Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls {Bread Machine}

Why This is the Best Recipe

As the author of The Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook, I love using my bread maker for all kinds of fun recipes.

Specifically, I love making homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning and I absolutely think this is the best red velvet cinnamon rolls recipe because:

1. Bread Maker Dough: With just 5 minutes of prep, I can have perfect cinnamon roll dough from my bread machine ready to roll out and shape so easily.
2. Gorgeous Red Color: The rolls have such a pretty festive color that is perfect for Christmas, Valentine's Day, or even as a special treat on 4th of July if you wanted to add blue sprinkles!
3. Rich Chocolate Flavor: If you've never tried red velvet desserts before, it refers to a red-colored chocolate cake. There's cocoa powder mixed in the dough!
4. Make Ahead-Friendly: Prep the rolls the day before or even freeze them in advance for easy baking during the holiday season.

Ingredients

To make the dough for these cinnamon rolls, all you need is:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Sugar
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Milk: I used 2%. Whole milk would also be a great choice. I don't recommend using fat-free milk for this recipe.
• Butter: I used salted butter.
• Vanilla
• Kosher Salt
• Yeast: You do not need "bread machine yeast" specifically, just an instant yeast. I used SAF-instant yeast.
• Red Food Coloring: I love to use food coloring gels. This basic set has the exact red I used for this recipe.

Make the Dough in the Bread Machine

As with all my bread machine recipes, you'll start by adding the liquid ingredients to the bread pan first.

Be sure your pan has the paddle attachment in place, you don't want to have to fish around to add it later.

Add the milk and vanilla. Then cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle them into the pan. Add the red food coloring.

Then add the dry ingredients directly on top of the liquid ingredients.

I always measure my flour using a food scale. Place the flour right on top of the milk.

Then add the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt around the perimeter of the pan.

Use the back of a spoon to dig a small well in the center and add the yeast to the well.

Add the bread pan to the bread machine and select the DOUGH program. On my favorite bread maker, the dough program takes about an hour and a half to complete.

Watch the Mixing Phase

Keep an eye on the bread machine as it mixes together the dough.

You'll be checking for two things:

1. The Red Color: If the dough isn't red enough, you can add more food coloring during this phase.
2. The Texture: The dough should form a ball by the time it is done mixing. Be sure to check my troubleshooting tips below.

Troubleshooting Tips

By the end of the first mixing session, your red velvet dough should form a ball that looks roughly like this:

If after a few minutes, it appears that the dough is too dry and not shaping a ball, you can add a little more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together. Be sure to let the machine mix and knead between additions, move slowly with adding more milk.

If after a few minutes it appears that the dough is too wet and it is sticking to the sides of the pan or is still slick along the bottom of the pan, you can add additional flour, just 1 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together. Be sure to let the machine mix and knead between additions, move slowly with adding more flour.

How to Shape Cinnamon Rolls

By the end of the DOUGH program, your red velvet cinnamon roll dough should look like this:

Isn't that so gorgeous??

To shape the cinnamon rolls, transfer the dough to a lightly floured baking mat and remove the paddle attachment if it stuck in the dough.

Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 12 x 15 inches in shape. If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest for a minute and try again.

Melt the butter for the cinnamon filling in a small microwave-safe bowl. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir them together with a fork until well combined.

Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough into a tight log starting at one wide end and rolling towards the other wide end. (Photo 1 below.)

Then use a pastry cutter or pizza wheel to cut the rolls into 12 equal pieces.

I got distracted and accidentally cut them into 8 giant rolls. They still turned out absolutely fantastic, but I prefer the 12-count size for serving company.

Rub 1 tablespoon of softened butter all around a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the rolls cut side up inside the dish and cover with plastic wrap.

Second Rise

The cinnamon rolls need to rise once more after you've shaped them before you bake them.

It helps to place the plastic wrap-covered dish on the stovetop while the oven preheats.

The rolls should nearly double in size. (Photo 4 in the collage above.)

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls for 20 - 25 minutes or until the centers are no longer wet and shiny when you gently nudge that center of the pinwheel.

Make the Cream Cheese Icing

While the red velvet cinnamon rolls are baking, you can prepare the cream cheese icing for the top.

This is such a handy recipe to have that I wrote a separate post with step by step instructions for those that need more visual assistance. You can see how to make the cream cheese icing here.

But don't worry, I also included the ingredients and the instructions in the red velvet cinnamon rolls recipe card at the bottom so you have everything in one spot.

Make Ahead and Freezer Tips

Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite holiday breakfasts because you can prep them in advance and just bake them in the morning.

I love to assemble the rolls the day before and store them in the fridge right after the assembly and before the second rise.

By morning they've risen enough overnight I can just pop them in the oven.

You could also assemble the rolls and freeze the pan before the second rise. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before baking them in the morning. You may need to allow for a little more rising time on the counter while the oven preheats.

You can also prep the cream cheese icing the day before and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Then you have a cinnamon roll breakfast kit ready to grab and go!

Serving Suggestions

These ooey-gooey red velvet cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting are a decadent addition to a Christmas brunch or a sweet Valentine's Day breakfast for your family.

You could also serve them as a fun 4th of July party treat if you wanted to add red, white, and blue sprinkles or silver star sprinkles on top.

Hosting a brunch or need a dessert for the Kentucky Derby? Red velvet is such a classic southern recipe and it would be a fun way to tie in the theme of the red roses!

But honestly, you don't need a reason to make this sweet breakfast treat. Any day is a great time to treat yourself!