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This red velvet cinnamon rolls recipe features deep red, soft, fluffy rolls swirled with cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with tangy cream cheese; itโs so indulgent and will become everyone’s favorite breakfast pastry. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Christmas morning, or anytime you want something sweet and rich!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- These rolls deliver serious wow-factor without the stress, and they look like you spent hours in the bakery, but the dough comes together in your stand mixer in about 10 minutes of active work. The red velvet twist makes them special enough for holidays and celebrations, but they’re totally doable for a weekend breakfast treat when you want to feel fancy.
- The flavor combination here is absolutely unbeatable — rich cocoa dough with warm cinnamon filling creates this perfect balance of chocolate and spice, while that tangy cream cheese frosting ties everything together just like classic red velvet cake. Your family, especially your kids, will gobble these up in seconds!
- Here’s the best part: you can prep these the night before. Make the dough, roll them up, cut them, arrange in your baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, just let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while your oven preheats, then bake and frost. Fresh-baked cinnamon rolls without the early morning stress!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Your milk and melted butter both need to be between 110ยฐF and 115ยฐF — warm to the touch but definitely not hot. Too hot and you’ll kill the yeast; too cool and it won’t activate properly. Use an instant-read thermometer if you’re not confident eyeballing it, because nailing this step is what gives you those fluffy, tender rolls.
- This dough should feel soft and slightly tacky to the touch, not dry and stiff, so donโt panic if this is happening. If you add too much flour trying to make it “perfect,” your rolls will turn out dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy. Trust me on this — a slightly sticky dough equals tender, pillowy rolls every single time!
- The dough can be tricky to work with directly on the counter, but when you use parchment paper, you can use the paper itself to help roll the dough tightly and evenly without the filling squishing out everywhere. It’s a game-changer that makes the whole process way less messy and frustrating.
- These rolls go from perfectly done to overbaked in just a few minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes — they should be puffed up and set, but still soft when you gently press the center. They’ll continue cooking a bit from residual heat after you pull them out, so it’s better to underbake slightly than overbaked.
Recipe Variations
Add Chocolate Chips: Sprinkle ยฝ cup mini chocolate chips over the cinnamon filling before rolling for an extra chocolatey treat. The chips will melt into pockets of gooey chocolate throughout the rolls.
Make Mini Rolls: Cut the dough into 18 pieces instead of 12 and arrange in a 9ร13-inch pan. Reduce baking time to 15-18 minutes. Mini rolls are perfect for parties and bake sales!
Try Different Extracts: Add ยฝ teaspoon almond extract to the frosting along with the vanilla for a subtle almond flavor that pairs beautifully with the chocolate. Peppermint extract makes these perfect for Christmas morning!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
For sure, instant yeast (also called rapid-rise) can be mixed directly into the flour without activating it first. Use the same amount (2ยผ teaspoons) and add it to the dry ingredients, then proceed with the recipe. Your first rise might be slightly faster.
Why did my red velvet cake cinnamon rolls turn out dense and heavy?
This usually happens from adding too much flour, using old/dead yeast, or overbaking. Make sure your yeast bubbles during activation, keep the dough slightly sticky rather than dry, and pull the rolls from the oven as soon as they’re set in the center.
How do I get a more vibrant red color?
Use gel food coloring instead of liquid — it’s more concentrated and won’t water down your dough. You can add up to 2 teaspoons for a super vibrant red, but start with 1 teaspoon and add more if needed. Keep in mind the color will look darker before baking and will lighten slightly in the oven.
More Sweet Holiday Recipes
- Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies with Homemade Icing
- Christmas Confetti Cookies
- Christmas Dessert Grazing Board
- Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies (Cut-Out or Drop Cookies)
- Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
- Coconut Cookies
- Paleo Cookies with Frosting (Lofthouse Style)
- Soft & Chewy Butterscotch Cookies
- Paleo Peppermint Oreos
- Easy 4-Ingredient Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie Bars
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
This red velvet cinnamon roll recipe features deep red, soft, fluffy rolls swirled with cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with tangy cream cheese; itโs so indulgent and will become everyone's favorite breakfast pastry. Perfect for the holidays, or any time you want something sweet and rich!
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment or large mixing bowl for hand kneading
- instant read thermometer
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- parchment paper 12ร18 inches
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm milk heated to 110ยฐF to 115ยฐF, see Notes
- 1 packet active dry yeast 2ยผ teaspoons
- ยฝ cup white sugar
- ยฝ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled to 110ยฐF to 115ยฐF
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- ยผ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
For the Cinnamon Filling
- 1 packed cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces block cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- โ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
- Add ยฝ cup white sugar to bowl of stand mixer and pour 1 cup warm milk (110ยฐF to 115ยฐF) over sugar. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle 1 packet (2ยผ teaspoons) active dry yeast over milk mixture and set aside 5 minutes until bubbly and frothy.
Make the Cinnamon Rolls
- Add ยฝ cup melted unsalted butter (cooled to 110ยฐF), 2 whisked eggs, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar directly into stand mixer bowl with activated yeast mixture. Stir to combine everything together.
- Add 3ยผ cups all-purpose flour, ยผ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ยผ teaspoon salt directly into same bowl.
- Attach dough hook to stand mixer and mix on medium speed 5 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and feels soft and slightly sticky.
- Lightly oil large mixing bowl and transfer dough from stand mixer bowl to oiled bowl. Cover with kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Place in warm spot and let rise 1 hour until dough is puffier and leaves indentation when poked.
- Now, make the cinnamon filling. Combine 1 packed cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, and 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter in medium bowl. Mix with fork until well combined and spreadable.
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Lightly coat 9ร13-inch baking dish with softened butter or cooking spray.
- Cut parchment paper to 12ร18 inches and lay on counter. Scrape dough onto parchment and press to 12ร16 inches rectangle.
- Evenly spread cinnamon filling on dough rectangle, leaving ยฝ inch bare at one short end.
- Use parchment sheet to tightly roll dough starting from short side with filling to edge. Continue rolling by folding parchment over to other side.
- Cut rolled dough into 12 equal pieces using sharp knife or unflavored dental floss.
- Place 12 rolls evenly spaced in prepared baking dish.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until rolls are puffed and set in center but still soft to touch. Do not overbake.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting and Serve
- Add 8 ounces block cream cheese (room temperature) and 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter to stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and โ teaspoon salt. Beat on medium speed until combined and fluffy.
- Remove rolls from oven and let stand 10 minutes.
- Slather tops of warm rolls generously with cream cheese frosting using butter knife or offset spatula. Serve immediately with additional frosting on side.
Make it Dairy-Free: Use plant-based milk, dairy-free butter (like Earth Balance), and dairy-free cream cheese in both the dough and frosting. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Temperature Matters: Your milk and melted butter must both be between 110ยฐF and 115ยฐF. Too hot kills the yeast; too cool won’t activate it. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
Milk Options: Any milk works here — dairy or plant-based like almond, oat, or macadamia milk. Thicker milks like oat might require an extra minute of mixing time.
Fresh Yeast is Essential: Always check your yeast expiration date. If the yeast doesn’t bubble and get frothy after 5 minutes in the warm milk mixture, it’s dead and you need to start over with fresh yeast.
Food Coloring: Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant color without adding excess liquid. You can use 1-2 teaspoons depending on how red you want your rolls. Liquid food coloring works but requires more and may need slight flour adjustment.
Make Ahead: Prepare rolls through the cutting step, arrange in the baking dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking. May need 2-3 extra minutes in the oven.
Storage: Store frosted rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a 300ยฐF oven covered with foil for 10 minutes.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted baked rolls wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, warm in 300ยฐF oven for 10 minutes, then frost. Can also freeze unbaked rolls — thaw overnight, bring to room temperature 30 minutes, then bake.
Use Block Cream Cheese: Spreadable cream cheese in a tub will make your frosting too thin. Use cream cheese from a block and make sure it’s at room temperature for smooth, lump-free frosting.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Calories: 516calProtein: 8gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 291mgPotassium: 142mgTotal Carbs: 58gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gNet Carbs: 55gVitamin A: 642IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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