Caramel Apple Crescent Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Published Nov 08, 2021 Updated Oct 07, 2026
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These caramel apple crescent rolls are the easiest mini apple pies! Each one is crescent roll dough wrapped around a smear of cream cheese or caramel sauce and a spoonful of canned apple pie filling. Then they get a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and, if you like, a brush of melted butter. Bake them in the oven or air fry them, you pick! Either way, all 8 are ready in about 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
Author’s Note
Easy as Apple Pie…Crescent Rolls!
They’re sweet, scrumptious, and perfectly festive! These mini pies are a party favorite and the perfect finger food dessert for any fall get-together.
My girls LOVE them, and they’re super kid-friendly if you’re making dessert for a kids’ Halloween party! Food is just so much more fun when it’s bite-sized. Stop whatever you are doing and get some crescent rolls ASAP!
Ingredient Notes
- Apple pie filling: You can make your own filling with Granny Smith apples, but I prefer to buy a can of apple pie filling because it’s spiced and ready to use!
- Cream cheese or caramel sauce: I have two ways to make these little morsels, one with softened cream cheese and the other with caramel sauce. Use whichever flavor sounds better to you, or do a mix of both! You really can’t go wrong.
- Crescent rolls: They come in a blue can! You’ll find them in the refrigerated section, often near the pre-made cookie dough. Some folks call these apple pie croissants, and crescent roll dough is what makes them so easy!
How to Make Apple Crescent Rolls
You can bake these in the oven or the air fryer, and both work great. The air fryer does take less time, so if you’re making these for an event where your oven is occupied, I recommend the air fryer!
Step 1: Spread. Unroll the dough, separate the triangles, and spread caramel sauce or cream cheese over each whole triangle. If you go with cream cheese, soften it first. It’s much easier to spread and won’t risk breaking up the dough.
Step 2: Fill. Chop the apples in the pie filling into smaller pieces, then spoon some onto the wide end of each triangle.
Step 3: Roll. Roll each one up from the wide end all the way to the tip, and set them in your greased pan.
Step 4: Top. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar. It’s totally optional, but I think it’s the perfect final touch!
Step 5: Bake. The oven takes 12 to 14 minutes and the air fryer takes 7 to 8. Either way, they’re done when they’re golden brown. All air fryers are different, so keep an eye on them! For more flavor, brush the tops with some melted butter.
Step 6: Drizzle. Let them cool for a few minutes, then drizzle more caramel sauce over the top.
Mac’s Pro Tips
The Cream Cheese Version
If you’re team cream cheese, you’re in for such a treat! The tangy cream cheese under the sweet apple filling makes these taste like little apple cheese danishes.
Grab a block of regular cream cheese and give it about 30 minutes on the counter before you start. Tub cream cheese works in a pinch, but it’s looser and can ooze out more as they bake. The 1/2 cup in the recipe card works out to about a tablespoon per triangle, so keep it to a thin layer.
Cream cheese stays creamy in the oven, while caramel melts and gets gooey. That makes the cream cheese ones a little less messy for little hands! Want the best of both? Spread cream cheese inside, then drizzle caramel over the top once they’ve cooled for a few minutes!
Mac’s Pro Tips
How to Serve
With easy-as-apple-pie ingredients and steps, there’s time to make my yummy dairy-free caramel sauce for dipping or homemade vanilla ice cream as a topping!
More Apple-Inspired Recipes
If you love this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for more!
Caramel Apple Crescent Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 1 20 oz can apple pie filling
- 1 8-count can crescent rolls
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce or softened cream cheese (see notes below)
- melted butter
- cinnamon sugar (ground cinnamon mixed with cane sugar or brown sugar)
Instructions
Air Fryer
- Grease a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set it to the side.
- Chop the apples in the pie filling into smaller pieces. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate the triangles. Spread some caramel sauce or cream cheese over the whole triangle. Spoon the apple pie filling on the wide end of each crescent roll triangle. Carefully roll up each crescent roll and place them on a baking sheet.
- Once on the baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar, if using.
- Turn on the air fryer to 330°F and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Remember, all air fryers are different, so keep an eye on them and adjust time accordingly.
- This next step is optional. To give it more flavor, you can melt some butter and brush over the tops of each crescent roll.
Oven
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set it to the side.
- Chop the apples in the pie filling into smaller pieces. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate the triangles. Spread some caramel sauce or cream cheese over the whole triangle. Spoon the apple pie filling on the wide end of each crescent roll triangle. Carefully roll up each crescent roll and place them on a baking sheet.
- Once on the baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar, if using.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the crescent rolls are golden brown.
- This next step is optional. To give it more flavor, you can melt some butter and brush over the tops of each crescent roll.
Notes
- Cream cheese: Set the cream cheese out for a bit before you plan to spread it onto the crescent rolls.
- Caramel sauce: Melt caramel candy, use a thick caramel sauce, or try my caramel recipe!
- Nuts: If you want to jazz these up even more, add chopped walnuts or pecans to the pastry dough before you roll it up.
- Serving: Let them cool for a few minutes. Then serve with a drizzle of extra caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or both. Pour any leftover caramel into an airtight container and save it for later.
- Storage: Store leftover apple crescent rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat for about 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave or 30 seconds to 1 minute in the air fryer.
- Freezing: Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator and reheat.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect for any fall get together