Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
After perfecting my Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, I of course, had to revamp it. As I was brainstorming the various recipes I could attempt for Valentine’s Day this month, I decided to try my hand a red velvet cinnamon rolls. As I was writing out how I might go about this feat, I kept mumbling “this is either going to be epic, or a major disaster”.
Either way, I knew that if I could figure out red velvet cinnamon rolls, it could possibly be even better than my original cinnamon roll recipe. While I did accomplish a successful red velvet cinnamon roll recipe, I will let you be the judge on if these Valentine’s goodness pastries are better than the OG cinnamon roll recipe.
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- electric mixer
- Paddle Attachment
- Kneading Hook Attachment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Dental Floss
- Baking Pans
Ingredients
Dough
- 2½ cups warm water around 200°F
- 2 tbsp yeast
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 15.25 oz red velvet cake mix
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 tbsp cinnamon
Icing
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 tbsp milk plus more
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the water and the yeast. Mix slightly and then let stand for 15-20 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
- Add in the eggs, vegetable oil, and salt. Mix together on low until combined. Add in the red velvet cake mix and mix on medium until the dough is smooth. Add in 2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix on medium again until dough is smooth.
- Remove the paddle attachment and replace with the hook attachment. Add in the rest of the flour a ½ cup at a time until the dough begins to come together to form a ball and the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. One the dough is finished forming, place in a large mixing bowl that has been coated with oil to prevent the dough sticking to the sides. Place in a warm spot (I usually preheat my oven to 200° and then turn the oven off when I put the dough in the oven) for 45-60 minutes to allow the dough to rise.
Filling
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk until completely combined. Once the dough is finished rising, on a floured surface, begin rolling out the dough until it is approximately 2mm thick. The more rectangular or oval the shape of the dough, the better. When rolling the dough is complete, take the room temperature butter and spread evenly over the rolled dough. Sprinkle evenly, the cinnamon sugar mixture over the spread butter.
- Press down slightly the cinnamon sugar mixture so it sticks to the butter, then begin rolling the dough with the cinnamon sugar on the inside of the dough. Roll the dough with the long ends. Once the dough has been rolled into a long log, take the dental floss and cut the dough into 1 inch sections. The place in an oiled baking pan. Don't squish the rolls together, they will rise again and fill in the pan.
- Once the dough has been cut and placed in baking pans, place again in a warm area for 45-60 minutes to allow the dough to rise and spread out in the pan. Once the rising is finished, place in a preheated 375° oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the dough begins to brown slightly. When finished baking, let cool completely before icing the tops of the rolls.
Icing
- In a mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix again until combined. Add in the last cup of powdered sugar and mix. You will want a thick syrupy consistency. Add more milk 1 tsp at a time until it is the consistency you want. Spread over the top of the cinnamon rolls, serve immediately. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- If you are making these cinnamon rolls for a special occasion, add festive sprinkles to the top. For Valentine's Day I added heart and lip shaped sprinkles.
Nutrition
While I did develop this recipe specifically for Valentine’s Day, I ended up making them for a Super Bowl party. They were definitely a crowd pleaser. Some preferred them with the icing, some preferred without…but there wasn’t anyone who ended up not liking these red velvet cinnamon rolls.
What are your thoughts on this marriage of flavors? Are you an OG cinnamon roll lover? Or are you willing to try just about any flavor combination of this tasty pastry? Hope y’all are having an amazing week. Stay safe, be kind, and hug your loved ones.
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