Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
When Dessert Meets Breakfast: Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Let’s play a game of "Would You Rather." Would you rather have a slice of decadent Red Velvet Cake or a warm, gooey Cinnamon Roll?
Trick question! You never have to choose again.
Today, we are fusing two absolute titans of the baking world into one glorious, crimson-colored masterpiece: Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls.
These aren't just rolls with a drop of food coloring. Oh no. We are talking about a rich, buttery brioche dough infused with cocoa, swirled with cinnamon sugar, soaked in heavy cream (yes, the secret hack!), and slathered in tangy cream cheese frosting. It is the perfect Valentine’s Day breakfast, or honestly, just a "I survived Monday" reward.
Here is the breakdown of this showstopping brunch dish!
The Base: Red Velvet Brioche Dough
The magic starts with the dough. We aren't making a standard white bread here. We are making a Red Velvet Brioche.
The Flavor: We add a touch of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.It provides that subtle, earthy chocolate note that authentic red velvet is known for.
The Color: To get that vibrant, eye-popping hue, we incorporate liquid red food coloring directly into the wet ingredients. As the dough kneads, it transforms into a stunning, deep burgundy pillow.
The Texture: Because it's a brioche, it’s enriched with eggs and butter, ensuring the crumb is tender, fluffy, and rich.
The Filling: The Classic Swirl
Once that beautiful red dough has risen, we roll it out and smother it in the holy trinity of cinnamon rolls: Softened Butter, Brown Sugar, and Cinnamon. When you roll it up and slice it, the contrast between the dark cinnamon filling and the bright red dough is visually striking. It looks like art before it even hits the oven!
The Viral Secret: The Heavy Cream Bath
If you’ve been on "Baking TikTok" lately, you know about The Hack. If you want cinnamon rolls that taste like the center of a Cinnabon—gooey, soft,and moist—you cannot skip this step.
The Technique: After placing your sliced rolls in the baking pan and letting them proof until puffy, you pour warm heavy cream over the gaps between the rolls right before they go into the oven.
The Result: The dough soaks up the cream as it bakes, creating a steamed, ultra-moist texture that makes the rolls practically melt in your mouth. It prevents dry edges and ensures every bite is soft and pillowy.
The Crown Jewel: Cream Cheese Frosting
Is it legally allowed to eat Red Velvet without Cream Cheese Frosting? I don't think so.
While the rolls are slightly warm, we spread a thick layer of tangy, sweet,vanilla-scented cream cheese frosting over the top. The frosting melts slightly into the spirals, mingling with the cinnamon sugar and that rich cocoa dough.
Why You Need to Make These:
They are Stunning: The pop of red makes them incredibly festive and impressive.
The Texture is Unreal: Thanks to the brioche base and the heavy cream soak, these are softer than any store-bought roll.
Flavor Harmony: The tang of the cream cheese cuts through the sweetness of the sugar and the richness of the dough perfectly.
So, grab your red food coloring and your rolling pin. Your kitchen is about to smell like a bakery, and your breakfast game is about to peak!
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
Created by Sue Mun
Makes 9
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Dough:
190g milk whole is best
7g active dry yeast
10g sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
75g sugar
20g cocoa powder
7g liquid red food coloring
½ teaspoon salt
400g bread flour, plus more for kneading if needed
60g butter, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
150g brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
75g unsalted butter, room temperature
Optional Topping:
55g heavy cream for pouring over buns
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
150g cream cheese, at room temperature
65g butter, at room temperature
220g powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Mixing the Red Velvet Dough:
First, warm your milk in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until it's warm to the touch (100-110°F). In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and the first sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy. If you are using instant yeast, you can skip this step and add it directly to your dough mixture.
Add in the remaining sugar, egg, and mix until smooth and the eggs are mixed thoroughly. Next, add in the cocoa powder and the liquid red food coloring and mix until smooth and combined.
Pour in all of the flour and salt.
Attach the dough hook and knead on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until a dough forms.
Add in the soft butter and continue kneading in the mixer for another 10 minutes or until a smooth elastic dough forms and it passes the window pane test when stretching a piece of dough.
Shape the dough into a tight ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
Assembly & Baking:
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a clean surface dusted lightly with flour. Using your hands and a rolling pin, roll it into a 12x16" sheet, trying to keep the edges as straight as possible. The dough will be really soft so won't need much pressure
Use a spatula to spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly across the rolled dough sheet.
Cut into 9 long strips. The strips should be 16 inches long and about 1.5 inch wide.
Roll each strip tightly into a cinnamon roll, and transfer to a greased 9x9 inch square baking pan.
Once all the rolls are shaped, cover and rest the pan in a warm spot for about 45 minutes to an hour or until they look puffed up and spring back partly when gently poked. In the last 20 minutes of the second rise, preheat your oven to 350F (conventional / no fan).
Once the rolls have finished proofing, it’s time to bake them. Pour some heavy cream all over the proofed rolls. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls feel firm to touch. If in doubt, remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to pull out one roll, and check it for doneness. If the rolls look like they puffed up a little bit too much during baking, simply push the tops back down.
Remove the rolls from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes.
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
To ma mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the room temperature cream cheese. Once smooth, add in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk on medium speed until the ingredients combine into a smooth icing and no lumps remain.
Spread the icing generously on the warm rolls. Serve & enjoy!
