Fall Head Over Heels For Valentine's Day Brunch With Cinnamon Roll Hearts

When Valentine's Day approaches, everything begins coming up hearts. Pizza, cookies, cakes, and, of course, chocolate truffle hearts. It doesn't seem to matter what it is; as long as it's heart-shaped, it's an appropriate gift for the loveliest day of the year. With so many heart-shaped options, how do you make yours stand out? Instead of going to the store and making a festive purchase, put some love into it and create something a little different, like heart-shaped cinnamon rolls.

While dinner is the most common option for a romantic Valentine's Day meal for two, you can shake things up by making a Valentine's Day brunch instead. Recipe developer Kristen Carli created a cinnamon roll hearts recipe for Mashed that will likely delight whomever you share it with, whether it's a significant other, friends, or even kids.

Making cinnamon rolls might seem daunting, since the dough has to rest before moving on with the recipe. However, Carli has thought of that, creating a recipe that is one hour and ten minutes from start to finish. Even better, she says, "You can prepare the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge, just be sure to bring it to room temperature before rolling it out."

Despite being streamlined, Kristen Carli's recipe is quite traditional. The dough is made with milk, butter, flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and egg, while the filling is a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. And, since cinnamon rolls must have icing, a glaze made of powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla extract can be quickly whisked together and drizzled on top. Ta-da! Your Valentine's Day centerpiece is complete. You only need your favorite eggs, bacon, or fruit to serve with them.

One of the best things about Carli's cinnamon roll heart recipe is how versatile it is. If you're making Valentine's Day brunch buffet-style, you could go all out and make heart-shaped pancakes or waffles and let your guests serve up a bit of everything. Valentine's Day is a time for something special, and if one heart-shaped treat is good, then the more, the better. Serve these heart-shaped cinnamon buns with hazelnut lattes, hot cocoa, or mimosas.

There are ways to make your Valentine's Day brunch even more extra. Put a jar of raspberry jam, marmalade, or chocolate sauce on the side for dipping. Alternatively, make some cream cheese frosting that can be used to dunk your cinnamon roll in or to drizzle on top. These would also make a great dessert for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner if you fill them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and add a dollop of whipped cream.