Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

The dough should feel soft and a little tacky under your hands, not dry like a regular bread dough. That texture is what I look for while kneading these red velvet cinnamon rolls; a heavy dusting of extra flour can make the finished spirals firm instead of tender. The cocoa gives the dough a gentle chocolate note, while the cinnamon-brown sugar filling makes each slice unmistakably a cinnamon roll.

I mix the red gel coloring into the wet ingredients before they meet the flour, which spreads the color through the dough instead of leaving streaks. Then I roll the dough around the filling toward a bare strip along one edge and pinch the seam closed. The red spirals, cocoa-scented filling, and creamy frosting make a warm pan of rolls worth slowing down for.

Why These Rolls Taste Like Red Velvet, Not Chocolate Buns

Red velvet has a gentle cocoa note, not the deep chocolate flavor of a brownie or chocolate cake. Here, cocoa is worked into both the dough and the filling, so you get that hint in every bite without burying the cinnamon. Brown sugar and cinnamon still lead in the center, while the cream cheese frosting brings a little tang to balance the sweetness.

The red color is part of the look, not the flavor. Gel coloring adds vivid color without making the dough as wet as a pourable food coloring could. Keeping the cocoa subtle and coloring the dough evenly gives the rolls their familiar red velvet appearance, while the cinnamon filling keeps them squarely in cinnamon-roll territory.

That balance is useful to keep in mind when choosing cocoa or adapting the filling. A darker cocoa will make the dough and filling taste more chocolate-forward, and the red color may look less bright. The finished rolls should still taste like soft, spiced cinnamon rolls with a light cocoa backdrop.

The Ingredients That Give These Rolls Their Red Velvet Balance

• Whole milk and active dry yeast — Whole milk gives the dough a richer, softer crumb than water. Two-percent milk works in the same measure, though the dough will be a little less rich. The milk needs to be warm, not hot, so it can activate the yeast without overheating it.
• Unsweetened cocoa and cinnamon — Use unsweetened cocoa so the filling doesn’t become cloying beside the brown sugar. Ordinary unsweetened cocoa works well; a Dutch-process cocoa gives a mellower, darker chocolate note. Fresh ground cinnamon matters more than an expensive brand because its aroma carries through the sugar filling.
• Red gel food coloring — Gel gives the dough strong color without adding much liquid. Liquid coloring isn’t a direct swap here: it may tint the dough less vividly and add extra moisture. If you leave the coloring out, expect cocoa-colored rolls instead of red ones.
• Eggs and unsalted butter — The egg and yolk enrich the dough, while unsalted butter keeps the filling soft and spreadable. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the yeast mixture than cold ones. The butter used in the filling should be soft enough to spread evenly without tearing the rolled dough.
• Cream cheese and powdered sugar — Softened cream cheese makes the frosting tangy and thick enough to spread over warm rolls. Powdered sugar keeps it smooth; granulated sugar would leave a gritty texture. Use cream cheese that’s softened before mixing so small lumps don’t linger in the frosting.

From Foamy Yeast to Frosted Cinnamon Spirals

Wake the yeast and mix the cocoa dough

Stir the warm milk, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar together, then leave the mixture for 5 minutes until foamy. While it stands, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the egg, yolk, melted and cooled butter, red gel coloring, and vanilla into the yeast mixture, then stir the wet ingredients into the flour until a shaggy dough forms. If the yeast mixture hasn’t foamed, pause before adding it to the flour.

Knead until smooth, then let the dough rise

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes. It should become smooth and elastic while staying slightly tacky; adding too much flour can make the rolls dense. Put the dough in the greased bowl, cover it, and leave it in a warm place for its first rise. Use the doubled dough—not a dry, floury surface—as the sign that the rise is complete.

Spread, fill, and seal the roll

Stir the brown sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl. Roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle and spread the softened butter over it, leaving a 1/2-inch strip bare along one long edge. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the butter, then roll tightly from the opposite long edge toward the bare strip. Pinch that seam closed so the log holds its shape as you cut it.

Proof the pieces and bake until set

Cut the log into 12 equal pieces and arrange them cut-side up in the greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover and let them rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy; preheat the oven to 350°F during the final 15 minutes of that rise. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the rolls are puffed and set in the center. Let them cool in the dish for 10 minutes before frosting.

Mix and spread the cream cheese frosting

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until the frosting looks creamy and spreadable. Spread it over the warm rolls after their short rest in the dish. The frosting softens over the warm tops and settles into the cinnamon spirals.

Two Ways to Adapt the Red Velvet Rolls

Questions That Come Up With Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Red velvet cinnamon rolls are soft, cocoa-swirled yeast rolls filled with cinnamon and brown sugar, then topped with creamy frosting. They bake in a 9x13-inch dish until puffed and set in the center.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Rising 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 390

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 1 nonstick cooking spray for the bowl and baking dish
• 1 cup whole milk warmed to 105–110°F
• 1 packet (1/4-ounce) active dry yeast
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 3.5 cups flour all-purpose, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon salt fine
• 1 egg large, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk large, room temperature
• 0.33 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 0.75 cup brown sugar packed light
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
• 0.25 teaspoon salt fine
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened

Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method

 

Make the dough

1. Spray a large bowl and a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Stir the warm milk, yeast, and granulated sugar together in a measuring cup.
3. Let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
4. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
5. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, red food coloring, and vanilla into the yeast mixture.
6. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture.
7. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
8. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
9. Put the dough in the greased bowl and cover it.
10. Let rise in a warm place for 1–1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

Fill and bake the rolls

1. Stir the brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl.
2. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12x18-inch rectangle.
3. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch strip bare along one long edge.
4. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
5. Roll the dough tightly from the opposite long edge toward the bare strip.
6. Pinch the seam closed.
7. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces.
8. Arrange the pieces cut-side up in the prepared baking dish.
9. Cover the rolls and let rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.
10. Preheat the oven to 350°F during the final 15 minutes of the rise.
11. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the rolls are puffed and set in the center.
12. Let cool in the dish for 10 minutes.

Make the frosting

1. Beat the cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl until smooth.
2. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until creamy.
3. Spread the frosting over the warm rolls.
4. Serve.

Notes

For soft rolls, avoid adding more flour than needed while kneading and shaping. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freezer-friendly for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use plant-based milk, butter, and cream cheese.