Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

These red velvet cinnamon rolls are super soft cinnamon rolls with a red velvet dough, cinnamon filling, and cream cheese icing. These would be great for Valentine’s Day or Christmas morning. Let your loved ones know how much you love them from the moment they wake up!

These delicious red velvet cinnamon rolls have that red velvet chocolate flavor which pairs perfectly with the tangy cream cheese frosting. If you or someone you love are a fan of red velvet then these cinnamon rolls are the best way to start your day.

This red velvet cinnamon roll recipe is also easy to make and can be made in advance so you don’t have to start fresh the next day.

For other cinnamon roll recipes try, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls.

Why This Recipe Works

• Perfect texture- These cinnamon rolls have the most perfect fluffy texture!
• Red velvet flavor- That red velvet chocolate flavor works perfectly in a cinnamon roll.
• Prep in advance- You can use the overnight option so these rolls are ready for your special morning and you don’t have to spend your morning making them!

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Unsalted butter- Pull the butter out 2 hours before using so it is softened.
• Milk- Use any milk and warm it to 110F. If too hot, it will kill the yeast, if too cool then it will dramatically slow the yeast down.
• Active dry yeast- I used 1 packet of yeast.
• Eggs- Pull the large eggs out 2 hours before baking. They also need to be lightly beaten before adding to the flour.
• Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar.
• Powdered sugar- Make sure this is sifted to get a smooth icing.
• Cream cheese- Pull this out 2 hours before baking to get to room temperature.
• Red food dye- Cheap red food coloring needs a lot to get a good red color and can affect the taste. Use a gel food coloring. I used Americolor super red.

Step By Step Instructions: Dough and Filling

Here is how to make and bake this red velvet cinnamon roll dough.

The dough is made with a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. If you don’t have an electric mixer with dough hook see the making by hand instruction in the recipe notes.

STEP 1: Mix milk and yeast. First, warm the milk in the microwave to 110F. Use a kitchen thermometer. Then, sprinkle yeast over the warm milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.

It will be foamy at the end of the 10 minutes.

STEP 2: Mix dry ingredients and butter. In a large mixing bowl, mix the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Then, add in the room temperature butter. Use either a pastry cutter or your hands to cut the butter into the flour mixture.

The butter should be the size of a pea.

STEP 3: Mix eggs, yeast and red dye. In a separate bowl, lightly beat your eggs. Add the eggs ,yeast mixture, and food coloring to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form and some flour is incorporated.

STEP 4: Knead dough. Turn to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes. It should be bright red and slightly tacky, but not stick to your hands too much.

STEP 5: Rise. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the dough in. Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place. I recommend heating your oven to 200°F, then turn it off with the door cracked and place your bowl inside.

Rise for 1 hour. It will be double in size.

STEP 6: Beat filling. In a small bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.

Assembling the Rolls

STEP 1: Roll it out. First, punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. It should be a large rectangle and 1/4 inch thick.

STEP 2: Spread filling. Spread the filling on top of the dough. I used an offset spatula to spread it on. Make sure it is spread to the edges.

STEP 3: Roll it up. Roll the dough into a log. Start with the short side, not the long edge, so you get as many swirls as possible. It should be tightly rolled, but not too tight.

STEP 4: Cut. Cut the rolls using a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss. I use a serrated knife to cut rolls, make sure to use light sawing motions to get a clean cut. Also, wash the knife after each cut, because it will be very messy!

STEP 5: Rise. Place rolls in a 9X14-inch casserole pan (or 9X13 baking pan) sprayed with baking spray. Then cover it with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.

STEP 6: Cream. Pour the heavy cream in the pan around the rolls.

STEP 6: Bake. Bake for 25-27 minutes until top of the rolls are light golden brown or when they reach 160°F in the center.

Icing the Rolls

I have tried both icing the rolls when they are piping hot or when they cooled slightly. I found that when the rolls are hot, it melts the icing into the cracks of the roll. Which also helps with the gooeyness!

Start by beating the cream cheese and butter on high speed for until it is smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until it is smooth. Then add the vanilla extract, and milk and mix on low until smooth and pourable.

Immediately after pulling the rolls out of the oven, spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cinnamon buns with a spoon.

Overnight Rolls

Once you are done kneading the dough. Place in a large bowl sprayed with nonstick spray. Then, cover with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge overnight. It needs to chill for a max of 16 hours.

Then in the next morning, you can pull it out and roll up the cinnamon rolls. Then, let it rise for 1 hour instead of the 20 minutes.

FAQ

Storing and Freezing

Store these red velvet cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge. Store up to 5 days. They are best when heated in the microwave until warm

Freezing

These red velvet cinnamon rolls can be frozen in 2 ways.

1. Freeze the rolled rolls. Freeze these up to 30 days. Let them thaw before baking. They won’t rise as much, but will still work.
2. Freeze the already baked rolls. Freeze these up to 30 days. Thaw for 1 hour before eating.

Other Valentine’s Recipes To Try

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