By 
In 2004, Danger Mouse released The Grey Album, a mashup of Jay-Z’s “The Black Album” and the Beatle’s “The White Album,” hence the title “The Grey Album” (so clever). Like other successful albums, this one was intriguing and memorable. Not to say all mashups are a success, though does any remember the mashup of JT’s “Cry Me a River” with “Let it Whip”? I didn’t think so. Food mashups, like musical mashups, unite two great dishes into something epic… like cinnamon buns and apple cobbler.
Okay, hear me out. I was staring at a bucket of apples from our tree (it’s fall right now, FYI) and started thinking about apple cobbler. So I started googling for inspiration and came across a cinnamon bun pineapple upside-down cake recipe. I was immediately intrigued. Pineapple upside-down cake doesn’t scream fall to me, but cinnamon buns do. Then it hit me – CINNAMON BUN APPLE COBBLER! And the idea was born. 
Here is what you need to know about this dish:
- You can use homemade or store-bought cinnamon rolls, such as Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls. It depends on how much time you want to invest. Either way, you need 10-12 rolls, depending on the size of your pan. I usually choose the less convenient option and use Pillsbury Grands! with Cinnabon cream cheese icing. If you have leftover rolls, you can freeze them for a later date.
- Use a mix of different apples. I recommend mixing tart apples, like Granny Smith, and a few sweeter apples, for more texture and a deep apple flavour. Granny Smith apples will remain tart and crisp, while the sweeter varieties will become jammy. You can use whatever you have on hand for sweeter apples: Honey Crisp, Gala, Pink Lady… any kind will do.
- Aim for 1/8-1/4 inches in thickness when you start slicing the apples. Option to use a mandolin for uniformity and to speed up the process. Cover the apple slices in cool water with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt or one tablespoon of lemon juice to prevent the apple slices from browning. Once you finish slicing, drain and rinse them.
If you like this recipe, check out my Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls.
Cinnamon Bun Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
- butter (for the pan)
- 5 large apples (I used Granny Smith and Honey Crisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- salt
- 2 cans Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Generously grease a 12" cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan with butter. Set it aside.
- Add the sliced apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and a pinch of salt to a large bowl. Toss to combine. Add the apples to the prepared pan, and arrange them in an even layer.
- Bake the apples for 20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and arrange the cinnamon rolls over the apples. Put the skillet back in the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the apple layer is bubbling and the cinnamon rolls are golden brown on top.
- Use the cinnamon roll cans icing and drizzle over the hot rolls. Be careful! The pan will be scorching hot. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @chrissymeetsworld on Instagram!
Sincerely,
Chrissy
What do you think?