Discover the timeless charm of vintage apple rollups, an old-fashioned Amish recipe. These delightful treats feature tender pastry wrapped around a cinnamon-spiced apple filling and baked in a sugary sauce.
The combination of textures and flavors is irresistible, evoking memories of cozy kitchens, family gatherings, and the legacy of cherished recipes passed down through generations. I first found this recipe while browsing through my grandma’s collection of old cookbooks. It comes from a tattered Mennonite cookbook, meaning it has a rich history and a lot of love baked right in.
I thought the recipe was very intriguing since it involves slicing the apple pastry and pouring boiling sauce all over the top. It sounded strange and unique, so I was all in! And sure enough, it tastes amazing. The sauce caramelizes around the edges of the dish and adds a fabulous flavor.
While this recipe has a few steps, it is straightforward, which reflects its Amish and Mennonite origins. The dough comes together quickly and can be easily rolled out, while the apple filling requires just a few basic ingredients and minimal preparation. These rollups’ rustic, homemade appearance adds to their charm and appeal.
In this post, I’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of creating your own old-fashioned apple rollups and share my best tips. So get ready to embrace the warmth and nostalgia of this timeless recipe!
Looking for more apple dessert recipes? Try puff pastry apple dumplings, apple crescent rolls, or Amish apple fritter bread.
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Apples: For this recipe, I like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples, like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith. The combination of flavors adds a nice depth and complexity to the filling.
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
🥣How to Make Apple Rollup
- First, make the pastry. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine everything. Then, add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Finally, add the milk and pulse just until the dough comes together.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll it into a roughly 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
- Now, it’s time to make the filling. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter. Then, stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Spread this mixture evenly over the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Peel the apples and dice them into small pieces. Sprinkle the chopped apples over the brown sugar mixture, making sure to distribute them evenly. Again, leave a small border around the edges of the dough.
- Starting from one of the long sides of the dough, carefully roll it up into a tight log. Use a sharp knife to slice the log into roughly 1 1/2-inch thick pieces and arrange them cut-side up in the prepared baking dish. Turn the oven to 375 degrees F so it can preheat while you make the sauce.
- For the sauce, combine the brown sugar, water, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes).
- Pour the sauce evenly over the rolls in the baking dish, making sure to get it between each piece.
- Bake the Apple Rollup for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender. Let the dish cool for a few minutes before serving, as the sauce will be very hot.
🍴Serving Ideas
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy this cozy fall treat! Of course, you can never go wrong with serving it up as-is, straight from the baking dish. There’s something so satisfying about scooping out a big, gooey scoop and savoring every warm, cinnamon-y bite.
I also love serving this dish with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The cool, creamy texture perfectly contrasts with the warm, tender pastry and juicy apples.
Another idea is to drizzle some extra sauce over the top of each slice just before serving. Reserve a little bit of the brown sugar and butter mixture from the recipe and heat it until it’s nice and bubbly. Then, I spoon it over each slice for an extra boost of sweetness.
If you’re serving this Apple Roll Up for a special occasion or holiday meal, dust it with a little bit of powdered sugar just before serving. It adds a pretty, festive touch and makes the dish feel extra special.
💭How to Store
If you have leftover apple rollup and plan to eat it within a day or two, you can cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s warmed.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Make sure you chop the apples into small pieces so they are easy to roll up in the pastry.
- A sharp knife is key to slicing the rollup. I like to use a serrated knife for this task, as it helps to cut through the layers of dough and filling without squishing everything together.
- If you want to add a little extra texture and crunch to your Apple Roll Up, sprinkle some chopped nuts or oats over the filling before rolling it up. Pecans, walnuts, and almonds all work great, and they add a nice depth of flavor to the dish.
- Experiment with different variations of this recipe. Try swapping out the apples for pears or peaches or adding a bourbon or maple syrup splash to the sauce for a little extra kick.
- The pastry for this recipe is simple, so I always make it from scratch. But you can certainly use store-bought pie crust in a pinch. The texture will be a little different since a pie crust is more flaky than the pastry in this recipe.
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Apple Rollup Recipe
Ingredients
Pastry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup butter
- ⅔ cup milk
Filling Ingredients
- ½ stick melted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 apples chopped
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- To make the pastry, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix.2 cups flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the butter and process until the mixture is the size of small peas.⅔ cup butter
- Add the milk and pulse until the dough forms a ball.⅔ cup milk
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
- Peel and chop the apple into small pieces.6 apples
- Melt the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar in the microwave. Spread the mixture on the dough and add the chopped apples.½ stick melted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Roll the dough up into a log. Slice the log into pieces 1 ½ inches thick. Put them in a greased baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine the sauce ingredients and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the spoon.2 cups brown sugar, 1 ½ cups water, ¼ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pour the sauce over the apple slices and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Notes
- Chop the apples into small pieces so they are easy to roll up in the pastry.
- A sharp knife is key to slicing the rollup. I like to use a serrated knife for this task, as it helps to cut through the layers of dough and filling without squishing everything together.
- If you want to add a little extra texture and crunch, sprinkle some chopped nuts or oats over the filling before rolling it up. Pecans, walnuts, and almonds all work great, and they add a nice depth of flavor to the dish.
- The pastry for this recipe is simple, so I always make it from scratch. But you can certainly use store-bought pie crust in a pinch. The texture will be different since a pie crust is more flaky than the pastry in this recipe.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
