By: Jill Mills Updated: Jan 5, 2025

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With cinnamon brown sugar filling and a luscious cream cheese frosting, these Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls are always a hit. A box of cake mix and instant yeast helps keep them super easy to prepare. Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

These red velvet cinnamon rolls might be the best cinnamon rolls ever! I love taking a shortcut and using cake mix to help speed these rolls along. The combination of the red velvet dough and the cream cheese icing with the brown sugar cinnamon filling is just too perfect. As much as I love my pumpkin cinnamon rolls and cinnamon rolls with heavy cream, these might be my new favorite.

Why These Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls Are Always a Hit

Every time I make these, I wish I had made a double batch! They disappear that quickly. Here are a few reasons why:

Red velvet flavor. These cinnamon rolls are made with red velvet cake mix which gives them both the classic red velvet tangy chocolate flavor and the bright red color. It’s such a fun twist on basic cinnamon rolls!
Cream cheese icing. The icing, in my opinion, is the best part of cinnamon rolls. I topped these red velvet cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing because cream cheese and red velvet are the perfect pairing.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day. These are such a fun treat for Valentine’s Day breakfast! (Or dessert.) I added little red heart sprinkles for an extra festive touch. They’d also work for Christmas morning.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make red velvet cinnamon rolls

What You’ll Need

These cinnamon rolls are made with instant yeast and cake mix to keep them super simple. You only need a few other ingredients! Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Warm water – To activate the yeast. Make sure it’s warm but not too hot which can kill the yeast.
Instant active dry yeast – Be sure to check the date as it does expire. If it doesn’t bloom in the first step, you’ll need to start over with a new packet.
Red velvet cake mix – Using cake mix helps keep this recipe super simple, plus it adds that classic red velvet flavor and color.
All-Purpose Flour
Brown sugar – For the cinnamon sugar filling. I like the richness of brown sugar to granulated sugar.
Cinnamon – They’re not cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
Butter – Softened.
Cream cheese – Tangy cream cheese pairs perfectly with the red velvet flavor. Be sure it’s softened ahead of time.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens the icing.
Red heart sprinkles – For a fun Valentine’s Day touch!

How To Make Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

These red velvet cinnamon rolls are so easy and simple to make but they do require some time, as the dough needs to rise. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Red velvet cinnamon roll dough in a metal bowl

Cinnamon brown sugar spread on red velvet dough

Prepare the yeast. Add the yeast to the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Make the dough. Add the yeast to the cake mix and 2 cups of flour. Beat for 2 minutes then add another 1/4 cup of flour.
Let rise. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Assemble. Roll the dough into a 16×12 rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread 1/4 cup of softened butter all over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the dough.
Roll and slice. Roll the dough into a log, starting at the long side. Slice into 12 pieces (using a knife or dental floss) and place in a greased baking dish.

Red velvet cinnamon rolls in a baking sheet before rising

Unbaked cinnamon rolls in a baking dish after rising

Let rise. Cover and let rise for an hour.
Bake. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 18-20 minutes.
Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese, butter, milk, vanilla and powdered sugar until combined. Spread over the warm cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with the red heart sprinkles. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Here are a few things I’ve found helpful to keep in mind while making these red velvet cinnamon rolls.

Make sure the yeast blooms. If the yeast doesn’t bloom in the first step, toss it out and start over. Instant yeast does go bad and if the yeast doesn’t activate, the dough won’t rise.
Let rise in a warm place. My kitchen is usually pretty warm so sitting it on the counter works for me. Another hack I like is to preheat the oven to the lowest temperature (usually 200F) and then open the door and let the dough rise in there.
Cool just a bit. I don’t start making the cream cheese icing until the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven. This gives them just a few minutes to cool which I find is just enough to stop the icing from completely melting while still enjoying them warm.
Skip the sprinkles. The sprinkles, while fun, are totally optional! Feel free to skip if desired.

Red velvet cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing

Proper Storage

Room temperature. Store leftover red velvet cinnamon rolls in an airtight container on the counter (or covered tightly with plastic wrap) for 2-3 days.
Fridge. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat. I always prefer cinnamon rolls warm! Just pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds

Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Why These Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls Are Always a Hit

What You’ll Need

How To Make Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

Tips & Tricks

Proper Storage

More Red Velvet Recipes