Go Back
Easy homemade red velvet cinnamon rolls – soft, chocolatey, festive
Maria Canilssom

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

These Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls are the ultimate romantic breakfast! Soft, chocolatey red dough is swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Impressive and perfect for Valentine's Day or any special brunch. For another sweet Valentine's treat, try our Valentine's Day Brownies.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 9 rolls
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 0.75 cup warm milk (105–115°F)
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp red food coloring (gel or liquid)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
  • 0.5 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer (optional) Makes kneading the enriched dough easier.
  • 9-inch Round or Square Baking Dish For baking the rolls together.

Method
 

  1. Warm milk to 105–115°F. Stir in yeast and let sit 5-10 mins until foamy.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt. Add yeast mixture, melted butter, egg, food coloring, and vanilla. Stir to form a dough.
  3. Knead dough on floured surface for 5-7 mins until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover, let rise 1 hour until doubled.
  4. Punch down dough. Roll into a 12x9" rectangle. Spread with softened butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
  5. Tightly roll dough into a log from a long edge. Slice into 9 rolls. Place in greased dish, cover, let rise 30-45 mins until puffy.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake rolls 20-25 mins until set. Beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost warm rolls immediately. Serve.

Notes

Pro Tips: To ensure a soft rise, warm the milk to 105–115°F (just warm to the touch) before adding the yeast. The dough should be slightly tacky but not overly sticky; avoid adding too much extra flour. For clean, perfect slices, use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolled log. For a stress-free morning, assemble the rolls the night before, refrigerate, and bake fresh. Frost the rolls while they are still warm so the cream cheese glaze melts into the spirals.