Apple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Remember these #2 rolls? Well I had an idea to dress up these "cinnamon" rolls. How about if I turn them into more of a fruit danish like sweet roll? I found a recipe for an apple filling here so I adapted it for the rolls. Oooh were they delicious! I really like the pudding mixed in these, keeps them moist for a couple days.

Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding (made into pudding)
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups flour

Apple mixture* (below)

Frosting: (directions below)
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner?s sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
dash cinnamon


In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
In large bowl (or kitchen aid), take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend.
Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not over flour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky.
Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.
Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. Sprinkle apple mixture over the top of the dough. You can also sprinkle additional cinnamon over this too.
Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart (or place in a 9x13 pan). Cover and let rise until double again.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don?t over bake).

Frost warm-cool rolls with the cream cheese frosting (*combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and cinnamon and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency).

Makes about 24 very large rolls. Roll Recipe adapted from here.


*Apple Filling:
4 Fuji or other baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into tiny pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice + zest (1 bigger lemon was all I needed)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Cup chopped pecans

Toss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before using, sprinkle nuts over the apples.