Red Velvet Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Rich, chocolatey red velvet sourdough cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to start your weekend. Red velvet rolls are soft, tender and made with 100% natural yeast sourdough. Fill them with a chocolate cinnamon-roll-style filling and chocolate chips before baking and drizzling with a creamy icing.
Ingredients
Day 1 Stiff Sweet Levain (12 hours/overnight)
- 20 grams sourdough starter 100% hydration, see recipe notes
- 100 grams all purpose flour
- 20 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams water
Day 2 Red Velvet Rolls
- 130 grams levain
- 238 grams whole milk warmed
- 60 grams unsalted butter melted
- 58 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg about 50 grams
- 23 grams cocoa powder see recipe notes
- 13 grams red velvet bakery emulsion see recipe notes
- 6 grams salt about 1 teaspoon
- 480 grams bread flour
Red Velvet Roll Filling
- 57 grams melted unsalted butter about 1/4 cup
- 75 grams brown sugar 1/3 cup
- 9 grams cocoa powder see recipe notes, about 1 Tablespoon
- 10 grams all purpose flour about 1 Tablespoon
- 2 grams ground cinnamon about 1 teaspoon
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- a pinch of salt
- 80 grams chocolate chips about 3/4 cup
Cream Cheese Icing
- 57 grams unsalted butter softened
- 113 grams cream cheese softened
- 200 grams powdered sugar
- 5 grams vanilla extract
- 80 grams heavy whipping cream
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
Stiff Sweet Levain (12 hours/overnight)
- Mix together ripe sourdough starter, all purpose flour, granulated sugar and water. Knead the levain until it forms a cohesive ball. Set in a liquid measuring cup and cover for 12 hours until the levain has doubled in size and the top is rounded.
Red Velvet Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Warm the milk in the microwave (about 1 1/2 minutes full power) or on the stove. It should be around 90-100 degrees F, no warmer than that. To the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, add the ripe levain, warmed milk and melted butter.
- Add the sugar, egg, cocoa powder, red velvet bakery emulsion, salt and most of the bread flour. Turn on the dough hook and knead for a few minutes. Add the remainder of the bread flour as needed. The dough should be tacky, not overly sticky and should all cling to one side of the bowl (or away from the edges depending on your mixer). Knead for a total of 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
- At the end of about 4 hours, the dough should be puffed up and feel very elastic. If it doesn't feel this way, let it bulk ferment for another half hour and check again.
- Overnight Option: At this point, after the bulk fermentation has finished, you can cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator. Proceed with the recipe the next day, shaping and proofing the rolls before baking. This allows you to time the red velvet rolls for breakfast or brunch if desired.
- Mix up the Filling: Near the end of bulk fermentation, mix up the red velvet roll filling. To a small bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, flour, vanilla and salt. Mix together. Set aside.
- Prepare Baking Pans: This recipe makes 8 red velvet rolls. Use a pie plate, fitting 4 rolls per pie plate for a beautiful circular shape. You could also use a 9 by 13 pan and put all the rolls in the pan. I've also crammed all 8 rolls in a large pie tin if you want a fuller look (but it will take longer to bake). Choose your pan and spray with cooking spray.
- Shaping: Roll the dough out in a 16 by 10 inch rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the filling. Roll the red velvet rolls up, cinnamon-roll-style, starting at the edge closest to you and rolling tightly. Pinch the seam closed and flip seam-side down.
- Cut the log of dough into 8 equal pieces. Place each red velvet roll in the pan, nestling them together. You can also bake these on a baking sheet, spread out a little, if desired (they will take less time if they aren't nestled together, so watch carefully).
- Proofing: Cover the pan and let rise in a 78 degree F place until puffed up and risen, about 3 hours. Do not bake these rolls if they have not risen.
- Baking: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. For rolls that are 4 to a pan, bake for about 30-35 minutes until baked all the way through. For rolls 8 to a pan, bake a little longer, 40-45 minutes. For rolls baked on a baking sheet and not touching, bake for about 20-25 minutes.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Using a hand mixer, whip together softened butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream and salt. Whip together for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The frosting should be light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting over the tops of the red velvet rolls while they are still warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion: If you really love and want the flavor of red velvet, you will want to purchase and use a red velvet bakery emulsion. You can also substitute red food coloring instead of the emulsion but it may not have quite the same flavor. Add food coloring in with the cocoa powder and melted butter until you get your desired color of red.
Whole Milk: 2% milk can be substituted
Cocoa Powder: For a rich chocolate flavor, use a good quality dutched cocoa powder.
Bread Flour: I always think it's wise to use the best possible flour for a great product. Bread flour creates dough with more elasticity thanks to the higher protein content, and I prefer the texture of cinnamon rolls and these red velvet rolls made with bread flour. If you don't have bread flour, you can use all purpose flour and substitute some vital wheat gluten to increase the protein content of the flour.
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