This cinnamon roll recipe is a level beyond any other you've tasted

If you love red velvet cake and you love cinnamon rolls, you are in luck. This recipe combines these two beloved baked goods in one ooey, gooey, perfect-for-a-special-breakfast treat. They are fluffy, sweet, and topped with a creamy, rich frosting. And yes, they are a beautiful shade of crimson, making them perfect for Valentine’s Day—or any other day love is in the air.

These decadent cinnamon rolls start with a red velvet cake mix, which contains both buttermilk and cocoa powder. These ingredients ensure that your pastries have the requisite tangy and chocolatey flavor you expect from a red velvet cake. Yeast and additional flour turn that cake batter into a dough that can be rolled up around a cinnamon-and-brown-sugar filling. All we can say is “Yum!”

Red velvet cinnamon rolls

20 minutes, plus 3 hours to rise

20 minutes

3 hours and 40 minutes

For the rolls

1 15.25-ounce package red velvet cake mix

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus additional if needed

1 envelope active dry yeast

1 ¼ cups warm water

¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Oil for coating the bowl and baking dish

For the frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat together the cake mix, 1 cup of the flour, and the yeast. Add the warm water and beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour and beat until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Knead for a couple of minutes by hand or for 1 minute in the stand mixer.

Lightly coat a large mixing bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl, turning it over to coat the whole thing with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm spot to rise until it is doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with oil.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and punch it down. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll it out into an 18-by-10-inch rectangle.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Brush the top of the dough with butter and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top.

Starting with one of the long sides, roll up the dough away from yourself into a tight cylinder or log. Cut the dough into 12 slices, each about 1 ½ inches thick.

Arrange the dough slices cut side down and place in the prepared baking dish. Cover with a clean dishtowel and set in a warm spot to rise for a second time, until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the rolls until they are puffed up and starting to turn golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until they are well combined and the mixture is fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar and the vanilla and beat to incorporate. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and thick.

Remove the rolls from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Spread the frosting onto the rolls while they are still warm.

Serve warm or at room temperature.