Valentine’s Day is more than a celebration of love with a ton of cute, sweet treats that can start your morning breakfast right. This simple recipe incorporates three components for cinnamon rolls with the classic Valentine’s Day colors with the sweet flavor of red velvet. It’s recommended to make each component in the order listed under the directions that will save some time. This recipe has a total time of 2 hours and 20 minutes with 2 hours of prep time and a baking time of 20 minutes.
Equipment:
2 Large Mixing Bowls
2 Small Mixing Bowls
Stand Mixer
Plastic Wrap
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Silicone Brush
Sharp Knife
Parchment Paper
Baking Dish (9×13-inch)
Kitchen Towel
Ingredients:
Finishing Glaze
Sprinkles (optional)
4 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
¼ cup Butter (soften)
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Filling
½ cup Brown Sugar
¼ cup Butter (melted)
1 tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
Red Velvet Flavored Dough
Pink Food Dye (add drops gradually until reaching the desired color)
1 ¼ cups Warm Water
1 package Red Velvet Cake Mix (regular size)
2 ½ – 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
¼ oz. (1 package) Active Dry Yeast
Directions:
Red Velvet Dough
1. Combine 1 cup of flour, yeast, and red velvet cake mix in a large mixing bowl then add warm water beating with stand mixer on medium for 2-3 minutes.
2. To form a soft dough, add additional flour and knead the mixture by hand or using a stand mixer with a kneading hook attachment.
3. Prepare a large mixing bowl spraying with non-stick cooking spray and transfer dough from the mixer.
4. Let the dough rest in the bowl and cover the top using plastic wrap, placing the bowl in a warm place for an hour until the dough doubles in size.
Filling
1. Combine cinnamon and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl then set aside.
2. Once the dough rises, place the dough on a lightly floured surface then roll out into a large rectangle that’s ¼ inch thick.
3. Using a silicone brush, spread melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Starting with the furthest edge, carefully start rolling the dough into a log.
5. Cut the dough log into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife and place the cinnamon rolls evenly spaced on a parchment paper-lined baking dish.
6. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
7. Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes (until the dough is slightly browned).
Topping
1. Place the butter and cream cheese into a small mixing bowl beating the mixture until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, mixing until evenly combined.
3. Spread topping over warm red velvet rolls.
4. Add optional sprinkles as desired, serve and enjoy!
To reduce the total baking time, you can prep the dough ahead of time, storing it in the fridge the night before and bake in the morning. Baking these red velvet cinnamon rolls can be a fun activity for the family and everyone can make their own personalized decorations.