Fluffy sweet bread rolls that are very delicious and also healthy: this is not just a dream! With this recipe you can create the best ever Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls in less than an hour. That's right, because they are made with baking soda instead of yeast. Read on to find out how to prepare them in your kitchen too!
Why is this recipe so good
This variation of the classic Cinnamon Rolls is not only healthy but also has a nice taste and look. The reddish colour of the dough is created by a secret ingredient: beetroot powder. If you haven't yet used it in your baking goods, I recommend you to try it. It doesn't only give a fantastic colour to the food, it also adds vitamins and minerals and contributes for a nice texture of the dough.
Another reason to love this recipe is because it is super quick. These are literally one hour cinnamon rolls made from scratch! That's the result of using soda instead of yeast: you skip the raising time.
Last but not least: this recipe is called red velvet not only because of the colour. The rolls are made with buttermilk which is traditional also for the red velvet cakes. Buttermilk improves the dough texture and helps it to raise, especially when soda is used as a levener. Does that sound intriguing? You might want to check also my Healthy Red Velvet Cake recipe.
How do you make the rolls
This recipe is easier than it looks. You don't need a mixer, the dough is made by just combining wet and dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon and then kneading shortly by hand. No fuss and no complicated preparations. The hardest part is rolling the dough into relatively equal rectangular parts, but even here we are not looking for perfection. The rolls don't need to be all exactly the same size. The beauty of the prepared dish is in the uneven look, in my view.
How do you make the frosting
The frosting is even easier: just whisk cream cheese and sour cream together with vanilla and maple syrup and spread the mixture on top of the hot rolls. That frosting is the perfect finish of this wonderful tasty breakfast!
Recipe variations
- You can make these quick homemade cinnamon rolls even without the beetroot powder, in case you don't have it. They will still be wonderfully tasty even if they are not red!
- This is a nutritious recipe, calling for spelt flour and healthier sweeteners instead of refined sugar. If you are not that concerned about health, you can easily substitute the maple syrup and coconut sugar with usual table sugar.
- You can also use einkorn flour instead of spelt or make the dough with only all purpose flour. Beware that in case of any changes, you might need to adjust the quantities, so add the buttermilk slowly when making the dough and if necessary add some more of it.
- Running out of cream cheese? No worries! These rolls would be great even frosted with sour cream only, as in my Raspberry Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Let me know in the comments what you think about this recipe! If you liked the post, please share the link in social media, so that other people can benefit from it as well!
📝 Recipe
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls (no yeast)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 ⅓ cup / 160 g all purpose flour
- 2 ⅓ cup / 290 g whole grain spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup / 240 ml buttermilk
- 1 tbs vinegar
- 2 tbs coconut sugar
- 2 tbs beetroot powder
- ¼ cup /50 ml olive oil
For the filling:
- ⅔ cup / 120 g coconut sugar
- ¼ cup / 60 g butter, melted
- 1 tbs cinnamon
For the frosting:
- 10,5 oz / 300 g cream cheese
- ½ cup / 120 g sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup / 80 ml maple syrup
Instructions
Dough:
- In a mug combine buttermilk with vinegar and stir.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all purpose flour, spelt flour, beetroot powder and baking soda. Whisk very well to combine.
- Add the eggs and the oil and start mixing with a wooden spoon, until absorbed. Gradually add the buttermilk with vinegar and keep stirring When a dough forms, knead gently with your hands for 2-3 minutes, until all ingredients are absorbed and the dough is not too sticky any more.
Filling:
- In a bowl combine melted butter, coconut sugar and cinnamon. Whisk very well until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 360 degrees F/ 180 degrees C.
- Divide the dough into three parts. Place one part between two sheets of parchment paper and sprinkle it with flour. Roll out the dough into a thin, more or less rectangular sheet. Spread on top the filling and roll up the sheet, starting from the long side end. Cut the resulting long roll into 4 equal parts. Arrange them on a greased pan (9 x 7 inch/ 23 x 20 cm or similar). Repeat the procedure two more times with the rest of the dough and the filling.
- Bake the rolls for about 30 minutes or until the tops start becoming golden. Frost when still hot or warm.
Frosting:
- In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the frosting. Whisk until smooth. Spread the frosting on top of the rolls.
Notes
- Keep the leftover rolls (frosted or unfrosted) in the fridge, covered with cling film. Reheat in the microwave or in a hot oven before serving.
- The buttermilk can be substituted by full fat plain yogurt mixed with water 1:1.
- The quantity of the buttermilk is approximate - you might need a bit more or less. For that reason I recommend to be added gradually at the end. In case you don't have more buttermilk but the dough is still too thick, add some water or yogurt instead.
- You can skip the beetroot powder if you don't have it. Beware that this might change the proportion of the buttermilk.
- This is a healthy recipe with no refined sugar. If you are not concerned with nutrition, you can easily substitute the coconut sugar by brown or white sugar and the maple syrup by powdered sugar.
simon andrew says
This is an incredible recipe thanks for sharing
Daniela says
Thank you for your nice words, Simon!