Red Velvet Pandesal

red velvet bread rolls on a parchment paper

4.64 from 22 votes

Red Velvet Pandesal with a hint of chocolate flavor, sweet cream cheese filling, and bright red color for the ultimate baked treat. Delicious for breakfast or anytime snack!

Prep Time40

Cook Time20

Rise2 30

Total Time3 30

Course: Baked Goods, Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: servings

Calories: 195kcal

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

¼ cup warm water
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
2 ounces butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ½ tablespoons liquid red food coloring
4 ¼ cups flour plus ¼ to ½ cup as needed
1 tablespoon canola oil, for kneading
½ cup fine bread crumbs

Cream Cheese Filling

1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a stand mixer bowl, add the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and about 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let this sit for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Add the milk, the remaining sugar, eggs, softened, butter, salt, cocoa powder, and red food coloring. Stir well.
Add 2 cups of flour, and using a dough hook, beat the mixture until combined. Gradually add the remaining 2 ¼ cups of flour in ½ cup increments and continue beating to combine. If the dough is still too wet, add a few tablespoons of the reserved flour just until the dough gathers into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough over on a lightly-oiled surface and sprinkle dough with a little flour. Lightly grease hands and knead the dough the dough until smooth, elastic and has lost a lot of its stickiness.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 1 /2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese filling. In a mixing bowl, briefly beat the cream cheese just until fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat just until incorporated and lump-free. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Once risen, gently deflate the dough. On a flat surface, shape the dough into a log about 20-inch long. Divide the dough in half. Shape and elongate each half into 12 inches long. Divide each log into 12, yielding 24 equal dough portions.
With the palm of hands, flatten each dough and spoon about ½ tablespoon of the filling in the center. Fold the edges of the dough towards the center to cover the filling, and shape into a smooth ball. Tuck the ends under to seal.
Roll the dough ball in bread crumbs and arrange in a single layer at an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover the pan loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for 40 to 50 minutes, or until puffy and doubled in size.
Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden.
Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool as the filling may be very hot.

Notes

Check the temperature of the water used for proofing the yeast to ensure it’s within 105-115 F range as very hot liquids can kill the yeast.
The dough will be sticky. To make kneading easier while keeping the bread texture soft, use oil and about 1 teaspoon flour. Grease work surface and your hands as needed but do so sparingly as oversaturating the dough with oil will keep it from rising and too much flour will make it dry.
To check if the dough is well-kneaded, do the windowpane test. Take a small portion of the dough and with your fingers, stretch it out to form a square. A translucent film should form in the center without breaking easily.

Nutrition