Description
A luscious twist on the classic cinnamon roll, these soft, fluffy red velvet rolls are swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon, then topped with a rich cream cheese glaze—perfect for holidays or indulgent mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Red food coloring (gel or liquid, as needed for desired color)
- For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed for desired consistency
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Add sugar, melted butter, egg, cocoa powder, salt, and food coloring. Mix to combine.
- Gradually add flour, mixing until a dough forms. Knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Roll dough out into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread softened butter over the dough. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the butter.
- Roll dough tightly from the long end into a log and slice into 8–10 even rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 20–25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze by beating cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to reach desired consistency.
- Spread glaze over warm rolls before serving.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant red velvet rolls without thinning the dough.
- Ensure milk is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- These rolls can be prepped the night before and baked fresh in the morning.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast/Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 60mg