Pink Cinnamon Rolls are soft, sweet rolls in a unique pink color that are filled with cinnamon, topped with thick cream and finished with a whipped cream cheese frosting. This is a TikTok trend that is as delicious as it is pretty! The addition of thick cream gives the rolls a different texture, with a crumb more like a cake than a loaf. SO MUCH FUN! I started with my tried and true recipe for cinnamon rolls, which never disappoints.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Dough: The base for this sweet roll dough is the same as a few of my other sweet roll recipes. It is one of the easiest doughs to work in part due to the ingredients and in part due to the process.
Food Coloring: I used pink gel food coloring in the dough for the pink hue. If you use liquid food color, you may need a little bit more to reach your desired pink color. The color will become more vibrant as the rolls are baked. Of course, you could leave out the food coloring, or use a color that fits your celebration.
Frosting: The whipped cream cheese frosting adds a rich, creamy, tangy flavor that complements the sweet and spiced filling of the rolls.
Can I Make Pink Rolls Ahead of Time?
Yes! These rolls are yeast bread, which does mean they will take some time to allow for rising. So, it’s a perfect recipe where you can do most of the work ahead of time, depending on when you want to serve the rolls.
- Refrigerator Method: Prepare the dough. Then, roll it out, fill it with the cinnamon sugar mixture, roll, and cut. Place the unbaked rolls into a greased baking dish. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature (about an hour). Pour the heavy cream over the rolls and bake.
- Freezer Method: Prepare the dough. Then, roll it out, fill it with the cinnamon sugar mixture, roll, and cut. Place the unbaked rolls into a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the rolls into a greased baking dish and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, let the rolls come to room temperature for about an hour before pouring on the heavy cream and baking.
Heavy Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Heavy cream is poured over the tops of the rolls to add some richness to the rolls. It also gets absorbed by the rolls as they are baked, helping them fill out more. I think it changes the texture slightly, as these rolls bake up softer than a traditional roll and almost develop a crumb.
You could leave that off if preferred; the rolls will still be delicious!
Can I Make These Rolls Without a Stand Mixer?
For best results, as well as an easier and faster method, use a stand mixer with a dough hook. But, if you have to knead the dough by hand, it will take about 15 minutes of gentle kneading (and some arm strength) to equal the 5 minutes using the dough hook. It can still be done, but it gets a little messy, and sometimes there is too much extra flour added to the recipe in the kneading process.
How to Store Pink Cinnamon Rolls
If you are planning to enjoy the rolls within a day or two, store them at room temperature in an airtight container. For slightly longer storage, they can be stored in the refrigerator, again, in an airtight container. However, the longer they are stored in the refrigerator, the denser and less soft they will be. You can also freeze the baked rolls for up to 3 months.
PREP TIME : 20 MINS
COOK TIME : 30 MINS
RISING TIME : 2 HRS
TOTAL TIME : 2 HRS 50 MINS
Pink Cinnamon Rolls are soft, sweet rolls with a unique pink color that are filled with a cinnamon filling, spread with cream and topped with a whipped cream glaze.
Ingredients
Dough
- ▢⅔ cup (163 g) whole milk, warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds
- ▢5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- ▢2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ▢2 large eggs, room temperature
- ▢5-6 drops pink gel food coloring
- ▢2 ¾ cups (344 g) all-purpose flour
- ▢1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature
- ▢½ tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- ▢3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ▢⅓ cup (67 g) brown sugar, packed
- ▢2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ▢¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping
- ▢1 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- ▢3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ▢¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ▢1 ½ cups (188 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢1 pinch kosher salt
