Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls – are the perfect easy, soft, and fluffy cinnamon rolls recipe made with red velvet mix, cinnamon filling and dreamy cream cheese icing. The perfect red velvet dessert recipe to make for Christmas or Valentine’s Day!
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These red velvet cinnamon rolls are simply divine. Soft, fluffy and with a strong red velvet flavor, they make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast or Valentine’s Day dessert. Easy cinnamon rolls that can be enjoy at any time of the year, really. These delicious red velvet cinnamon rolls have that red velvet chocolate flavor which pairs perfectly with the tangy cream cheese frosting.
This post is about how to make the perfect Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
RED VELVET ROLLS
I love all the possible recipes for red velvet cake mix. But these cinnamon rolls are made from scratch! Yes, you heard me right! No cake mix is involved. So you’ll be able to learn how to make red velvet rolls from scratch/.But these red velvet rolls are truly outstanding! If you or someone you love are a fan of red velvet recipe then these homemade cinnamon rolls are the best way to start your day or to serve at any special occasion.
LOVE MAKING CINNAMON ROLLS? YOU MAY LIKE THESE –
LEMON CINNAMON ROLLS
MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make in advance
- The perfect red velvet dessert for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any other special occasion
- The cream cheese icing is phenomenal
- They have the perfect soft, fluffy and gooey cinnamon rolls texture
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Here’s your shopping list to make these divinely delicious red velvet rolls!
For The Dough
All-Purpose Flour
Instant Yeast
Sugar
Cocoa Powder
Salt
Whole Milk
Butter
Vegetable Oil
Vanilla Extract
Egg
Water
For The Filling
Butter
Brown Sugar
Ground Cinnamon
A Pinch of Salt
For The Icing
Cream Cheese
Butter
Confectioner’s Sugar
Heart Sprinkles for decorating
You can also skip the homemade dough and use red velvet cake mix to make these cinnamon rolls!
HOW TO MAKE RED VELVET CINNAMON ROLLS
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, instant yeast, and salt.
Warm the whole milk until it’s comfortably warm, then add the butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Allow it to cool if necessary until it’s lukewarm.
Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture, along with the egg and water. Mix by hand or with a stand mixer until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Avoid adding more flour. Add a few drops of red gel colorant food and knead it until it becomes smooth and all the dough is colored. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1½ to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling.
Once the dough has doubled, roll it out into a 15×10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, and then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll the dough tightly from the long edge closest to you and seal the seam firmly.
Cut the rolled dough into 8-12 pieces using a sharp knife or a piece of string. Arrange the buns in a 14 x 8 inch pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased. Cover them with plastic and let them rise for another 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked in the center. Allow them to cool while you prepare the frosting.
For the frosting, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth, and then gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm but not too hot to prevent the frosting from melting. Serve immediately or store them wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- The dough needs to rise for 1½ to 2 hours initially and then for another 45-60 minutes after shaping the rolls.
- You can add a few drops of red gel colorant food to the dough during the kneading process to give the cinnamon rolls a red color.
- It’s important to seal the seam firmly when rolling the dough to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Make sure the rolls are golden brown and cooked in the center before removing them from the oven.
- Allow the rolls to cool slightly before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting completely.
- You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to make the kneading process easier.
- When rolling out the dough, lightly flour the surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- To easily cut the rolled dough into pieces, you can use a sharp knife or a piece of string.
- For a variation, you can add chopped nuts or raisins to the filling mixture before sprinkling it on the dough.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Instead of whole milk, you can use any type of milk, such as skim milk or plant-based milk.
- If you don’t have instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast. Just make sure to activate it in warm water with a small amount of sugar before adding it to the dough.
- Vegetable oil can be replaced with melted coconut oil or any other neutral-flavored oil.
- You can substitute the cream cheese glaze with a simple powdered sugar glaze made with milk and vanilla extract.
RECIPE FAQ’S
HOW TO STORE CINNAMON ROLLS?
Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled, you can store them wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can freeze the unfrosted rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then warm them in the oven before frosting and serving.
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
For The Filling
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, instant yeast, and salt.
- Warm the whole milk until it's comfortably warm, then add the butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Allow it to cool if necessary until it's lukewarm.
- Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture, along with the egg and water.
- Mix by hand or with a stand mixer until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Avoid adding more flour. Add a few drops of red gel colorant food and knead it until it becomes smooth and all the dough is colored. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1½ to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling.
- Once the dough has doubled, roll it out into a 15x10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, and then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Roll the dough tightly from the long edge closest to you and seal the seam firmly.
- Cut the rolled dough into 8-12 pieces using a sharp knife or a piece of string. Arrange the buns in a 14 x 8 inch pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased. Cover them with plastic and let them rise for another 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the rolls for 18-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked in the center. Allow them to cool while you prepare the frosting.
- For the frosting, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth, and then gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are still slightly warm but not too hot to prevent the frosting from melting. Serve immediately or store them wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
[…] how I love Valentine’s Day! It is always so special to make some baked treats like these Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls, and serve some gorgeous pink or red cocktails. Your loved one is going to obsess over this […]