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Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls – Deliciously soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls that are loaded with chocolate flavour, and stuffed generously with a cinnamon sugar filling. The BEST chocolate cinnamon rolls!

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls for chocolate lovers – who knew the classic recipe could get any better??

These cinnamon rolls are incredibly soft and fluffy, they’re loaded with chocolate flavour, and generously stuffed with a sweet cinnamon sugar filling.

The filling is also studded with chocolate chips, and the rolls are topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting. I suppose you could actually call these TRIPLE chocolate cinnamon rolls!

Looking for more chocolate recipes? Check out my Chocolate Sheet Cake, Double Chocolate Muffins, and my White Chocolate Raspberry Tart.

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make these rolls. You can find my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list with their amounts.

For the bread:

  • Plain/all-purpose flour
  • Cocoa powder: I love and use Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder.
  • Instant fast-action yeast: You’ll need 2 and 1/4 teaspoons, which is 7g or 1 sachet.
  • Caster/granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Whole milk: Warm.
  • Unsalted butter: Melted.
  • Large egg
  • Vanilla extract

For the filling:

  • Unsalted butter: Melted.
  • Light brown sugar
  • Ground cinnamon: You’ll need 2 whole tablespoons.
  • Chocolate chips: You can use milk, dark, or semi-sweet.

For the frosting:

  • Cream cheese: Softened to room temperature.
  • Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature.
  • Icing/powdered sugar
  • Cocoa powder
  • Vanilla extract

How to make Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

To make these rolls, grab a large mixing bowl, and whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, yeast, sugar, and salt.

Whisking together dry ingredients in mixing bowl.

Make a well in the centre, and add in the milk, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well, then bring everything together with your hands to form a sticky dough.

Folding dry ingredients into wet ingredients in mixing bowl.
Mixing ingredients by hand to form a dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes or until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

TIP: To create this warm place for the dough, preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Once heated, turn the oven off. Place the covered dough inside, and allow to rise. The dough will rise quicker than if you left it on the counter.

Cinnamon roll dough after first rise in mixing bowl.

For the filling, grab a smaller mixing bowl, and mix together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.

Mixing together butter, sugar, and cinnamon for filling.

Once the dough has doubled in size, gently deflate with your fist, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a rectangle that’s approximately 20 by 12-inches (about 1/4 inch thick).

Spread the filling all over the dough. Top with the chocolate chips, then starting from a long end, roll up to form a tight log.

Cinnamon rolls sliced and arranged in baking pan.

Cut into 12 even rolls (or 15 smaller rolls), and place them into a greased 9×13-inch baking tray. Cover with clingfilm, and leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 – 2 more hours.

Chocolate cinnamon rolls in baking pan ready to be baked.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Bake the rolls for 25 – 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch and cooked through. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack whilst making the topping.

For the topping, mix together the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined.

Mixing together cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl.
Whisking together ingredients for chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.

A chocolate cinnamon roll served on a plate ready to be eaten.

The printable recipe card with the FULL list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.

NOTE: For best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup measurements.

Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough, and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Tips & tricks for this recipe

Here are a few tips and tricks for making these rolls.

  • Make sure you use instant fast-action yeast. It can be mixed right into the dry ingredients, and does not need to be dissolved in warm water before use.
  • Add enough flour to form a sticky, but manageable dough. I found 4 cups (500g) to be just right. Remember, we’ll be kneading the dough after to make it more smooth and elastic.
  • I use whole milk in this recipe, but if desired, you can use your preferred type of milk.
  • This recipe can make 12 big rolls, and up to 15 smaller rolls. It all depends on how you slice up your dough log. There is no wrong way, as long as the rolls are near enough the same size.
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

These Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are:

  • deliciously soft and fluffy
  • super quick and easy to throw together
  • loaded with chocolate flavour
  • stuffed with a cinnamon sugar filling
  • topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting

How long will these cinnamon rolls last? These rolls can be stored, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 1 week. If desired, warm up before serving.

Can I freeze these rolls? Yes, they also freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Make ahead of time, and bake on the day you serve them: Cut into rolls and place into the prepared pan as instructed, then cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let the rolls rise in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours before baking.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and hashtag it #marshasbakingaddiction. I’d love to see!

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Try these bread recipes next!

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Yield: 12 - 15 rolls

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Deliciously soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls that are loaded with chocolate flavour, and stuffed generously with a cinnamon sugar filling. The BEST chocolate cinnamon rolls!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 4 cups (500g) plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g or 1 sachet) instant fast-action yeast
  • 1/2 cup (100g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warm
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (175g) chocolate chips

For the Topping

  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 and 3/4 cups (218g) icing/powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Dough

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, yeast, sugar, and salt.
  2. Make a well in the centre, and add in the milk, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well, then bring everything together with your hands to form a sticky dough.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with clingfilm, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. TIP: Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Once heated, turn the oven off. Place the covered dough inside, and allow to rise in this warm environment.

For the Filling

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
  2. Once the dough has doubled in size, gently deflate with your fist, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a rectangle that's approximately 20 by 12-inches (about 1/4 inch thick).
  3. Spread the filling all over the dough. Top with the chocolate chips, then starting from a long end, roll up to form a tight log.
  4. Cut into 12 even rolls (or 15 smaller rolls), and place them into a greased 9x13-inch baking tray. Cover with clingfilm, and leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 - 2 more hours. See TIP above for quicker rising.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Bake the rolls for 25 - 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch and cooked through.
  6. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack whilst making the topping.

For the Topping

  1. Mix together the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined.
  2. Spread the frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 1 week. Baked rolls also freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. If desired, warm up before serving.

Make ahead of time: Cut into rolls and place into the prepared pan as instructed, then cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let the rolls rise in a warm place for 1 hour before baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15 rolls

Serving Size:

1 roll

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 3gSugar: 42gProtein: 7g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @MarshasBakeBlog on Instagram and hashtag it #marshasbakingaddiction

Rose Stoesz

Thursday 28th of July 2022

Very good choc cin rolls ,I made half according to directions , the other half made with raspberry jam in the centre with white choc chips Yum.

Lori

Tuesday 11th of January 2022

This is a very rich treat! So yummy. Imagine the richest chocolate cake you ever ate....yum!!

Debbie

Friday 21st of August 2020

This was yummy and so rich and decadent, I could only eat one at a time The texture is soft and fluffy, and the chocolate in the filling melted that it tasted like glaze inside the roll. I didn’t make the glaze anymore because it was sweet and rich enough. Great recipe, will be making this again!

Ykc

Thursday 14th of May 2020

My frosting was a thick paste... how did you make yours runny?thanks

Marsha

Thursday 14th of May 2020

Make sure the butter and cream cheese are both at room temperature. If the glaze is too thick for your liking, add a little milk to loosen it up.

Anna

Sunday 24th of November 2019

Wow! Yummy! Looks so moist and tender inside. This recipe is a real catch for those who have sweet tooth. By the way, chocolate pastry is my favourite one. I have a secret ingredient to give chocolate pastry an exquisite taste: I always add some espresso in the dough. It's worth trying! Thank you for sharing this recipe, Marsha! Can't wait to cook it for my boys! :)

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