These Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls takes your classic cinnamon rolls to the next level. The chocolate frosting is so delicious and easy to make.
If you and your family love cinnamon rolls and chocolate, then you need to make this recipe. It is every chocolate lovers dream as this recipe really puts a twist on your classic cinnamon roll recipe.
The chocolate flavor cinnamon rolls makes the perfect breakfast or dessert. The chocolate cinnamon filling is loaded with flavor and adds just the right amount of chocolate flavor.
Celebrate the holidays with this delicious breakfast recipe. Check out these other options – Crock Pot Cinnamon Roll Casserole Recipe, Paula Deen Cinnamon Rolls, Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls, Easy Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe, Monkey Bread, Hawaiian Roll Cinnamon Rolls or Lazy Day Cinnamon Biscuits.
What's in this post: Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Why We Love these Cinnamon Rolls:
- Simple Ingredients – The ingredient list maybe long, but they are staple pantry ingredients. If you are a baker you probably already have the majority of them.
- Chocolate Lovers Dream – We love homemade cinnamon rolls. But adding chocolate frosting and chocolate cinnamon sugar filling takes it to the next level.
- Easy to Make – These steps are easy to follow to create the perfect holiday morning breakfast. They are even delicious for a after dinner dessert. The total time to make these cinnamon rolls is about 3 hours.
Ingredients:
Serves: 12
Make the Dough:
- Warm Water
- Package Active Dry Yeast 0.75 oz
- Milk
- Melted Butter, melted but not hot
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Egg, room temperature
- All Purpose Flour
For the Filling:
- Unsalted Butter (softened)
- Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate (finely chopped)
For the Glaze:
- Cream Cheese (softened)
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Cocoa Powder
- Milk
Scroll to the bottom to see the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variation Ideas:
- Frosting – Make a traditional cream cheese frosting instead of chocolate frosting if you prefer.
- Chocolate Chips – You can add in chocolate chips to the filling mixture while adding the filling.
- Nuts – If you prefer to have nuts in your cinnamon roll, you can still add them to this recipe. Chopped pecans or chopped walnuts are always a great option.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 – Mix together the warm water and instant yeast. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes.
Step 2 – Slowly combine yeast mixture with the remaining dough ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until a soft dough is formed. Mix with the dough hook.
Step 3 – Then place the dough in a well greased large bowl. Then turn to coat the dough with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough to double.
Step 4 – Roll out into a large rectangle on lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. The rectangle should be around 24”X15” but does not need to be exact.
Step 5 – In a small bowl mix together the filling ingredients except for the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spread the butter mixture onto the rolled dough.
Step 6 – Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on the chocolate filling. Then gently press the chocolate down into the dough with your hands.
Step 7 – Roll up the dough then slice your long roll into 12 individual cinnamon rolls. Using dental floss or a large serrated knife.
Step 8 – Place sliced rolls in a glass 9X13 casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise. The bake cinnamon rolls for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 9 – Mix together the glaze ingredients with a hand held mixer until combined and creamy.
Step 10 – Spread the glaze over the warm chocolate cinnamon rolls.
Recipe Tips:
- Prepare Ingredients – Make sure when mixing the yeast that the water is not to hot. The water needs to be warm.
- Combining Ingredients – Mix the ingredients in a bowl of a stand mixer. The dough attachments combines the dough and yeast ingredients together perfectly.
- Dough Rising – Allow the dough to rise in an oiled bowl. This usually takes up to 2 hours.
- Rolling Dough – For best results roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface. This helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface.
- Slicing the Dough – We recommend slicing the dough with floss or sharp knife. This helps to slice the rolls evenly.
The Best Way to Cut Dough:
After rolling the dough, we like to cut the dough by using a dental floss or a large sharp knife. This helps to make clean cuts to place in the baking dish.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week. These are best served warmed, so microwave the leftovers for 30 seconds before enjoying them.
When we serve these delicious chocolate cinnamon rolls, we love to top with softened butter or powdered sugar. Feel free when serving to add more chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. You can prepare the dough and place in treat pan and place in the fridge. This gives time for the cinnamon roll dough to rise.
We do recommend baking the cinnamon rolls within about 16 hours of preparing it.
Yes, these cinnamon rolls make the perfect breakfast or to wrap up as a holiday. We love making these for neighbors and family.
Make sure to not overcook them. The more the cinnamon rolls are cooked the drier they can get.
We recommend allowing the cinnamon rolls to rise at room temperature. Make sure to cover with a tea towel or a plastic wrap. If you decide to let it rise in the refrigerator it will take a little longer.
More Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipes:
If you make this Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Recipe, make sure to leave a comment. We love hearing from you.
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¼ cup Warm Water
- 1 package active dry yeast 0.75 oz
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup Melted Butter melted but not hot
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour up to 3 ½ cup
For the Filling:
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter softened
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 4 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate finely chopped
For the Glaze:
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 2-4 Tablespoons Milk
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Stir together the warm water and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the milk, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, egg, and yeast mixture.
- Gradually add 3 cups flour, about 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Add additional flour as needed, up to 3½ cups total.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn once to coat.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1–2 minutes.
- Roll the dough into approximately a 15×24-inch rectangle.
For the Filling:
- In a small bowl, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder until combined.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
- Sprinkle the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate evenly over the filling and gently press it into the dough.
- Starting with a long side, tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Cut the log into 12 equal rolls using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.
- Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cover and let rise for 30–60 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden and cooked through.
- Let the rolls cool for about 15–20 minutes before glazing.
For the Glaze:
- Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and creamy.
- Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Spread the glaze over the warm chocolate cinnamon rolls and serve.
