Saucy Rossy BBQ
Desserts

Smoked Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake

Pillsbury cinnamon rolls cut into Compliments apple pie filling, baked at 375°F on a Traeger Woodridge Pro over Applewood, then iced and topped with whipped cream and caramel.

Time~45 min Prep10 min YieldServes 4–6 CategoryDesserts Watch3:54
Smoked Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Bake — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Heat the Traeger Woodridge Pro to 375°F with Applewood pellets.Mild woods suit desserts, and applewood or maple are the recommended choices here. Both give a light, sweet smoke instead of a harsh one. At 375°F this is baking, not smoking, so the wood stays in the background. An oven at the same temperature works just as well.
  2. 2Empty the Compliments apple pie filling into the baking dish.The apple slices were left whole here, but you can break them up if you want smaller pieces. Pie filling is already cooked, sweetened and thickened, so nothing else needs to go in.
  3. 3Cut the Pillsbury cinnamon rolls into pieces with scissors, setting the icing aside for later.Scissors are much easier than a knife on raw dough, which drags and sticks to a blade. Bite-sized pieces are about right, because they puff up a lot in the heat. Keep the icing for the end.
  4. 4Mix the dough pieces into the apple pie filling until they are fully incorporated.Every piece of dough should be coated so the filling bakes into it. Mixing instead of layering puts apple in every bite and stops the dough from baking into one solid slab on top.
  5. 5Spread it out into a thin, even layer in the dish.A thin layer bakes evenly, while a deep pile leaves raw dough in the middle as the top browns. Do not worry about gaps. The cinnamon rolls puff up and fill them as they bake.
  6. 6Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes, until the cinnamon roll pieces have puffed up and turned golden, and give it 5–10 minutes more if you want more colour.Check a piece from the centre of the dish. It should be cooked through, not gummy, and the filling should be bubbling at the edges. Keep the lid closed as much as you can so the temperature holds.
  7. 7Drizzle the cinnamon roll icing over the top as soon as it comes off the grill.The heat melts the icing so it runs into the gaps and sets as a glaze across the top. If you wait until the dish cools, the icing sits on the surface in thick lumps.
  8. 8Finish with a few squirts of Compliments whipped cream and a zigzag of Compliments caramel sauce.Add these just before serving, because whipped cream melts quickly on a hot dessert. Spray whipped cream is quickest, but any whipped topping or homemade whipped cream works.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Apple pie filling
Pre-cooked, sweetened and thickened apples, so there is no peeling, slicing or cornstarch to deal with. Cherry or peach pie filling swaps in directly.
Pillsbury cinnamon rolls
Refrigerated dough with the icing included. Cut into pieces, it bakes into the filling like a cobbler topping. Any refrigerated cinnamon roll dough works the same way.
Cinnamon roll icing
Comes with the rolls. It goes on while the dish is hot so it melts into a glaze instead of sitting on top.
Whipped cream
Cool and light against a hot, sweet dish. Spray whipped cream is quickest. Vanilla ice cream is an equally good swap.
Caramel sauce
Adds a deeper, toasty sweetness that suits apple. Salted caramel cuts the sweetness a little.
Applewood pellets
Mild and fruity. Maple is the suggested alternative, and both are subtle enough for a dessert. Stronger woods such as mesquite or hickory can taste harsh on something this sweet.

Temperature guide

StageTempWhat it means
Pit375°F / 191°CApplewood or maple pellets. An oven at the same temperature works too.
Baked~30 minutesCinnamon roll pieces puffed and cooked through.
More colour35–40 minutesAnother 5–10 minutes gives a deeper golden brown.
FillingBubbling at the edgesA sign it is hot all the way through.
IcingStraight out of the heatDrizzle it on right away so it melts into a glaze.

Pitmaster tips

  • Use scissors to cut the dough. They are faster and cleaner than a knife on sticky refrigerated dough.
  • Spread the mixture thin and even. The rolls puff up a lot, and a deep layer leaves raw dough in the middle.
  • Stick with a mild wood. Applewood or maple gives a gentle, sweet smoke that suits a dessert.
  • You do not need a smoker. An oven at 375°F gives the same bake, and the pellet grill adds a light wood-fired note.
  • Check a piece from the centre of the dish. The outside browns first, and the middle is where raw dough hides.
  • Leave it 5–10 minutes longer if you want more colour on top.
  • Ice it the moment it comes out, while it is still hot enough to melt the icing.
  • Add the whipped cream right before serving. It melts fast on a hot dish.
  • Break up the apple slices before mixing if you want smaller pieces through every bite.

If it goes wrong

Raw dough in the middle
The layer was too thick or it came out too soon. Spread it thinner and give it another 5–10 minutes. Tent the top with foil if it is getting too dark.
The top is pale
Leave it 5–10 minutes longer, as suggested in the video. Keep the lid closed so the temperature holds.
The bottom caught
The dish sat over the hottest part of the grill. Put it in the centre of the grate, or set it on a second tray to shield the bottom.
The icing did not melt
It went on after the dish had cooled. Drizzle it straight away while the dish is still hot.
The whipped cream melted
It went on too early. Add it just before serving, or put it on the side.

Ways to change it up

Maple pellets
Swap the Applewood for maple pellets, the other wood recommended in the video.
In the oven
Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes. There is no smoke, but otherwise it is the same dessert.
Different fruit
Cherry, peach or blueberry pie filling works the same way.
À la mode
Serve with vanilla ice cream instead of the whipped cream, or as well as it.

What to serve it with

  • Warm, iced, with whipped cream and a caramel drizzle, as in the video.
  • With a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • With coffee.
  • Straight from the dish at a backyard cookout, once the main course is done.

Storage & reheating

Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge, covered. Scrape off the whipped cream first, because it weeps and goes watery.

Reheat single portions in the microwave for 30–60 seconds, or the whole dish covered with foil at 350°F for 10–15 minutes. Add fresh whipped cream and caramel after reheating.

It freezes for up to 2 months without the toppings, wrapped tightly. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F. The dough is a little softer after freezing.

FAQ

Can you bake cinnamon rolls on a pellet grill?

Yes. A pellet grill holds temperature like an oven, so 375°F for around 30 minutes works the same way. The difference is a light wood-fired flavour, so use a mild wood like applewood or maple.

What wood pellets are best for smoked desserts?

Mild woods such as applewood, maple or cherry. Applewood was used here, and maple is recommended as an equally good option. Strong woods like mesquite and hickory can overpower something this sweet.

Can I make this in the oven?

Yes, and the video says so too. Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes. You lose the subtle smoke, but otherwise the dessert is the same.

How do I know when it is done?

The cinnamon roll pieces should be puffed, golden and cooked through in the centre of the dish, with the filling bubbling at the edges. If the top is still pale, give it 5–10 more minutes.

Can I use a different pie filling?

Yes. Cherry, peach or blueberry all work the same way. Apple is the classic pairing with cinnamon, which is why it is used here.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Apple
Apples add natural sweetness, fibre, and vitamin C. In a brine or alongside pork they balance salt and smoke; on their own they're a low-calorie, gut-friendly fruit.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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