Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
These incredibly soft cinnamon rolls are made with a vibrant red velvet dough, a rich cinnamon filling, and topped with luscious cream cheese icing. Perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, or any special occasion!
Servings: 12
Calories: 519kcal
Ingredients
Red Velvet Dough:
- 1 cup milk warmed to 110°F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon red gel food dye e.g., Americolor Super Red
- 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Cinnamon Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Red Velvet Dough
- In a small bowl, heat the milk in the microwave until it reaches 110°F (warm but not hot). Stir in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients and use a pastry blender or your fingers to blend until the butter is pea-sized.
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook (or by hand, see Notes for instructions), add the milk/yeast mixture, lightly beaten eggs, and red food dye to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form.
- Increase to medium speed and knead the dough for 5 minutes, or until it becomes a smooth, elastic, bright red dough.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F, then turn it off. Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray, shape the dough into a ball, and place it in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in the warm oven for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a hand mixer until smooth and paste-like.
Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls
- Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the rolled-out dough using an offset spatula, ensuring you reach the edges.
- Starting from one of the shorter edges, tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Trim off uneven ends, then cut the log into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife (use gentle sawing motions to avoid squishing).
Second Rise and Bake
- Spray a 9x14-inch casserole pan (or a 9x13-inch baking pan) with nonstick baking spray. Arrange the rolls evenly in the pan. Cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour the heavy cream around the rolls in the pan.
- Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the center of the rolls registers 160°F.
Cream Cheese Icing
- While the rolls are baking, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and milk until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
- Once the rolls are out of the oven, spread the cream cheese icing over the warm rolls to let it melt into the cracks.
Notes
Flour Measurement: Spoon and level the flour or use a kitchen scale to avoid adding too much, which can dry out the dough.
High Altitude Baking: Add an extra 3 tablespoons of flour for high altitude.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Making Dough by Hand:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. To check if the dough is ready, gently stretch it thin—if you can see light through it, it's done.
High Altitude Baking: Add an extra 3 tablespoons of flour for high altitude.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Making Dough by Hand:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. To check if the dough is ready, gently stretch it thin—if you can see light through it, it's done.