Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 8 votes

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

Prep Time1

Cook Time25

Resting Time1 20

Total Time2 45

Servings: cinnamon rolls

Calories: 519kcal

Ingredients

Red Velvet Dough

1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast or 1 full packet
2 Large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon Red gel food dye I used americolor super red.
4 ¼ cup All-purpose flour
⅓ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cup White granulated sugar
10 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature

Cinnamon Filling

½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
2 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
⅓ cup Heavy cream

Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
4 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup Powdered sugar sifted
2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoon Milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Red Velvet Dough

In a small bowl, heat the milk in the microwave until it reaches 110°F. It should be warm, but not too hot or too cold. Pour in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes.
1 cup Milk, 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Add in the cubed butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingers, blend the butter into the dough until the butter is the size of a pea.
4 ¼ cup All-purpose flour, ⅓ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ¼ cup White granulated sugar, 10 tablespoon Unsalted butter
This recipe uses a stand mixer with a dough hook, for mix by hand instructions, see the recipe notes. Add in the milk/yeast mixture, lightly beaten eggs, and red food dye. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form.
2 Large eggs, 1 teaspoon Red gel food dye
Then, switch to medium speed and knead the dough for 5 minutes. It should be a bright red dough.
Preheat the oven to 200°F, spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Grab the dough and form it into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Let it rise for 1 hour until double in size.

Cinnamon Filling

In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. It will be a thick paste.
½ cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Brown sugar, 2 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle until it is ¼ inch thick.
Use an offset icing spatula to spread the cinnamon filling over the dough. Make sure to get the edges.
Roll the dough starting at the short side. Roll into a tight log. Rolling from the short side lets you get more swirls.
Use unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife to cut the log. First, cut off the uneven ends. Then, cut evenly into 12 rolls. If using a serrated knife, make sure to make very very gentle sawing motions to not squish the rolls.
Spray a large pan (9X14 inch casserole pan is best, you can use a 9X13 inch baking pan) with baking nonstick spray. Place the rolls in the pan. Cover with a towel and rise for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375℉ Pour the heavy cream around the rolls in the pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes until the tops of the rolls are lightly golden. Or when the middle of the cinnamon rolls reach 160°F.
⅓ cup Heavy cream

Cream Cheese Icing

Start this while the rolls are in the oven. In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth.
4 oz Cream cheese, 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter
Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low until smooth. Then, add in the vanilla and milk. It should be a great consistency to use a spoon to spread it on.
1 cup Powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon Milk, 2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
As soon as the rolls are out of the oven, top with the icing. This will allow the icing to melt into the cracks of the rolls.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 tablespoon of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Making by hand:

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry by using a rubber spatula. Switch to using your hands to mix until a dough starts to form.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead using your hands for 5-8 minutes.

It is done when your spread the dough apart thinly using your fingers. Hold the dough to the light. If you can see light through it, then it is done.

Nutrition