Start by warming the milk to 110ºF. Pour it into a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and yeast to the milk. Mix to combine.

Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.

Add the rest of the sugar to the bowl, along with the butter and whisked eggs. Mix for about 30 seconds with the paddle attachment of the mixer, or use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the ingredients.

The mixture won’t look incorporated, that’s fine. Add 5 cups of flour, and the salt, and continue to mix with the paddle attachment, until the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients are combined into a shaggy dough.

Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, turn the dough into a floured surface, and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour to the dough if necessary, if the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, or too sticky to knead by hand.

You should knead the dough until it is barely sticking to the sides of the bowl. It can be sticking on the bottom of the bowl, but should come off the sides.

The dough should be soft and smooth, tacky but not sticky.

Shape it into a smooth ball.

Place the dough in a large bowl greased with oil. Turn the dough over in the bowl to grease all around.

Cover with plastic wrap, or aluminum foil, or a clean kitchen towel.

Place the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, and salt in a large saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally.

Cook until the apples have softened, and the mixture has reduced to a thick syrup coating the apples. It should take 12 to 15 minutes. If the mixture gets too dry, and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a bit more water by the tablespoons, and reduce the heat.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until dissolved.

Pour the cornstarch mixture over the apples.

Mix with a spatula or spoon, cooking until the mixture becomes very thick, for one to two minutes.

Remove the apples to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let the apples come to room temperature, then place in the fridge. You can use them to fill the rolls when they are at room temperature, or you can make them ahead, and leave them in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the rolls to bake.

Right before you are ready to assemble the rolls, make the cinnamon butter. Mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon in a bowl. Use a spatula to incorporate the ingredients into a thick paste.

Grease a 9x13” pan with oil spray, or by brushing oil on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set it aside.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle.

It should be about 1/2” thick, and the rectangle should measure about 20x12”.

While rolling the dough, lift it off the counter gently a few times, to give it a chance to spring back and settle, which will ensure the dough is being properly rolled out.

If the dough keeps shrinking, let it sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes to relax the gluten.

Spread the Cinnamon Butter Filling all over the surface of the dough, on an even layer.

Pour the apples on top, and use a spatula or a spoon to spread them out also on an even layer.

Make a tight roll with the dough, by gently rolling it from the widest size onto itself, making an 20” dough log.

Cut the ends of the dough. I always cut them off so I can have all the rolls be straight with the same height. I bake those two small rolls separately and eat them as a treat.

Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. I like to cut the rolls by placing a piece of floss underneath the dough and crossing it at the top, which makes a neat cut. If you use a knife to slice the rolls, it squishes them, and makes them pointy at the edges.

Place each roll in the greased baking sheet, in three rows of four rolls each.

Cover the tray with plastic wrap.

While the dough rises, pre-heat the oven to 375ºF. (350ºF is using convection or fan-forced)

Bake the rolls in the oven for about 25 minutes. It can take even up to 30 minutes, depending on the oven.

The rolls should be browned around the edges and slightly browned in the center. Make sure the dough in the center is fully baked. If not, cover the rolls with foil and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes. Then check again, and repeat until they are baked through.

It took me 25 minutes in my regular conventional oven to bake these rolls.

Let the rolls cool down for 20 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute until creamy.

Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the powdered sugar, mix on low to combine.

Raise the speed to medium and beat until incorporated.

Beat at medium-high speed for another minute, until creamy.

Add the vanilla and salt. Mix to combine.

Spread the frosting over the rolls once they’ve been out of the oven for about 20 minutes. They should still be warm, but not hot.

Wait another 10 minutes and serve.

These rolls are best served the day they are made. If not, store them in the fridge for up to 4 days, heating up gently before serving.

You can also freeze the baked rolls. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, and heat them up before serving.