Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
developed & tested by:
These fluffy chocolate cinnamon rolls are made with yeast and cocoa powder in the dough, brown sugar and chocolate chips in the filling, and punchy espresso glaze on top.
Equipment
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet)
- ⅓ cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 2 large eggs
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4½ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
CHOCOLATE FILLING
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
OPTIONAL ESPRESSO GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Mix & Rise the Dough
- In a microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, until it's between 98°F to 105°F. Mix in the active dry yeast and granulated sugar & let sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast mixture with the eggs and softened butter. (It’ll look lumpy, which is normal.)
- Add the flour, salt, and cocoa powder and mix everything with a large wooden spoon until it forms a shaggy dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by hand for about 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. (Or knead the dough in a stand mixer with a hook attachment for about 5 minutes.) (See note below.)
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a clean mixing bowl, and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, after about 2 hours.
Fill, Shape, and Bake
- Prepare the filling by combining the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1 cm-thick rectangle (roughly 32 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 ½-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 12 even (1.5 inches each) pieces with a sharp kitchen knife or dental floss (see note below).
- Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 30 minutes until it's puffed up a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until they're puffed up and baked through.
- Optional: Whisk the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until it's smooth, then drizzle onto the warm cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Shaping: Don’t roll up the dough too tightly or forget to leave a half-inch border around the edges, which can cause the filling to leak out.
- Slicing: Cutting cinnamon rolls with a knife can squish them so you lose that spiral, which is why I usually use dental floss instead - watch my video here to see how! (link to YT short)
- Kneading: Add a little sprinkle of more flour as needed to prevent your dough from sticking to your counter.
- Stand Mixer: I always knead my dough by hand for the final minute and add any extra flour as needed. This way I can feel if it’s smooth and elastic before I set it aside to rise.
- Leftovers: These buns stay pretty soft for a few days, but I usually pop leftovers in the microwave for about 20 seconds to warm & soften them.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 roll (of 12)Calories: 469kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 8gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 270mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 3gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 409IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 3mg
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