These sweet chocolate cinnamon rolls (called Schoko Schnecken in German) are made from scratch with a cocoa powder brown sugar filling and chocolate chips. A punchy espresso glaze is drizzled on top, making these the perfect delicious breakfast!
For more German cinnamon roll recipes, try Rosinenschnecken with raisins, flaky and buttery Franzbrötchen, and Nuss Schnecken with hazelnuts.
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Schoko Schnecken translates to “chocolate snails” because the spiral looks like a snail shell. They're made from an enriched homemade dough that's rolled out and covered in a brown sugar chocolate filling. After they're rolled, sliced & baked, each bun is drizzled with espresso glaze for a punch of flavor.
These buns are great for breakfast alongside a hot mug of coffee, German hot chocolate, or tea. They’re also great for a midday pick-me-up (hello, Kaffee und Kuchen!) or dessert! Other common fillings in Schnecken include raisins, poppy seeds, cinnamon, marzipan, nuts, and quark.
Growing up in Germany, my go-to snack was Schoko Brotchen, which were packages of super soft bread with small bars of chocolate running through them. They were buttery, sweet, and so delicious. These Schoko Schnecken are the cinnamon roll version of that beloved childhood snack.
And I promise, once you try Schoko Schnecken, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start enjoying them sooner!
American vs. German Cinnamon Rolls
American cinnamon rolls are usually baked in a baking dish so they puff up really tall and the edges all bake together to become soft.
However, these chocolate cinnamon rolls are the German version, so they’re baked spread out on a baking sheet. This allows them to still puff up, but they’re flatter and the edges are more chewy.
Ingredients and Notes
- Milk - Hydrates the dough and makes the cinnamon rolls softer than using water. I've tested both dairy and non dairy milk, and both work in this recipe.
- Active dry yeast - Leavens the dough to make it rise. I prefer this over instant yeast in my cinnamon roll recipes.
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens the dough and helps activate the yeast so the dough rises properly.
- Salt - Enhances the flavors of all the other flavors.
- Eggs - Provides structure for the dough and adds a rich flavor.
- Butter - I recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the exact amount of salt going into your chocolate cinnamon roll dough and filling.
- All purpose flour - Provides the base structure for the dough and keeps the texture light and chewy. You can substitute bread flour for a chewier texture.
- Brown sugar - Both dark brown sugar and light brown sugar work, but I recommend using dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon - Since these are chocolate cinnamon rolls, we need a little cinnamon! Ground cinnamon adds a warm spiced flavor.
- Cocoa powder - Adds a rich chocolate flavor to the filling. I recommend using unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Chocolate chips - I recommend using semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips so it's not overly sweet, compared to milk chocolate chips.
- Powdered sugar - Creates a really smooth glaze. Don't use granulated or brown sugar, which can make your glaze grainy.
- Espresso powder - Optional to add a punch of coffee flavor that tastes amazing with chocolate.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavors of the rest of the ingredients in the glaze. You could substitute other extracts like almond extract.
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Mix the warm milk, yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk & yeast mixture with the salt, eggs, and softened butter.
3. Add the flour, Mix until it forms a sticky dough.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl.
7. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Set aside.
9. Spread the filling in an even layer on the dough.
11. Roll the dough into a log, starting at a long edge. Slice the dough into one-inch pieces.
13. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 23 minutes, until they’re puffed up and golden brown.
4. Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic.
6. Cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rise for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
8. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (roughly 30 cm by 45 cm).
10. Spread the chocolate chips on top of the filling.
12. Spread out the spiral dough slices on a baking sheet. Proof for 30 minutes, until they puff up.
14. Whisk the powdered sugar, espresso, vanilla, and milk. Drizzle onto the buns.
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
The filling is pretty dry when you first start mixing it. Smash it against the side of your mixing bowl with the back of a spoon to get it smooth.
First dollop the filling onto the dough, then use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it in an even layer.
Recipe Tips
- Dental Floss: If you try to slice cinnamon roll dough with a knife, the dough will get squished and you'll lose some of the spiral shape. The best way to slice the dough is with dental floss!
How To: Place the floss under the dough, bring the two ends across, then pull tightly to evenly cut each piece. - Even Slices: Use a ruler to measure the dough log and cut each piece. This helps them bake evenly at the same time.
- Smooth Glaze: Sift the powdered sugar for smoother glaze. Otherwise your glaze could look lumpy.
- Drizzle Consistency: Add just one teaspoon of milk at a time to thin the glaze until it’s a drizzling consistency.
If the glaze becomes too thin, just sift in more powdered sugar to thicken it.
Variations
- Chocolate Chips: You can substitute mini chocolate chips for more even distribution. Or grate a chocolate bar.
- Heavy Cream: Substitute heavy cream or whipping cream for the milk in the glaze for a thicker texture and richer flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Instead of espresso glaze, you can make cream cheese frosting. The tangy cream cheese tastes great with rich chocolate.
- Caramel: For extra sweetness, drizzle homemade caramel sauce on top!
- Citrus: Orange and chocolate taste amazing together, so instead of espresso glaze, you can make a bright citrus glaze with orange juice and zest like my Lebkuchen.
- Triple Chocolate: There’s already chocolate in the filling in the form of cocoa powder and chocolate chips. But if you’re a chocoholic, you can add chocolate frosting on top!
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store cooled chocolate cinnamon rolls wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: I often freeze baked cinnamon rolls, since we can never eat them all within a few days (no matter how hard we try!)
Wrap each bun individually in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. - Reheat: If your rolls get a little hard after a couple days, reheat them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to soften them.
Storage Tip: If you’re making these sweet rolls in advance, make the glaze but wait to drizzle it on top until you’re ready to serve them. The glaze tends to melt into the buns after a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
I like using active dry yeast in my cinnamon rolls. The extra 10 minutes to ensure the yeast is alive and activated saves so much time down the road. But you can also use instant yeast, which I often use in my bread recipes.
Can I make these chocolate cinnamon rolls in advance?
Yes! Follow the recipe all the way through shaping the cinnamon rolls and placing them on a baking sheet. Cover them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Then allow them to warm and proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before baking them.
Can I make cinnamon rolls in a stand mixer?
I usually make my cinnamon rolls by hand, because that’s how my Dad taught me. But you can certainly use a stand mixer.
Mix the dough ingredients with a paddle attachment. Then switch to a dough hook attachment to knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious German breakfast recipes like this? Try these:
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- Large Spoon or Spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Dental Floss (for slicing the dough)
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1¼ cups milk (either dairy or non dairy)
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
CHOCOLATE FILLING
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
ESPRESSO GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Mix & Rise the Dough
- Warm the milk, either on the stove top, or in the microwave for about 1 minute, until it's like a warm bath when you put your finger in the milk.To the warm milk, mix in the active dry yeast and granulated sugar. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the milk & yeast mixture with the salt, eggs, and softened butter.(It’s okay if the butter is a little clumpy; it’ll get distributed once we add the flour and knead the dough.)
- Add the flour, and mix with a large spoon until it forms a sticky dough, and there’s no dry flour visible.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and knead the dough by hand for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back to its original shape when you indent it with your finger. Shape the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough ball back in the mixing bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let it rest and rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Filling
- Prepare the filling by combining the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Set aside.
Shape & Proof the Dough
- Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.(If you have two baking sheets, you can bake all the rolls at once. If you have one baking sheet, bake them in two batches.)
- Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto the floured work surface. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (roughly 30 cm by 45 cm).
- Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to gently spread out the filling in an even layer on the dough, leaving a one inch gap along the edges. Spread the chocolate chips on top of the filling.
- Roll the dough into a log, starting at a long edge. Trim off any excess dough on either end of the log. Slice the dough log into 1.5-inch pieces.
- Place the rolls so they are evenly spread out by at least 3 inches in all directions in the prepared baking sheets. (Leave any extra rolls on your counter, if you're baking them in two batches.)
- Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
Bake & Decorate the Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until they’re puffed up and golden brown.Transfer the baked buns to a cooling rack and bake the next batch (if needed).
- Prepare the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, espresso, vanilla, and one tablespoon of milk in a bowl with a whisk or fork. Add another tablespoon of milk if the glaze is still full of dry powdered sugar.Drizzle the glaze onto the buns, and enjoy!!
Notes
- Rising: Dough rises best in a warm draft-free place, like an empty oven with the light turned on.
- Stand Mixer: I've also made these in a stand mixer, and they turn out great. Mix the dough with a paddle attachment, then switch to a dough hook to knead the dough. Knead by hand for the final minute, adding a little flour as needed.
- Even Slices: Use a ruler to measure the dough log and cut each piece 1.5-inches. This helps them bake evenly at the same time.
- Dental Floss: If you try to slice cinnamon roll dough with a knife, the dough will get squished and you'll lose some of the spiral shape. The best way to slice the dough is with dental floss! Place the floss under the dough, bring the two ends across, then pull tightly to evenly cut each dough piece.
- Storing: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Or store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them.
- Make Ahead: Make the dough, add the filling and roll the dough and slice it. Then cover the buns on a baking sheet with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate overnight, up to 10 hours. Allow them to come to room temperature and proof for 1 to 2 hours, then bake.
Lina
WOW… that frosting with the chocolate is sooo good. And the coffee flavor kick…so good!!!
Carissa Erzen
Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!