This time around, I have a special treat for you. I will let you in on a not-so-secret: I rarely make pie crusts from scratch. I use frozen and refrigerated crusts. I will press thawed hashbrowns into a pie plate and pre-bake them for quiches or savory pies. And I recently pulled out my rolling pin … to turn refrigerated cinnamon roll dough into a quick and clever pie crust. And boy, was that a good idea!
Once flattened, it's easy to piece together the flat cinnamon rolls to fill a pie plate, work in some filling (apple, in this case, but it really could be any number of options), and add a pretty swirl of dough on top with granola playing a supporting role in pie topping. Easy peasy!
You can cut any of the flattened rolls to make a pie crust work and if the bits you have left over don't lend themselves to a swirl, just roll them into a snake - playdough style - and go from there. It's a simple trick and turns out oh-so-yummy and downright pretty. Once it's cooled from the oven, add a drizzle of icing. You can make your own, but these refrigerated cinnamon rolls come with a little blob of the stuff and it's really the perfect size.
Serve slices of this pie with a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or just dig in because it really doesn't need anything else. Every bite has you thinking of both classic apple pie and cinnamon rolls. What's not to love?
Apple Cinnamon Roll Pie
- 3 Granny Smith or other firm, tart apples, sliced
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tube ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls
- ½ cup granola - choose a variety that will pair nicely with apples and cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Set aside.
Roll out each cinnamon roll into ⅛-inch-thick pieces.
Line the bottom of a lightly-greased pie dish with the flattened cinnamon buns. You will have some extra cinnamon roll pieces left - reserve them for the top of the pie. Pour the apple mixture into the pie pan.
Lay the cinnamon bun strips over the pie to create a swirl pattern. Sprinkle the granola into the spaces between the cinnamon roll dough on the top of the pie.
Bake the pie for 25 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown.
Cool the pie completely and drizzle the top of the cooled pie with the icing from the tube of cinnamon rolls.
- Yields: 8-10 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes