Fluffy Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Wrapped in fluffy, lightly enriched dough, these chocolate cinnamon rolls are a sweet treat filled with a decadent chocolate filling.

Close-up of fluffy chocolate cinnamon rolls in a baking tray with one missing.

These are the best chocolate cinnamon rolls and they are simple to prepare. Bursting with chocolate flavor, this homemade chocolate cinnamon rolls recipe serves as the perfect weekend breakfast.

Whether you’re a fan of chocolate babka or classic cinnamon rolls, this easy chocolate cinnamon roll recipe is bound to impress.

Equipment

Stand mixer – This dough can be made by hand, but a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook makes things a lot easier.

A 9×13 inch baking pan – Or similar sized pan.

Chocolate sweet rolls in a baking tray are being pulled apart by a fork

Ingredients

Find the actual recipe amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. For this chocolate cinnamon roll recipe, you will need –

The dough

  • All-purpose flour. A strong all-purpose flour with a protein level of at least 11%. You can use bread flour too, this will make a chewier bun.
  • Yeast. Active dry yeast or instant dry yeast. The yeast used in this recipe can be instant yeast or active dried yeast. Instant yeast will rise faster than active dried yeast. Whichever one you use, it needs to be viable. Usually, the instant yeast sachets are pretty full-proof, but sometimes active dried yeast can lose viability.
  • Granulated sugar – The dough itself doesn’t make overly sweet rolls, as the main sweetness comes from the filling and topping.
  • Eggs – 2 large eggs
  • Salt
  • Whole milk
  • Butter – Just enough softened butter to bring some richness to the buns. This can be salted or unsalted butter.

The filling

  • Semi-sweet chocolate
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder 
  • Ground cinnamon 
  • Vanilla paste or extract
  • Salt

Glaze

  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk
  • Vanilla
Homemade chocolate cinnamon rolls on a plate.

Baker’s schedule

Here are two examples of baking schedules you can follow for these chocolate cinnamon buns. Feel free to adapt these times to suit your own schedule.

Option 1 – Same day homemade chocolate cinnamon rolls.

  • 9:00 am – Mix the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Add in the flour, eggs, and salt. Knead, add in butter, and mix for 10-15 minutes. Form into a smooth ball.
  • 9:25 am – Place dough in a greased bowl and let the dough rise until doubled.
  • 9:30 am – Make the chocolate filling. Cover and let it cool until thickened and spreadable.
  • 10:30 am – Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread on the chocolate filling. Roll it up and slice. Place slices in the baking pan and let rise until doubled in size.
  • 11:45 am – Bake for around 25 minutes until golden brown. Make the glaze while the rolls are baking.
  • 12:15 pm – Glaze the sweet rolls while still warm. Serve.

Option 2 – Overnight dough

  • 7 pm – Mix the yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Add in the flour, eggs, and salt. Knead, add in butter, and mix for 10-15 minutes. Form into a smooth ball.
  • 7:25 pm – Place dough in a greased bowl and wrap it tightly. Let it rise slowly overnight in the fridge (up to 16 hours.)
  • The following day 8 am – Make the chocolate filling. Cover and let it cool until thickened and spreadable.
  • 9:00 am -Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread on the chocolate filling. Roll it up and slice. Place slices in the baking pan and let rise until doubled in size.
  • 10:30 am– Bake for around 25 minutes. Make the glaze while the rolls are baking.
  • 11:am – Glaze the sweet rolls while still warm. Serve.
Birds-eye close-up of the best chocolate cinnamon rolls on a plate.

How to make chocolate cinnamon rolls

The dough

In a small saucepan, warm the milk to around 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour it into a bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the milk. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, if using instant yeast this step can be skipped.

a mixer mixing dough.

Add the flour, salt, and eggs to the yeast mixture. Fit the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.

a hand adding cubes of butter into a bowl.

Add in the softened butter, a few cubes at a time, and keep mixing on medium speed for around 10 minutes until the dough pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl and is soft and strong.

Once kneaded, form the dough into a dough ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl and cover with compostable plastic wrap or beeswax wrap.

Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around about 1 to 1 ½ hours. The exact rise time will depend on your room temperature. You can create a warm spot for rising by placing the dough in a turned-off oven next to a mug of boiled water.

If making overnight chocolate cinnamon rolls, the dough can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 16 hours.

The filling

In a saucepan over low heat, melt together chocolate and butter. Once melted, remove from the heat, and stir in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and let it cool until it’s a thick and spreadable consistency.

You can put it in the fridge, but not for too long or it will stiffen up too much. It can be softened again by being placed in the microwave for 10 seconds.

a bowl of melted chocolate filling.

Shaping

Grease or line a 9x13inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Punch down the risen dough, then pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with some flour.

If the dough has come from the fridge, it will be very stiff. You can let it warm up to room temperature for 10 minutes first before rolling.

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle that measures around 12x16inches (30cmx40cm).

chocolate spread on dough.

Dollop the chocolate mixture over the dough. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate out, leaving a 1-inch border.

chocolate cinnamon rolls.

Carefully roll the dough up from the long side into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces, using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.

Place the rolls into the prepared pan. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

risen chocolate cinnamon rolls.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.)

Bake the chocolate rolls for around 25 minutes until deep golden brown. If they are browning too fast, you can cover the top of the rolls loosely with aluminum foil. 

Glaze

Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk into a pourable glaze. Drizzle it generously over the warm chocolate rolls.

A tray of easy chocolate cinnamon rolls with a glaze being poured over them.

Storing

Storing: Leftover chocolate rolls can store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. On the following days, rewarm them gently in the microwave to soften them.

Freezing: The sweet rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the rolls overnight in the refrigerator and warm them up in the microwave before serving.

Related Recipes

For more cinnamon roll recipes , check out these!

a fork tearing a chocolate roll.

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12

Soft and tender, these chocolate cinnamon rolls are a sweet treat. they use enriched bread dough, filled with a decadent chocolate filling.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 240g (1 cup) whole milk
  • 2 ½ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
  • 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
  • 530g (4 1/4 cups* ) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 85g (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Chocolate Filling

  • 170g (6oz) good quality 50-60% dark chocolate
  • 85g (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 60g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Glaze

  • 90g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tbsp milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk to around 95-104°F / 35-40°C and pour it into a bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the milk. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, if using instant yeast this step can be skipped.
  2. Add the flour, salt, and eggs to the yeast mixture. Fit the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.
  3. Add in the softened butter, a few cubes at a time, and keep mixing on medium speed for around 10 minutes until the dough pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl and is soft and strong.
  4. Once kneaded, form the dough into a dough ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl and cover with compostable plastic wrap or beeswax wrap.
  5. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, around about 1 to 1 ½ hours. The exact rise time will depend on your room temperature. You can create a warm spot for rising by placing the dough in a turned-off oven next to a mug of boiled water.
  6. If making overnight chocolate cinnamon rolls, the dough can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 16 hours.
  7. The filling - In a saucepan over low heat, melt together chocolate and butter. Once melted, remove from the heat, and stir in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla.
  8. Pour into a bowl and let it cool until it's a thick and spreadable consistency. You can put it in the fridge, but not for too long or it will stiffen up too much. It can be softened again by being placed in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Just ensure it's not runny when you spread it on the dough.
  9. Grease or line a 9x13inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  10. Punch down the risen dough, then pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with some flour. If the dough has come from the fridge, it will be very stiff. You can let it warm up to room temperature for 10 minutes first before rolling.
  11. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle that measures around 12x16inches (30cmx40cm).
  12. Dollop the chocolate mixture over the dough. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate out, leaving a 1-inch border.
  13. Carefully roll the dough up from the long side into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces, using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.
  14. Place the rolls into the prepared pan. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
  15. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.)
  16. Bake the chocolate rolls for around 25 minutes until deep golden brown. If they are browning too fast, you can cover the top of the rolls loosely with aluminum foil.
  17. While the buns are baking, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk into a pourable glaze. Drizzle it generously over the warm chocolate rolls when they come from the oven.
  18. Leftover chocolate rolls can store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. On the following days, rewarm them gently in the microwave to soften them.

Notes

*The cup sizes are US size which is smaller than metric. For best results, use scales. 

The sweet rolls can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the rolls overnight in the refrigerator and warm them up in the microwave before serving.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 270mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 8g

This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist

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