Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Servings 12 people
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are golden brown yeast rolls filled with a sweet chocolate cinnamon filling and topped with chocolate glaze! Make this breakfast treat using pantry staples in less than two and a half hours!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1¾ cups whole milk warmed to 110-120°F
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 4½ cups bread flour spooned and leveled, plus extra if the dough is sticky
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil for coating the proofing bowl
Filling
- ¼ cup salted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
Chocolate Glaze
- 4 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
Additional Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted, for greasing the dish
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted, for brushing the rolls
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, thoroughly combine the warm milk, yeast, egg, sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter in the bowl.1¾ cups whole milk, 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons salted butter
- Switch to a dough hook and add in the bread flour and mix on "stir" speed for 3 minutes. You will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice, while mixing.4½ cups bread flour
- After 3 minutes, touch the dough with a clean dry finger. If the dough doesn’t stick to your finger, it is ready. If it does, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing as you go until the dough doesn’t stick to your finger when you test it. (SEE NOTES ON CHECKING DOUGH)
- When the dough is ready, it should feel tacky and pliable. Add a small drizzle of vegetable or canola oil to a large clean bowl and turn your dough out into it. Rotate the dough so that it’s oiled on all sides then cover it with cling wrap and let rise somewhere warm for 1 hour. It should double in size within that time.1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by mixing together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.¼ cup salted butter, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down in the center, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangular shape, then roll it out into a 16x8-inch rectangle measuring; it doesn’t have to be exact.
- Spread the chocolate and cinnamon filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a border of about ¼-inch around the edge.
- Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the top of the cinnamon mixture and use your hands to gently press the chocolate into the dough so that it doesn’t escape when you roll it up.¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate
- Wash your hands before you begin rolling so none of the chocolate transfers to the outside of the rolls. With the longest edge facing you, tightly roll up the dough into a log shape. When you’re done rolling, pinch the seem together with your fingertips, then cut the dough log in the middle. I like using unflavored dental floss to cut the dough. Simply slide it under the log, bring the floss up around the side, cross it, and then pull it to cut through the dough - this prevents squeezing the dough and helps it hold its circular shape.
- Cut each half of the log into 6 equal pieces using the dental floss for best results. You can eyeball it or measure it with a ruler for accuracy. Our rolls were 1¾-inch each.
- Grease a large 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, then arrange the Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls so that there is a little room in between each one. Cover with cling wrap and leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes. The rolls will puff up in size during that time.1 tablespoon salted butter
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Once risen, brush the rolls with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.2 tablespoons salted butter
- Bake the dish on the center of the oven and bake for 22 minutes or until golden brown. The center of the rolls should read 190°F on an instant-read thermometer when done. Transfer the dish to a wire rack to cool.
- While the rolls cool, prepare the chocolate glaze by adding cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and milk to a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. The glaze will be a thin, pourable consistency.4 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons whole milk
- Pour about ¾ of the glaze directly on top of the Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls while they are still in the baking dish.
- Remove from the dish and drizzle extra chocolate glaze over them and serve while still warm and gooey from the oven!
Notes
- Milk Temperature: The milk should be between 110 and 120 degrees F to allow the yeast to bloom properly. It’s best to use a digital kitchen thermometer (affiliate link) to ensure it’s not too hot. I warm it up a little bit hotter when using instant yeast because the yeast doesn’t get added directly to the milk and the rest of the ingredients begin to cool the milk quickly, we still want to make sure the yeast is activated within the dough. So a little warmer than normal is okay here.
- Can I Use Different Yeast? Though this recipe calls for instant yeast, you could also use quick, fresh, or active-dry yeast. Just be sure to check the packet instructions before using it. If using dry active yeast, it needs to activate before using it. To do this, stir together the warm milk (only heated to 105-115 degrees F), yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a medium bowl until it dissolves. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, it will begin to foam and almost double the original volume of the mixture. Then mix it into the dry ingredients where you would have added the milk.
- Why Didn't My Dough Rise? If the rolls don’t rise, it’s probably because they weren’t warm enough. Simply wait longer than the time stated so that the yeast has a chance to work. It's also possible that the milk was too hot and killed the yeast.
- How Do I Make These Cinnamon Rolls Without A Mixer? Once the flour is added to the dough ingredients, just use a spatula to mix it until it becomes shaggy. Afterward, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it. Once it becomes slightly tacky yet soft and pliable, you can transfer it to the oiled bowl.
- Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Hard And Dry? If your cinnamon rolls turned out hard and dry, there could be a few reasons. First, you may have packed the flour in when measuring it out - make sure you properly measure your flour. Second, the dough may have gotten overworked, causing too much gluten to develop.
- Can This Recipe Be Made With All-Purpose Flour? This recipe has been tested using both types of flour, and while both work, the bread flour is just preferable since it has a higher percentage of protein, creating a softer dough and better rise. If you do use all-purpose flour, you may need to add an additional 1/4 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Can I Just Use Chocolate Chips In The Filling? Yes, that will work perfectly! Mini chocolate chips would be best!
- What Should I Do If The Dough Sticks To my Finger When Checking It? You will want to add 1/2 cup of extra flour a tablespoon at a time. Once the dough feels tacky but doesn’t stick to your finger, you can stop adding the flour.
- How To Store: They can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to one month. To reheat the rolls to enjoy, just pop them in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 479IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/chocolate-cinnamon-rolls/