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This recipe will show you how to make delicious red velvet cinnamon rolls using a cake mix short cut, plus the most creamy, delicious cream cheese frosting!

 

 

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Cinnamon rolls are something that I make almost weekly for my family. My kids love them!

 

A pan of red velvet cake mix cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

 

So using a cake mix as a short cut to make cinnamon rolls is a win in my book. The beauty about using a cake mix is that you can vary the flavor combinations like these Butter Pecan Cinnamon Rolls with Salted Caramel Glaze.

 

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Cream cheese frosting being piped onto red velvet cinnamon rolls.

 

A couple of weeks ago, I needed to take a breakfast item to my neighborhood 4th of July party. I wanted to take something festive and colorful.

 

I decided to use one of my favorite flavor combinations, red velvet and cream cheese frosting. I added some red, white, and blue sprinkles to celebrate the holiday.

 

A bowl of red, white, and blue sprinkles over a tray of red velvet cinnamon rolls.

 

Because of the red and white color of the cinnamon rolls, these would make a great breakfast for Christmas morning! And the great thing is that you can make them ahead of time.

 

A pan of red velvet cake mix cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting with red, white, and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July breakfast.

 

Can You Make Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time?

 

The answer is yes! You can definitely make these red velvet cinnamon rolls ahead of time.

 

I make them a day ahead all the time. You can follow all of the directions to make the cinnamon rolls and then store them for a day in an airtight container before serving.

 

Unbaked red velvet cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet.

 

How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls

 

Freezing these Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls is a great way to make a batch of these go a long way. Here’s how I do it:

 

  1. Prepare the cinnamon roll dough according to the directions below.
  2. Once you have cut the dough into rolls, place them on a baking sheet.
  3. Put the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the rolls for one hour.
  4. Transfer the frozen cinnamon rolls to a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
  5. To bake, remove the rolls from the freezer and place on a baking sheet.
  6. Allow them to thaw/rise for one hour then bake according to the directions.

 

Freshly baked red velvet cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet.

 

Cake Mix Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

 

  • 2 Packets of Yeast, 4 1/2 Teaspoons

  • 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

  • 1 Red Velvet Cake Mix

  • 5 1/2 Cups All-Purpose-Flour

  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

  • 2 Eggs, beaten

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  • 1/2 Cup Butter, softened

  • 2 Cups Brown Sugar

  • 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

 

A pan of red velvet cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

 

Helpful Kitchen Tools:

 

 

A Bosch kitchen mixer

 

Get a Bosch Mixer Here

 

How to Make Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

 

  1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and gently stir. Set aside to proof.A measuring cup of water and yeast
  2. Place the cake mix, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and turn on for 10-15 seconds. Dry ingredients for Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls in a Bosch mixer
  3. Pour in the yeast and water mixture and mix.Yeast and water being poured into a stand mixer to make Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
  4. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract.Beaten eggs being added to a stand mixer to make Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
  5. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.Red Velvet cinnamon roll dough in a stand mixer
  6. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the red velvet dough in the bowl, turning once to coat.Red velvet Cinnamon Roll dough in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
  7. Spray a square of plastic wrap, large enough to cover the bowl, and place it over the bowl to cover the dough.Red Velvet Cinnamon Roll dough in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
  8. Place the bowl in a warm, dry place and allow it to rise until double in size.A hand punching down red velvet cake mix cinnamon roll dough
  9. When the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough.Red Velvet dough on a floured counter top with a rolling pin
  10. Pour the dough out onto a large, floured surface and sprinkle the top with flour.A stick of butter and red velvet dough
  11. Use a rolling pin to roll the red velvet dough into a large rectangle.Butter spread over red velvet cinnamon roll dough
  12. Use a silicone spatula to gently spread softened butter over the rectangle.Brown sugar being sprinkled over cinnamon roll dough
  13. Cover the dough evenly with the brown sugar.A bowl of cinnamon over cinnamon roll dough
  14. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the brown sugar.Dough being rolled into a roll
  15. Roll the dough up tightly lenghtwise.
  16. To cut the rolls, gently slide a piece of unwaxed dental floss under the roll.Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
  17. Find your desired place to cut and pull the two ends of the floss up over the roll and cross them. Pull them tight around the roll and the floss will cut through.Unbaked red velvet cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet.
  18. Place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes.Freshly baked red velvet cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

 

  • 1 Block Cream Cheese, 8 ounces
  • 1 Cup Butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar

 

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

 

  1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 1 minute.Two sticks of butter being held over a stand mixer to make cream cheese frosting
  2. Add the softened cream cheese and beat with the butter for another 2 minutes.A block of cream cheese over the bowl of a stand mixer to make cream cheese butter cream frosting
  3. Measure 2 cups of powdered sugar and add the the bowl along with the vanilla extract. Cover and mix for 1 minute.A bowl of powdered sugar over a stand mixer to make cream cheese frosting for Red Velvet cake mix cinnamon rolls
  4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.Cream cheese buttercream frosting on the whisk attachment of a stand mixer.

 

How to Assemble Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

To add the frosting to the cinnamon rolls, there are a few things you can do. First, you can spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls and let it melt a little bit, kind of like a glaze.

 

Second, you could wait until the rolls have cooled and them use a spatula to spread the frosting over the top.

 

Cream cheese frosting being piped onto red velvet cinnamon rolls.

 

The third option is what I choose to do for our picnic because it looks so good! I used a large star tip and a piping bag to pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake mix cinnamon rolls!

 

It is really easy to do and makes your cinnamon rolls look professional! Here are some step by step instructions:

 

  1. Place the star tip into a piping bag (I like to use disposable bags for easy clean up)A Piping bag and a star tip over red velvet cinnamon rolls
  2. Put the bag into a large cup and open the bag around the edges.A cup with a piping bag next to a bowl of cream cheese frosting.
  3. Add the frosting to the piping bag and twist the end.A piping bag of cream cheese frosting over a pan of red velvet cinnamon rolls.
  4. Place the tip in the center of the cinnamon roll and go in circular spiral until you get to the edge of the cinnamon roll.
  5. Cream cheese frosting being piped onto red velvet cinnamon rolls.
  6. Add festive sprinkles, if desired.Sprinkles on red velvet cake mix cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

 

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 24 Rolls
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours

This recipe will show you how to make delicious red velvet cinnamon rolls using a cake mix short cut, plus the most creamy, delicious cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

  • Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls
  • * 2 Packets of Yeast, 4 1/2 Teaspoons
  • * 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water
  • * 1 Red Velvet Cake Mix
  • * 5 1/2 Cups All-Purpose-Flour
  • * 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • * 2 Eggs, beaten
  • * 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • * 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
  • * 2 Cups Brown Sugar
  • * 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • *1 Block of Cream Cheese, 8 ounces, softened
  • *1 Cup Butter, softened
  • *1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • *4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and gently stir. Set aside to proof.
  2. Place the cake mix, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and turn on for 10-15 seconds.
  3. Pour in the yeast and water mixture and mix.
  4. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
  6. Sparky a large bowl with cooking spray and place the red velvet dough in the bowl, turning once to coat.
  7. Spray a square of plastic wrap, large enough to cover the bowl, and place it over the bowl to cover the dough.
  8. Place the bowl in a warm, dry place and allow it to rise until double in size.
  9. When the dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough.
  10. Pour the dough out onto a large, floured surface and sprinkle the top with flour.
  11. Use a rolling pin to roll the red velvet dough into a large rectangle.
  12. Use a silicone spatula to gently spread softened butter over the rectangle.
  13. Cover the dough evenly with the brown sugar.
  14. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the brown sugar.
  15. Roll the dough up tightly lengthwise.
  16. To cut the rolls, gently slide. A piece of unwaxed dental floss under the roll.
  17. Find your desired place to cut and pull the two ends of the floss up over the roll and cross them. Pull the ends tight around the roll and the floss with cut through.
  18. Place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 1 minute.
  2. Add the softened cream cheese and beat with the butter for another 2 minutes.
  3. Measure 2 cups of powdered sugar and add to the bowl along with the vanilla extract. Cover and mix for 1 minute.
  4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
  5. To frost: add the frosting to a piping bag with a large star tip. Start in the center of the cinnamon roll and swirl the frosting in a circular motion until you reach the edge of the roll.2

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239 Total Fat: 6g Saturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 30mg Sodium: 175mg Carbohydrates: 42g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 18g Protein: 4g
© mindymoser
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast

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