Fresh apricots make a wonderfully flavorful filling for these Apricot Sweet Rolls. Think of your favorite cinnamon roll, but filled with a bright, fruity apricot filling that balances sweetness and tender yeast dough.
I had a big box of ripe apricots from a local fruit stand and needed to use them quickly. I made apricot jam and then tried these apricot sweet rolls three times. The first batch taught me a lesson: large chunks of fruit will leak and make a mess when you roll the dough. The filling oozed out and I lost a lot of fruit to the counter, even though the final rolls were tasty.
For the second batch I chopped the apricots very finely and the results were perfect. I rolled the dough, brushed it with butter, sprinkled sugar, then evenly scattered the finely chopped apricots. Rolling the dough was just like making cinnamon rolls: easy, neat, and it held the apricot filling without leaking. A light glaze finished the batch and the kids declared them a hit.
The third time I made them simply because I couldn’t resist one more tray of warm apricot rolls. I used my standard cinnamon roll dough, added a modest amount of apricot filling, and finished each roll with a light powdered-sugar drizzle. The texture is soft and tender, and the apricot flavor is fresh and bright — perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack.
Other great recipes to try
- Raspberry Scones
- Blackberry French Toast Casserole
- Raspberry Sweet Rolls
- Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls
If you make these Apricot Sweet Rolls, leave a comment and share a photo. You can tag Instagram @BeyondTheChickenCoop to show how your rolls turned out. I love hearing which variations you tried and how the apricot filling worked for you.
Apricot Sweet Rolls
Author: Kathy Berget
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a mid-morning treat. Soft yeast rolls filled with fresh apricots and finished with a light glaze.
Details
- Prep time: about 2 hours (including rise time)
- Cook time: 20–25 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Servings: 12 rolls
- Calories: approx. 192 kcal per roll
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup milk (warmed)
- 2¼ teaspoons yeast (or one package)
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- ½ cup butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5–5½ cups all-purpose flour (you may not need the full amount)
Filling
- ¼ cup melted butter (for brushing)
- ½ cup sugar (for sprinkling)
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh apricots (very small pieces prevent leaking)
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons milk (to achieve desired consistency)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warmed milk, yeast, and 3 Tablespoons sugar. Let the mixture sit 5–10 minutes, until the yeast becomes bubbly and active.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer running, add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. You may not need all the flour; stop when the dough pulls away from the bowl and is slightly tacky but manageable.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a well-greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size (about 60–90 minutes).
- Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 12″ x 18″ rectangle.
- Brush the rolled dough with the melted butter (reserve a little for brushing the tops later). Sprinkle the ½ cup sugar evenly over the butter. Scatter the finely chopped apricots over the sugar, spreading them evenly so the filling is distributed.
- Carefully roll the dough starting from a long edge, sealing the seam as you finish. Trim the ends if desired and cut the roll into 1″ slices.
- Place the slices cut-side up in a buttered baking dish, leaving a little space for them to expand.
- Let the assembled rolls rise for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffed.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow the rolls to cool in the dish. While they cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1–2 Tablespoons milk to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled rolls just before serving.
Tips
- Chop apricots very finely for the filling. Tiny pieces keep the filling from becoming runny and help the rolls hold their shape when rolled and sliced.
- If your dough is sticky, add flour a little at a time while kneading; avoid adding too much flour to keep the rolls tender.
- These sweet rolls are best served warm and fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days, or refrigerate and gently rewarm before serving.
Nutritional disclaimer
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate and should be used as a guideline only. For precise nutrition facts, calculate using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
Nutrition (approx. per roll)
- Calories: 192 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
- Sodium: 306 mg
- Sugar: 18 g
Tried this recipe? Share a photo and tag @BeyondTheChickenCoop on Instagram — I’d love to see your apricot sweet rolls and hear how they turned out!