Homemade cinnamon rolls meet red velvet cake with these super soft red velvet rolls! There’s no cake mix here—just soft, pillowy red velvet dough swirled with a delicious cinnamon-chocolate filling and topped with tangy cream cheese icing.

From my years in bakeries, I can tell you that red velvet never goes out of style, especially on a sweet holiday like Valentine’s Day!

But even when it’s not, this super fun recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser—whether you’re sharing it or treating yourself. So, let’s get baking!

A red velvet roll on a white plate with pink heart sprinkles.

Looking for a treat that’s as sweet as these rolls? My slice-and-bake heart cookies or red velvet brownies are just as fun to share—perfect for adding a little extra love to your day!

How to Make Them

Tangzhong in a pot after cooking to show the thick texture.

1

Make the tangzhong. This extra step makes all the difference. It’s key to all of my soft and gooey cinnamon roll recipes!

Wet and dry cinnamon roll ingredients in a mixing bowl before mixing.

2

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. This is best done with a stand mixing bowl—trust me, kneading by hand is a workout you don’t want!

A rough dough ball in a mixing bowl before adding the butter.

3

Knead until a rough dough ball forms. Once everything starts to come together, it will still look rough and dry, but that’s normal!

Red velvet dough in a mixing bowl.

4

Knead in the butter until a smooth dough ball forms. It’s best to only knead in the butter half a tablespoon at a time and allow time for it to fully incorporate before adding more.

Red cinnamon roll dough resting in a bowl.

5

Cover and rest the dough. This resting time relaxes the gluten strands, making it easier to roll it out in the next step!

A rolling pin sitting on top of the dough before rolling it out.

6

Roll out the dough into a 15×21 rectangle. Use a rolling pin—your best friend when making cinnamon rolls!

A spatula spreading sugar filling across cinnamon roll dough.

7

Spread the filling across the surface of the dough. Make sure it’s as even as possible!

A strip of dough being rolled on a wooden surface.

8

Cut into strips and roll! My secret to perfect, even-sized rolls is to use a pizza cutter to cut out strips first, then roll them up. You’ll have perfect round rolls every time!

If you’re not already hooked on my cinnamon rolls, you’ve got to try my caffeine-packed coffee rolls. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, my cinnamon roll cookies have all the same classic flavors in cookie form!

Red cinnamon rolls sitting in a baking pan before rising.

9

Place the rolls into a 9×13 baking pan. Don’t space them too close together. You want to give them a little wiggle room to rise in their own space!

Cinnamon rolls in a baking pan after rising.

10

Let the rolls double in size for 1-2 hours. If your kitchen is cold or it’s winter, this could take longer. Whatever you do, please don’t rush the process by putting them in a warm oven, or you’ll miss out on tons of flavor!

Cream cheese frosting in a bowl.

11

Make the cream cheese buttercream frosting. This is the cherry on top of the red velvet flavor!

Frosted red velvet rolls with valentine's sprinkles in a baking pan.

12

After baking, cover the rolls with the frosting! Don’t let the rolls cool completely before frosting them, or you’ll miss out on the extra gooey-ness!

Ingredient Substitutions

Bread flour: This ingredient gives the roll the best chewy texture, but if you don’t have any, all-purpose flour can be used as a substitute!

Red velvet cinnamon rolls in a baking pan.

If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

A red velvet bun on a plate with a bite missing to show the gooey texture.

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch

5 from 1 vote
– by Cambrea Gordon

Turn red velvet cake into gooey cinnamon rolls! These pillowy soft red velvet cinnamon rolls are bakery-perfect and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. Made without cake mix, this cinnamon roll recipe features a chocolate red velvet dough made completely from scratch with a delicious cinnamon filling for the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat!
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 26 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 26 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients 
 

For the Tangzhong

  • 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 3/4 cup water

For the Dough

  • 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 3 2/3 cups bread flour, *See notes for measuring below*
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Tangzhong from the recipe above
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside.
    1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour, 3/4 cup (155 g) water
  • In a small bowl, combine the milk, cream, and vinegar. Set aside.
    1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • Mix the bread flour, sugar, cocoa powder, yeast, and salt in a stand mixing bowl until combined.
    3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons (12 g) cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Add the milk/cream mixture, egg, vanilla, tangzhong, and red food coloring to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes until it forms a shaggy dough ball.
    1 (50 g) egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, Tangzhong from the recipe above, 1/2-1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
  • Mix in the softened butter 1/2 tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate into the dough before adding more.
    6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter
  • Continue kneading for another 8-10 minutes or until the dough looks smooth and elastic.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides into the bottom center to create a smooth round ball. Place it back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
  • For the filling, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and vanilla until smooth. You can do this by hand or with a mixer!
    1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2/3 cup (133 g) light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • Line a metal 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15×21-inch rectangle. Dollop the filling mixture across the surface, then spread it to the edges with an offset spatula.
  • Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to the baking pan. Cover the top with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F/162°C.
  • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 28-35 minutes or until the internal temp of the middle rolls reaches 175°F-180°F.
  • While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until combined. Then, mix in the powdered sugar. Keep beating on low speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla bean paste and heavy cream.
    1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  • Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Let it sit for another 15 minutes so the frosting can seep into the rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Storage: Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay super soft for up to 4 days!
Reheating: You can warm the rolls in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave in 30-second increments.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. Jan Miller says:

    Can these be prepared ahead by freezing after the rolling, before the second rise? Then thaw and allow to rise and bake?

  2. Can you premake this the night before?

    1. Yes! I would refrigerate them after assembly, then let them rise the next day before baking.

      1. How do you decide what dough recipe is best for each of your rolls? I’ve noticed some recipes are milk dough with all purpose flour and others are more buttery with bread flour. Your recipes are amazing by the way

        1. Hi Evie! Glad to hear that 🙂 All of the recipes are milk dough, as they are all made with the tangzhong. However, some of my older recipes haven’t been updated with the bread flour yet, which is why you’ll notice that they still call for all-purpose flour. Hope that makes sense!

  3. Call me stupid, I can’t find the recipe for Tangzhong.
    Please help.

  4. Anthony higuera says:

    Amazing! Everyone at the office loved it.5 stars