Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls - Make Adorable Edible Gifts for Valentine's Day

Making Delicious Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a perfect time to show your love by baking heart shaped treats! These homemade heart shaped cinnamon rolls are sure to impress your sweetheart. They're easy to make using refrigerated Pillsbury cinnamon roll dough and require just a few simple ingredients. With a warm, gooey cinnamon and sugar filling and rich cream cheese glaze, they make a special breakfast in bed or a cute dessert for Valentine's Day.

Why Make Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Heart shaped cinnamon rolls are a wonderfully thoughtful and personal gift for Valentine's Day. The adorable shape instantly evokes feelings of love and connection. Taking the time to transform ordinary cinnamon rolls into heart shapes shows your romantic partner how much you care.

Baking shows effort and care more than store-bought gifts. The aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls will fill your home with cozy warmth. When you present your sweetheart with a tray of heart-shaped cinnamon rolls on Valentine's Day morning, they'll be touched by your creativity and effort.

These cute treats are sure to impress kids and family members too. The sweet, doughy rolls decorated with pink and red icing make the perfect edible valentines. Simply package them up in cellophane bags tied with ribbon to give as Valentine's Day gifts or as a tasty treat for a classroom party.

Tips for Making Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Making perfect heart shapes does take a bit of finesse, but the results are well worth the effort. Here are some tips for getting picture-perfect heart shaped cinnamon rolls:

• Use room temperature dough - Let refrigerated tubes of cinnamon roll dough come to room temperature before rolling. The dough will be easier to manipulate when slightly softened.
• Flour the surface - Lightly flour your work surface so the dough won't stick as you roll it out.
• Roll dough into a large rectangle - Use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a thin, large rectangle. This gives you more space to cut heart shapes.
• Cut hearts with clean edges - Dip your cookie cutter in flour between cuts for super sharp edges. Reroll scraps to cut more hearts.
• Twist and pinch seams - Carefully transfer cut hearts to a baking sheet. Pinch the top to seal and give a tailored shape.
• Proof and bake carefully - Let the hearts rise until puffy before baking. Bake at a slightly lower temp to avoid overflow.

How to Make Picture Perfect Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

With a package of store-bought cinnamon roll dough, you can easily create bakery-worthy heart shaped masterpieces. Here is a simple step-by-step method:

Ingredients

• 1 (16.5 oz) package refrigerated cinnamon roll dough
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Cream cheese frosting
• Sprinkles or cinnamon hearts for decorating

Directions

1. Let the cinnamon roll dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling by combining melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a 15x10-inch rectangle. Spread filling over dough.
3. Dip a 3-4 inch heart shaped cookie cutter in flour and cut out heart shapes from the dough. Reroll scraps and cut more hearts until you have 12-14 total.
4. Carefully transfer the hearts to parchment-lined baking sheets. Pinch edges to seal.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Bake 12-14 minutes until lightly golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes.
7. Drizzle with cream cheese frosting and decorate with sprinkles or cinnamon hearts.

Tips for Rolling Perfect Heart Shaped Dough

The key to creating clean heart shapes is working with a smooth, well-floured dough. Here are some tips for flawless heart-shaped cinnamon rolls:

• Avoid overworking the dough as you roll it out. Stretch it gently to preserve the layers.
• Roll between two sheets of lightly floured parchment for a smooth surface and easy transfer.
• Dip the cutter in flour between each cut to get very defined edges.
• Cut shapes close together, then carefully reroll scraps to cut more shapes.
• Use a straight-edged spatula to transfer shaped dough to pans.
• Work quickly so dough stays chilled and easy to handle.

Delicious Filling Options for Heart Shaped Rolls

The classic cinnamon-sugar filling is a crowd-pleaser, but you can get creative with the flavors. Here are some yummy ideas for stuffed heart-shaped rolls:

• Cinnamon Roll Filling - butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla
• Cream Cheese - softened cream cheese swirled with jam or lemon curd
• Chocolate Hazelnut - Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread
• Strawberries and Cream- fresh strawberry slices with sweetened cream cheese
• Raspberry and White Chocolate - fresh raspberry jam with melted white chocolate

For variety, make a batch with different fillings. Or, go with half cinnamon roll filling and half cream cheese for a perfect pairing!

Ideas for Decorating Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

The finishing touch for heart cinnamon rolls is decorative icing and fun toppings. Pink, red, and white are classic Valentine's colors. But feel free to get creative with crystallized rose petals, chocolate chips, crushed candy, or sprinkles.

Here are some pretty ways to decorate your heart-shaped rolls:

• Pink or red cinnamon hearts sprinkles
• White chocolate drizzle
• Crushed peppermint candies
• Crystallized rose petals
• Pink or red sanding sugar
• Chopped strawberries
• Mini chocolate chips

For an elegant touch, dust the rolls with powdered sugar instead of icing. Or, drizzle with a honey glaze and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Storing and Freezing Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

Freshly baked cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed immediately. But you can prepare heart shaped rolls in advance and freeze them to bake later.

After shaping the raw dough hearts, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze solid. Transfer frozen hearts to a freezer bag or airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight before baking.

Baked cinnamon rolls can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic then foil. Reheat frozen rolls by baking in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes until warmed through.

Un-iced cinnamon rolls will keep fresh at room temperature for 1-2 days when tightly covered. Iced rolls should be refrigerated and consumed within 3-4 days.

Special Creations with Heart Shaped Dough

You're not limited to just cinnamon rolls with refrigerated dough. Get creative with these unique heart shaped creations!

Heart Shaped Monkey Bread

For pull-apart sticky buns, cut chilled cinnamon roll dough into 1-inch heart shapes. Toss in cinnamon-sugar then layer in a greased bundt pan. Pour melted butter over top then bake until golden. Invert onto a platter for a cute monkey bread wreath!

Heart Calzones

Shape pizza dough into hearts, fill with pizza toppings, fold over, and crimp closed. Bake until crust is golden then brush with melted butter. Serve with warm marinara dipping sauce for an adorable Valentine's appetizer.

Fruit Pizza Hearts

Press dough into a heart-shaped pan and par-bake crust. Top with cream cheese frosting then artfully arrange fresh fruit. Glaze fruit with jam for a shiny finish. Garnish your fruit pizza with chocolate chips or nuts.

Cherry Hand Pies

Spoon cherry pie filling onto half of each dough heart. Fold over, crimp edges with a fork, and cut slits to vent. Brush with butter then sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking. Enjoy these portable cherry pies on the go!

Make Someone's Heart Happy with Heart Shaped Treats

Whip up a sweet surprise for your valentine with homemade heart shaped cinnamon rolls. From rolling the dough to decorating the baked rolls, creating these adorable baked goods is a labor of love. Your time and effort will truly be appreciated. While heart shaped cinnamon rolls are perfect for Valentine's Day, they make thoughtful gifts year-round. Baked with care and served with love!

FAQs

What type of dough works best for heart shaped cinnamon rolls?

The best dough for achieving clean heart shapes is refrigerated canned cinnamon roll dough. The chill helps it hold its shape while cutting. Avoid thawing or warming it too much before rolling.

How do you seal the edges of heart-shaped dough?

After cutting the hearts, carefully transfer to a baking sheet. Use your fingers to pinch and twist the top of each one, sealing the seam. This helps them hold their shape as they proof and bake.

How can I make the hearts look more uniform?

If your shapes look irregular, try chilling the dough for 10-15 minutes after rolling to firm it up before cutting. Also be sure to dip the cutter in flour between each cut for very clean edges.

What's the best way to top heart cinnamon rolls?

For Valentine's Day, pink or red tinted cream cheese frosting is perfect. For added whimsy, decorate with Valentine's themed sprinkles, cinnamon hearts, or red and pink sanding sugar.

Can I freeze unbaked heart shaped dough or baked rolls?

Yes, freeze the shaped raw dough solid on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag. You can also freeze baked rolls up to 2-3 months wrapped in plastic then foil.