Description

These Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls are a festive and delicious twist on classic cinnamon rolls, perfect for a Christmas morning treat. Featuring a vibrant red dough with subtle cocoa flavor, layered with spiced cinnamon sugar filling, and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze, these rolls are soft, tender, and visually stunning. Made from scratch with yeast dough, they require two rises to achieve the perfect fluffy texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
¾ cup warm milk (about 110°F)
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons red food coloring (or more as desired for color)
1 tablespoon buttermilk

Filling

½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (for spreading)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk (add more if needed)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Activate Yeast: Warm the milk to about 110°F, then add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy. This step confirms your yeast is active and ready to help the dough rise.
Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and red food coloring. Add in the yeast mixture, softened butter, egg, and buttermilk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Knead Dough: If the dough feels sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 7-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Prepare Filling: While the dough rises, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside the softened butter for spreading.
Roll and Fill: Punch down the risen dough gently to release air. Roll it into a 12×16 inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the softened butter evenly, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.
Shape Rolls: Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 equal slices using a sharp knife or unflavored floss.
Second Rise: Arrange the slices in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish with some space between. Cover and let rise for 30-40 minutes until puffy.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through, taking care not to overbake to maintain softness.
Make Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk for thinner glaze or more sugar for thicker glaze.
Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the warm rolls generously with glaze. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

Notes

Use instant yeast with milk warmed to about 110°F to activate it properly without killing the yeast.
If the dough is too sticky while kneading, add extra flour gradually to avoid a dense dough.
The second rise is crucial to get soft, fluffy rolls—do not skip this step.
Use unflavored floss as an alternative to a knife to cut the rolled dough without squashing it.
You can adjust red food coloring intensity for a deeper or lighter red velvet color.
The glaze can be customized by adding a pinch of salt or cream cheese for a richer flavor.