In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tsp cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 1/2 tsp baking soda until evenly combined.

Add 2 tsp red gel food coloring. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, fold and press the gel into the dry mixture until the color is distributed as evenly as possible; the gel may cause small clumps—work them apart until the mix is uniform.

Scrape the mixture into an airtight container or a bowl for immediate use. This yield is a dry red-velvet baking mix; do not add other ingredients here because none are listed in the ingredient list.

Important: the ingredient list provided does not include any liquid (water, milk), fat (butter, oil), eggs, yeast, brown sugar, cinnamon, or icing ingredients that are required to form, fill, proof, and bake traditional cinnamon rolls. With only the listed ingredients you cannot complete the original roll-shaping, rising, baking, or icing steps.

If you want to convert this dry mix into a dough and finish cinnamon rolls, follow a separate cinnamon-roll dough recipe that supplies the missing wet/fat/leavening/filling/icing ingredients and procedures; this written directions set intentionally stops here to remain consistent with the provided ingredient list.