each recipe is developed. His book offers multiple variations for many recipes, and you can tell each one was tested thoroughly. That kind of perfectionism is a real asset in a recipe developer.

I flagged his Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler right away. Combining apple pie filling with cinnamon-roll-style cobbler dough felt obvious in hindsight—why hadn’t someone done it sooner? It’s a brilliant mash-up.

Irvin’s original recipe fills a 9×13″ pan, but I scaled it down slightly to make less. I didn’t shrink it too much—apple pie is a favorite in my house and it disappears fast.

I enjoyed the process of making this cinnamon roll apple cobbler. It’s straightforward and satisfying:

Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler Steps:

1. Peel and slice apples, then toss them with sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice.
2. Start baking the apples so they soften and release their juices while you make the cobbler dough.
3. Prepare the cobbler dough, roll it out, spread the cinnamon-sugar filling, and roll the dough into a log.
4. Use a pastry scraper or a blunt knife to help roll and shape the log so the swirls are neat.

When the apples are partially baked, arrange the cinnamon-roll-style dough slices on top and finish baking. The result is simple but impressive: tender bubbling apples beneath golden, cinnamon-swirled rolls.

I ate half the pan in two days—no regrets. This dessert brings apple pie filling together with cinnamon-roll texture and flavor in a way that feels both comforting and fresh. Call it upside-down apple cinnamon rolls, apple cobbler with cinnamon rolls, or cinnamon roll apple cobbler—it’s a keeper.

Thanks, Irvin, for another brilliant idea. Let’s bake together again soon!

Other cobblers you might like:

• Chocolate Cobbler Recipe
• Blueberry Cobbler
• Fresh Peach Cobbler

Yield: 4 servings

Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler

Apple pie meets cinnamon rolls. Everyone’s happy.

Prep Time
40 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour

Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the apples:

• 2 1/2 pounds apples (mix Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon swirl filling:

• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Pinch of salt

For the cobbler:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (heaped)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

To assemble:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×8″ pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Reserve one apple. Peel, core and slice the remaining apples into eighths and place them in a large bowl. Peel, quarter and grate the reserved apple and add it to the bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice until well combined.
3. Pour the apples and any juices into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
4. While the apples bake, make the cinnamon swirl filling by mixing the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
5. Make the cobbler dough by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
6. Stir the melted butter into the flour mixture, then add the buttermilk and mix until a shaggy, moist dough forms.
7. Flour your work surface well and roll the dough into a 9 x 9″ square, dusting as needed to prevent sticking.
8. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough in a thin layer, right to the edges.
9. Using a pastry scraper or a blunt knife, roll the dough tightly into a log.
10. Slice the log into nine 1″ thick pieces.
11. Remove the apples from the oven after 30 minutes and arrange the dough slices on top. Brush each swirl with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
12. Bake for another 30 minutes until the swirls are golden and the apples are bubbling and tender. Let cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 761
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 557mg
Carbohydrates: 138g
Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 75g
Protein: 9g